The flooring market today offers a huge variety of materials. Each of them has its own properties. One of the most popular and affordable is linoleum. This coating is unpretentious, so you can find it almost everywhere. Such popularity is ensured by ease of installation and good performance. You can do all the installation work yourself. However, you first need to familiarize yourself with the basic recommendations and rules, as well as decide which type of linoleum to prefer.
Can I use linoleum as a base
Quite an urgent dilemma is the question of whether it is possible to lay linoleum on linoleum. The answer here is ambiguous. If under your feet you have a battered pavement, laid before the collapse of the Soviet empire, then, without a doubt, it must be dismantled. There are several reasons for this, among them:
- dust;
- dirt;
- peel off;
- unevensurface.
The last factor can become a serious obstacle. In this case, it cannot be ruled out that modern elastic material will highlight the unsightly defects that you tried to decorate during the repair process. You can remove the old coating by cutting it into separate pieces.
If the linoleum was laid recently, and you have just moved into a new apartment and do not want to use the old coating, then there is no reason to remove it. Before laying the new material, it is only necessary to remove all dust and dirt, degrease the surface and dry it.
If you still cannot decide for yourself whether it is possible to lay linoleum on linoleum, then the answer will be yes if the repair has been carried out recently. In this case, it is important to make sure that the humidity in the finished room does not exceed 65%. The optimum temperature is 18 ˚С.
Choice of linoleum
PVC-linoleum is made from materials of the same name with fillers, pigments and plasticizers. Industrial additives can have different purposes. Some of them, for example, give strength and elasticity. One of the main advantages of such linoleum is an extensive range of colors. You may be interested in the following qualities:
- antistatic;
- easy styling;
- moisture resistance.
But like every material, PVC linoleum has its drawbacks. They are expressed in low resistance to fats, negative temperatures, alkalis and solvents. PVC linoleum can have a base, which happens:
- non-fabric;
- fabric;
- foamed.
Material can be single layer or multilayer. This affects the quality of heat and sound insulation. If you decide which linoleum is better to lay in your apartment, then you can pay attention to relin. It is based on synthetic rubbers. The material originally had two or three layers. The main place of its application is rooms with a high level of humidity. Key benefits include:
- strength;
- durability;
- elasticity;
- durability;
- high thermal insulation qualities.
One of the important features of relin is its unpretentiousness to the base. The material has its drawbacks, for example:
- poor resistance to chemical solvents;
- high flammability;
- poor environmental friendliness.
Before laying linoleum, you must decide which type to give preference to. Among the most common, nitrocellulose coating should be singled out, in the manufacture of which stabilizers, colloxylins, fire retardants, fillers and dyes are used. This coating is made in one layer. Its main advantages are moisture resistance and flexibility.
The main disadvantage is the high level of fire hazard. If you want to make the floor insulated, then you should not use nitrocellulose linoleum, as it has a high thermal conductivity. It is not sustainable:
- to alkalis;
- acids;
- solvents.
Ifchemicals will not be used in the room, then such a coating is well suited. For its laying, it will be necessary to prepare the base well. If you are faced with the question of how to lay linoleum, then you must understand its main types. Among others - alkyd linoleum, which is also called glyptal. It is the most environmentally friendly, because alkyd resins are used for its production. Fillers and pigments are added to them. Fabric acts as a basis.
This coating has high quality heat and sound insulation. You will benefit from a wide variety of colors and patterns to choose from. Among the shortcomings, it is necessary to highlight the low resistance to temperature extremes.
Linoleum for kitchen
Many consumers today are unaware that linoleum can be natural. Jute fibers and non-woven materials are used as the basis. Such coverage will have:
- high strength;
- abrasion resistance;
- fire resistance;
- bactericidal;
- antistatic;
- resistance to aggressive household chemicals;
- outstanding heat and sound insulation properties.
This is the material you should choose for the kitchen. Its main advantage is hygiene. The coating is environmentally friendly and retains its properties throughout the entire service life. Manufacturers claim that the material can lie from 20 to 40 years without requiring repair. If you are deciding which linoleum to layto the kitchen, then you should choose the natural variety. You should not be afraid of its high cost, because the price is justified by the quality.
You may also prefer semi-commercial or household linoleum. If your whole family is often in the kitchen, then you should choose the first variety. It is resistant to abrasion and will fully meet the declared service life. Pay attention also to whether the coating has protection against bacteria. It can be expressed in a layer with silver microparticles, which release the corresponding substances into the air. They also prevent the reproduction of microbes.
Do I need a backing
The substrate is a building material that provides additional properties to the decorative coating. In the described case, linoleum will be well protected from mold, moisture, will provide noise and heat insulation of the floor, and will also make the unevenness of the rough coating invisible.
What is the best way to lay linoleum? This question is often asked by newbies. If you are also one of them, then you should pay attention to the coverage that you have chosen. If it has a polyvinyl chloride, fabric or jute base that replaces a warm floor, then there is no need to purchase a substrate. In all other cases, you can use canvases based on:
- corks;
- jute;
- linen.
If you do not know what to lay under the linoleum, you can pay attention to the combined substrates, which are made by the methodcombinations of wool, linen and jute. The main advantage of this material is its high density, which reaches 700 g per square meter.
Styling instructions
Many home masters decide how to lay linoleum. If you are also among them, then you should know that the material after purchase must be left in the room so that it straightens and takes on a normal temperature. For installation, temperature and humidity conditions must be observed. The thermometer in the room should not fall below +18 ˚С, while the humidity level should not exceed 65%. If these two parameters differ from the recommended marks, then the linoleum may expand or shrink in size.
Another important point in styling is the need for acclimatization. The material must lie indoors for a day. During this time, the canvas will level out and take the shape of the floor. This will make the installation work easier. Before laying linoleum, you will need to cut it. To do this, you can use a special knife with interchangeable blades. In order for the edges to lie end-to-end, trimming must be performed following a certain algorithm. Two canvases are superimposed on each other with an overlap of 5 cm. They are pressed tightly and cut through with a knife. If the density and thickness do not allow doing this at a time, then you should try to leave an incision on the bottom canvas.
Linoleum is trimmed with a 10 cm overlap on the walls. The corners are cut diagonally. In those places where the material will come into contact with the pipes, it must be cutin a straight line. Then the canvas is cut along the contour of the pipe. Fixing can be done in one of two ways, which will be discussed below.
Glueless technology
If you are wondering how to properly lay linoleum, then you can use the glueless method. It is chosen when the area of one canvas is greater than or equal to the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. This technology is also suitable for the case when the surface loads will not be too large.
In order to lay sheets without glue, it is necessary to unfold the roll and cut it to fit the area of the room. Let's not forget about letting go. Double-sided adhesive tape is glued around the perimeter, the floor covering is laid on top. It must be leveled from the center towards the walls. Cuts should be made in the corners so that the canvases lie close. Before starting work, you must definitely learn how to properly lay linoleum. In the process, technology must be observed. At its next stage, the edges must be turned away from the walls and the protective coating removed from the adhesive tape. The edge of the linoleum is returned to its place and glued. The canvas itself needs to be stretched a little. A plinth is used as an additional fastening. It should adhere to the surface of the coating as tightly as possible.
Glue method
If you decide for yourself the question of how to lay linoleum in an apartment, you can use the technology where glue is used. Mastics can be used instead. Linoleum at the first stage is laid out on the surface and trimmed, as in the case above. One siderises, and then glue is applied to the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe piece with a spatula. The material must be returned to its place and pressed well.
With this method, for better adhesion, the base is first impregnated with a primer. We lay linoleum with our own hands using a small spatula. You can apply glue to them. Whereas a wide tool is used for smoothing. After gluing one side, you can stand on it to bend and glue the other. It is necessary to start fixing from the corner opposite from the door.
The operation must be repeated on the other side. Double-sided adhesive tape should be used to tightly fit and stick two sheets. It is glued along the entire length of the joint, and then the protective film is removed. Then both pieces of linoleum must be glued to the surface. At the final stage, the seams should be glued with special glue and the material should be allowed to age until the liquid mixtures dry. This will take several days. The base can then be fully exploited.
Laying linoleum on wood floor
How to lay linoleum on the floor? This question also arises among the owners of private houses, where wood is one of the most common materials. In this case, there are usually no special difficulties; it will be enough to level or replace the rough base. The condition of the wooden floor should be checked. The floorboards should fit together as tightly as possible. They should not creak and fail. If the floor is in good condition, then it is cycled, and afterstart installation. Otherwise, repair and leveling work will have to be done.
If the floorboards are dry and have different heights, but they lie quite firmly and do not fall through, the wooden floor is cycled, and the cracks are filled with putty. You can lay waterproof plywood on top. Linoleum will follow. If you notice that the boards are failing, you will have to perform more serious repairs.
To do this, the wooden floor is disassembled to the lag. If they are in good condition, then in places of failures it is necessary to lay pieces of wood and set logs along the horizon. If the lags are damaged, they are changed, and new ones are installed in their place. Before laying linoleum on a wooden floor, you should check if the floorboards are rotten. They may have other damage as well. In this case, they are changed. To create a flat surface, plywood or gypsum fiber sheet is laid on the wooden floor. Installation can be carried out directly on the floorboards. But if the floor has a slope, then wooden logs are substituted under the sheets to level the plane.
GVL and plywood are fastened to the floorboards with self-tapping screws, which are installed along the perimeter and diagonal of the sheet. The distance between the fasteners reaches 40 cm. In order to prevent the wood from cracking while screwing in the self-tapping screws, small holes for the self-tapping screw should be drilled. Before laying linoleum on a wooden floor, you need to make sure that the surface is even. It should not have protruding parts and obvious drops.
Laying linoleum on concrete
If you want to simplify the work, it is better to use concrete as a base. This technology is simpler compared to the one where wood is used as a rough surface. The main requirement for technology is a dry, even surface.
If you want to know how to lay linoleum on a concrete floor, then first you will need to remove the old decorative coating. The concrete surface is checked to be free of cracks, bumps and depressions. With the help of self-leveling compounds, you can perform a surface screed. It is left until it dries, and then proceed to the flooring of linoleum. If the surface has potholes, and the concrete crumbles, then the old concrete screed is removed, and a new one is laid in its place.
When buying flooring, it will be important to choose also a special glue. It must be elastic. Such compositions are divided into two types. Some are designed for continuous gluing, others for partial fixation. If you choose the first variety, then the composition can be one-, two-component, water-dispersion, polyurethane or be a solvent-based mixture.
If you want to know how to lay linoleum on a concrete floor, it is better to choose an environmentally friendly composition like a water-dispersion mixture. It is flexible and holds well. Using the described conditions, you can apply double-sided tape. The procedure will be the same as in the above case. A more complicated but reliable approach is to use glue. dependingfrom the type of glue, you should choose a tool for applying the mixture. It can be a notched trowel or roller.
Additional recommendations for using plywood as a rough finish
Installation of linoleum according to this method is carried out in the same way as on any other basis. However, in this case, there is one caveat. It lies in the fact that water-based glue should be purchased only if the flooring has the following bases: rag, jute, felt. These materials are able to absorb moisture from the mix.
But you cannot use dispersion adhesive in conjunction with PVC-based linoleum. How to lay linoleum on plywood? This question is one of the most common among home masters. You can use double sided tape or glue. In the latter case, the coating should be rolled with a roller, moving from the center of the room to the edges. The operation is then repeated with the other part of the cover.
