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How best to lay linoleum. How to lay linoleum correctly: methods and step-by-step technology for laying linoleum with your own hands

Linoleum is a practical and externally attractive floor covering that is found in houses, apartments, cottages, offices, shopping malls, public institutions ... Almost everywhere. How to lay linoleum, how to do it right - read on.

On what basis

Even when choosing a floor covering, the question arises of what to lay linoleum on. Is it necessary to prepare the base and if so, how seriously. The answer is simple: linoleum can be laid on any base. The main thing is that it be even, strong and clean. Preparation takes place and can be easy and quick if the ground is even. In this case, the floor is simply cleaned and dried. If the floor is with potholes, large irregularities, preparation takes longer. For correction, a screed or self-leveling mixtures can be used, a dry sheet screed is also used. building material(plywood, OSB, MDF boards). It all depends on the type of foundation.

Concrete and wood floor

You can easily lay linoleum on a concrete floor. In general, there may be drops on the surface, the main thing is that they are not local - small and deep pits and tubercles are excluded. Changes can be, but smooth. If there are significant irregularities, before laying linoleum, it is better to fill in the leveling screed.

Stack it up top coat and on a flat wooden floor. Many people think that under it the wood will rot. If the wood is dry, without signs of infection with fungi and mold, then nothing will happen to it. With proper installation, an airtight layer is obtained, so that moisture does not penetrate inside. If there are seams, they are welded, so that moisture penetration into them is unlikely. To prevent water from getting under, choose wide models and press them well to the floor. A more reliable way is to lay a self-adhesive sealing tape under the linoleum around the perimeter.

If the boardwalk itself is made correctly, with normal ventilation, then there is nothing for it to rot. If you are very worried, before laying linoleum, treat the floor with antiseptics.

If there are noticeable gaps in the plank floor, they will be visible on the floor after a while. If they are small, they can be puttied, using grinding to level the surface. Sometimes the floorboards buckle, rising slightly at the edges. Sanding such a floor will not work - a lot of nails. In this case, or if the gaps are too large, it is recommended to put sheet material on top of the boards - plywood, OSB, MDF. They are good because they do not have a very large thermal expansion, and the OSB does not yet absorb moisture (you can take moisture-resistant plywood), and this is important in wet rooms (in the kitchen, for example).

And fiberboard as a base for linoleum is not a very good option - with increasing humidity, they swell, fiberboard goes in waves. After drying, the original form is not restored, so that the linoleum laid on top is hunched and wrinkled.

Before laying linoleum, you need to lay or. This is necessary if the plank floor "plays", the boards sag. If you lay the coating immediately on the boards, it will crack in the places of deflection, and quite soon. And this means - the replacement of the flooring, and there may be problems with the boards - moisture can seep into the cracks.

That's what "with a run-up of seams" means

When laying any sheet material for leveling the floor under linoleum, it is placed with a run-out of seams - so that they do not match (as brickwork). Small seams are left between the sheets, which are then filled with elastic (non-hardening) mastic.

Is it possible to put new linoleum on the old coating

We must say right away that it is advisable to remove the old coating before laying linoleum. But this can be problematic and then flooring is allowed on top of an existing one. True, only if the old floor is even or irregularities can be repaired. New linoleum is placed on the old one, on tiles, on parquet. If there are defects in the base - chips, dents, protrusions - they are eliminated, sealed with putty, cut off, the seams between the tiles are rubbed so that the surface is even.

Lay linoleum on parquet, tile or other linoleum. But only under one condition - the base must be even

With old linoleum, as with a substrate, there are usually no problems. If there are bumps, they are pierced, filled with glue, the cracks are smeared with a repair compound - cold welding for type “C” linoleum or sealant. When laying new linoleum on the old one, there may be another problem - it will turn out too soft and significant depressions can form under the legs of the furniture.

On parquet, as well as on a plank floor, it is advisable to lay a substrate of sheet material - the planks can also “walk”, tearing the coating.

Glue or not

Before laying linoleum, you need to decide whether you will glue it or not. There is an opinion that it is not necessary to glue it in houses and apartments. It is pressed against skirting boards, furniture, large appliances, etc. All this "holds" him in place. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It usually works on hard semi-commercial and commercial types of coating, and does not work on softer household ones.

It's a matter of thermal expansion. In summer, when it's hot, linoleum expands "creeping out" from under furniture and appliances. In autumn, it shrinks to its previous size, but does not return under furniture. Waves and bumps form. Therefore, the majority agrees that it is necessary to fix it.

If you don't glue it, it might look like this

Just keep in mind that linoleum either does not need to be glued at all, or glued completely. Glue in some places - almost guaranteed to get humps and swellings after a while.

What to glue

Before laying linoleum, you need to figure out how to glue it. If the room is small, household linoleum is laid in one piece on a smooth base (sheet material, old linoleum etc.), you can fix it with double-sided tape. It is fixed securely, but due to thermal expansion, humps can form between the adhesive tapes. Therefore, if you glue linoleum, then glue it.

There are two types of adhesives:

The first option is more familiar to us, but when changing the coating, we have to suffer for a long time, tearing off the coating and glue residue from the base. The fixation holds “on shift” no less reliably, but allows you to calmly re-lay it several times (from 5 to 8, depending on the composition).

Fixations

Fixings are used for laying residential and semi-commercial linoleum. If we talk about the price per liter, then fixing is much more expensive. But her consumption is much less (100-180 g / square), so gluing one square meter it will be cheaper. From all points of view, this is the best way. Here are a few normal fixers you can work with:

There are other manufacturers, new products appear every day. But, before buying, carefully read the instructions. See what can be used on your base, with your type of coverage.

Adhesive for linoleum

Definitely do not use glue with a solvent (neoprene). Technologies have changed so that such glue gives a color change (red spots appear). Only marmoleum (material based on natural ingredients) can be glued with this glue.

If you decide to use glue, here are brands that give good results:

If you need to save money, household linoleum “with pile”, on a jute or foam base, can be glued to PVA or Bustilat M. If it is placed on concrete, screed or other similar coating, first the glue is diluted with water (1 to 1), the surface is primed with this composition (possibly twice). After that, PVA or Bustilat is applied and the coating is rolled “wet”.

How to glue the joints of linoleum

To connect the joints of linoleum there is a special glue. It is called "cold welding for linoleum". These are small tubes with a sharp nose, which the composition is filled directly into the joint. It does not so much glue as it dissolves adjacent areas of the coating, creating an airtight seam.

There are two types of cold welding for linoleum:

When laying linoleum, of course, type A is used. Pay attention to the instructions for use. There are different types, they require different drying times.

If you haven’t worked with cold welding for linoleum joints before, practice on scraps beforehand. When you work out the technology, and understand what and how to do, you can start gluing joints indoors.

Another point: the glue for connecting the joints of linoleum emits harmful substances until it polymerizes. Therefore, windows and doors are opened in the room, providing ventilation. It is better to work with gloves, and a respirator will not hurt.

How to lay linoleum with your own hands

In order for self-laid linoleum to please the eye, not swell and wrinkle, it is necessary to complete several mandatory points. The first is related to the preparation of the foundation. You already know that it should; but be even. In addition, it must be dry and clean. No dust, no greasy or other stains. We collect everything with a vacuum cleaner, remove stains with a suitable agent, dry everything thoroughly. We do all this carefully: dust impairs adhesion to the base, debris particles will eventually come through the coating.

The second prerequisite: before laying linoleum, it must be “aged” for some time in a straightened state. Preferably on site. It is rolled out, left for at least 2 days, but better - for 5-7 days. So he straightens out, takes "working" dimensions. After that, you can start cutting.

How to crop

Let's start with how to cut linoleum. There are two options - a knife and scissors. Both of them can work normally, they just have to be sharp.

It is more convenient for someone to use a clerical knife, but a shoemaker's or a sharply sharpened kitchen knife is also suitable, although there are special ones. They have a retractable blade, like utility knives, but the handle is curved and the blade hardly bends.

On a clerical knife, the protrusions that hold the blade must be iron. In this case, the blade is more elastic and there is less chance that the cut will go to the side. That's precisely because the blade can "lead" some craftsmen prefer powerful scissors. To make it easier to cut, they make an incision, and then, without making cutting movements, they simply rip the coating along the intended line.

Now about where to cut. Roll out the linoleum so that it goes a little on the walls. If there are several canvases, an overlap of at least 5 cm is made at the junction. If there is a pattern, lay out the canvases in such a way as to achieve a match. Then the junction will not be noticeable.

Linoleum is cut in the corner, the joint remains overlapped and cut off after gluing the main part. The canvas is pressed to the floor, cut off with a knife or scissors. Please note that if work is carried out in a cool room, in summer the coating from high temperatures will increase in size. If you cut the canvas close to the wall, in the summer a roller forms near the baseboards. Then, at lower temperatures, it can stretch, but in the summer it spoils the look. Therefore, when cutting, step back from the wall about 1 cm.

Glue to the base

If you decide to lay linoleum without gluing, it is usually fixed along the baseboards with double-sided tape. The same material is glued in the area of \u200b\u200bthe doors. In this case, turn off the edges, stick adhesive tape on the base. We return the edges to their place, carefully level the coating. After making sure that it lies evenly, without distortions and waves, remove the protective tape from the adhesive tape and glue the coating.

If you work with glue, you act a little differently. We twist the coating to half the length. The composition is applied to the floor (strictly according to the instructions). If there is a joint, a strip about 35 cm wide without glue is left on both sides of it. After waiting for the time set according to the instructions, the linoleum is rolled out again, pressed well.

According to the technology, a pressure roller is required - a heavy cylinder (about 50 kg in weight), movably fixed on the handle, which squeezes out air and presses the coating to the base, ensuring good bonding. If there is no roller, they take a plastic trowel, which is used when and everything is pressed well with it. You can use a board wrapped in felt or felt, or something similar.

Then glue the other side. If the canvas was laid in one piece, we can assume that the laying of linoleum is over. It remains to fix the plinth. If there are joints, we continue.

Seam processing

If there are two or more canvases, the seams will need to be processed. There is a simple way - take a T-shaped metal bar and fix it at the junction (attached to self-tapping screws or dowels, depending on the type of base). The method is not very aesthetic, but reliable. This is exactly what they do if two pieces of linoleum with different colors are joined under the door.

A more aesthetic way is to use "cold welding for linoleum" glue. First you need to cut off the excess material at the junction. We take a metal ruler (a level or a rule will do), apply it at the junction, cut both sheets with a knife along it, remove the extra strips. It is very important to cut through both canvases at once. In this case, if the pattern is chosen correctly, the connection is imperceptible, since the two canvases match perfectly. If the base under the linoleum is hard, you can put something soft under the joint - a piece of felt, linoleum, etc. Then it will be easier to cut both canvases at a time.

We turn away the non-glued parts of the coating along the seam, apply glue, wait, if necessary, for time according to the instructions, glue the coating in place, roll it with a roller. We wait for the time required for the glue to dry (according to the instructions).

Next, we take cold welding for linoleum joints and wide masking tape. We glue the junction with this adhesive tape, then, with a clerical knife, cut it along the junction. This is necessary to protect the coating from accidental ingress of the composition. It is reactive and will melt the coating, leaving an unsightly stain. The next steps are:

If everything is done correctly, the joint is almost invisible. While it is not necessary to test it - several hours are required for the final polymerization. But that's all. Linoleum is laid and you know how to lay it with your own hands.

Before you buy this material, you need to carefully calculate the right amount. To do this, measure the length and width of the room in which you plan to lay the linoleum. After that, add a margin of 10-15 cm to the measured values. Be careful during the measurement process so as not to make a mistake when buying. After acquiring the required amount of linoleum, proceed to prepare the floor surface of the room for flooring.

In the process of preparing the surface, ensure that the floor plane is level and does not contain various items the form of remnants of nails, debris, etc. As a rule, this floor material is laid on concrete, plywood or a special screed. Linoleum can not be immediately after purchase, which is especially important in the winter season. At low temperatures, linoleum becomes brittle, which can cause cracks to appear on the material. Therefore, after purchasing, let the linoleum lie down until the moment when the material takes on temperature. After that, expand the linoleum on the floor surface. Otherwise, various folds may appear on this floor covering. After the linoleum straightens, proceed directly to the flooring.

Linoleum flooring

Attach the linoleum to one of the main corners and spread it across the floor, carefully cutting off the excess parts with a knife. Remember that when cutting between the wall and the linoleum, you need to leave a gap of 5-10 mm, so that during the thermal expansion of the material, the entire floor covering does not spoil its appearance.

In the event that the floor covering is laid in two pieces, the joints between them must be carefully connected. The connection overlaps, while the overlap of a piece of linoleum is 3-4 cm. Then, exactly in the middle of this overlap, both layers of linoleum are cut with a knife and the trimmings are removed, resulting in a perfect joint without gaps. The edges of both pieces of linoleum are fixed with double-sided tape.

It is also possible to lay linoleum with glue. This flooring method is recommended for use in large areas with fairly high level patency. Trimming and preparation of linoleum occurs in exactly the same way as in the previous method. After that, the floor covering is folded in half, and ideally flat surface glue is applied to the floor. Then linoleum is laid on the adhesive base, which must be carefully pressed to the floor surface with a roller or wooden block. The same operations are carried out for the second half of the linoleum. At the very end, fix the flooring around the edges with a skirting board.

One of the simplest methods of laying linoleum is loose flooring. It is recommended to use this method for small rooms. After preparing the linoleum for flooring, this material is simply laid on the floor surface and fixed with a plinth. Joints in the area doorways masked by special thresholds.

Linoleum as a floor covering fell in love with many. There is nothing surprising here, it is very practical and allows you to work quickly enough. That is, there is no need to have special skills that are needed, for example, when working with a laminate. Although when laying linoleum you have to try a little. It is very important to follow the rules for cutting material, which must correspond to the configuration of the room.

Until quite recently, it was difficult to imagine such a variety of building and finishing materials, which is now on the market. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many different types linoleum, which meet the various needs of the consumer.

The main advantages of the material can be distinguished:

Ease of laying linoleum on the floor. This is one of the main advantages of the material. All work can be carried out independently, no special tools are required.
You do not need to comply with certain rules of operation. Linoleum can be laid and used in almost any space, making it a truly versatile product.
This material does not require the application of additional protective equipment. For example, wooden surfaces necessarily require the application of varnish or paint.
Not afraid of everyday wet cleaning. Of course, moisture must not be allowed to penetrate under the coating.

But there are also some disadvantages:

To lay linoleum - the surface must be fairly flat. This is the only way to ensure that the material will serve for a long time.
Due to elasticity, other problems arise - traces of furniture.

Main types of material

Of course, you want to choose a coating that will best match the general appearance of the room, but you need to pay attention and physical properties material.

Linoleum consists of several layers, where the protective one protects the material from rapid wear and divides it into classes

The degree of wear resistance - that's what should be in the first place. These indicators depend on the class that was assigned to the product (according to foreign standards) or on three areas of use (according to Russian standards). In any case, these indicators are interrelated. You also need to understand that the technology of laying linoleum of different types may differ.

	wear resistance	Characteristic	Usage
For residential premises
21	Low	For low traffic areas	Bedrooms
22	Normal	For objects with medium traffic
23	high		Residential and hallway areas
Premises for official use
31	Low	For objects with low traffic and little used	Hotel rooms, conference rooms
32	Normal	For objects with higher traffic, but not differing in intensity	Study rooms, classrooms, classrooms
33	high	For objects with high traffic	Office premises, shops
34	Very high	For objects with very high traffic and constantly used	Shops, areas of permanent residence of people
Premises of industrial facilities
41	Low	For sites where people work more seated and use small means of transportation	Production and repair facilities
42	Normal	For facilities where they work more standing and use vehicles	Warehouses
43	high	Other industrial facilities	Workshops, warehouses

There are two main types of linoleum:

Domestic. It is characterized by class indicators from 21 to 23, it is made of several layers. It has soundproof properties, is environmentally friendly, has various decorative look. The upper, wear-resistant layer is small. That's why this species The material is used for residential premises and has not very high wear resistance. It is popular due to its low price.
Commercial. It has impressive wear resistance, grades start from 41 to 43. Can be used as a substitute for household linoleum. Has many excellent specifications. But it is very expensive compared to the first option.

On a note! In order not to buy products that will become unusable in a very short time, but at the same time not to overpay for unnecessary technical parameters, semi-commercial linoleum should be preferred. It belongs to the variety - for office space.

When choosing a material, you need to consider that there will be an overlap on the walls (8-10 cm).

It may seem that linoleum is suitable for flooring on any type of surface, even the most uneven ones. But it should be remembered what this material is - elastic webs that are rolled up. Accordingly, any irregularities that are present on the base of the floor will be immediately visible.

Attention! Many, for the sake of economy, in order not to carry out alignment, resort to one rather controversial method. Namely, do-it-yourself linoleum flooring is carried out on existing material. That is, it turns out that the new product lies on the old one. And it may seem that all problems are eliminated. But further problems arise. Among them - the appearance of moisture, mold, fungi. It is also a great breeding ground for cockroaches.

Preparatory work before laying linoleum varies depending on the base material.

wooden surfaces

Often you can find two main types of wooden surfaces: plank flooring and parquet. None of them can boast of evenness. That is why you will have to tinker with the floor a little, but the result will be very impressive. All work can be divided into the following stages:

concrete base

If there are concrete floors in the room, their preparation should be approached most carefully, even if it is planned to lay a coating that will have an insulated substrate. There are two main ways to get a warm and reliable base:

Wood board flooring is the most popular and, at the same time, the simplest method of leveling the surface. Under them, a vapor barrier substrate is preliminarily laid.
Dry or "wet" screed. This option is considered preferable, but it is more expensive. But it is possible to obtain a surface that will serve long years and not cause any problems.

Which option to choose depends on personal preferences and financial capabilities.

Tool

After preparing the base, proceed to the main stage. Pick up first essential tool. You will need:

construction knife and scissors;
pencil (pen) and tape measure;
long rail or tape measure.

Main works

Immediately it is worth mentioning that there are two main ways of laying:

Flooring fixed with skirting boards.
Sticking.

On a note! Sticking linoleum is best done in rooms larger than 30 square meters. But, if you need to lay several pieces of material, then glue will be the most rational solution in any case.

It is necessary to observe the preliminary stage of preparation before laying the product. Namely:

All work is carried out at temperatures above fifteen degrees.
Linoleum must lie in the room for at least twelve hours.
You need to roll it on the floor and give it time to rest.

Work sequence

Do-it-yourself linoleum laying - step by step instructions:

Sticking linoleum at home looks like this:

The canvas is pre-prepared, leveled and trimmed.
The base is primed.
Then one half of the product is tucked up and glue is applied to the floor. Linoleum is straightened and smoothed.
This is repeated with the second half.

To connect two sections of the product use different methods. But linoleum must be glued end-to-end. The following connection methods can be distinguished:

By hot welding. For this, a special tool is used.
Glue the two parts of the material with double-sided tape.

On a note! Laying commercial linoleum has some nuances. It is better to entrust such work to professionals.

In any case, you need to approach the linoleum flooring responsibly. Any, even the smallest flaws, will immediately become species. Therefore, everything should be done carefully and following the instructions.

In floor cladding great importance has flooring material. Among the mass of varieties, such as laminate, parquet, parquet board and ceramic tiles, linoleum takes a special place. It is an alternative to all types of coatings, stands out against their background, has a number of advantages and differences.

Laying linoleum is a separate topic, the knowledge of which will allow you to finish the flooring quickly and without visible defects.

Material Importance

Laying linoleum depends on the type of material. If you approach the choice based solely on external data, during the operation of the floor covering it may turn out that it is not intended for this type of room and does not correspond to the traffic of a particular area. Raw materials have obvious differences due to thickness, protective layer, substrate material, external characteristics. It is different in terms of service life, degree of practicality, resistance to moisture and frequent cleaning.

In addition, the type of material is also different: the premium texture is subject to class, shade and a certain pattern.

Advantages and disadvantages

The choice of flooring is based on the study of the characteristics of the material, which are made up of strong and weaknesses. This allows you to understand the degree of relevance of laying linoleum in a given room and determine its service life.

Among the positive characteristics of linoleum, the following can be noted.

Easy installation and versatility in indoor applications different type(can be laid in the living room, kitchen, children's room, office, hallway, home library, toilet, bathroom, corridor);
Width variability, thanks to which it is possible to simplify floor cladding and perform seamless technology by laying the canvas in a single sheet;
Huge selection colors for status materials, so that the appearance of the room at the end of the repair will be special, hinting at the well-being and delicate taste of the owners of the house;
Antistatic structure of the material and fire resistance, due to which it does not attract dust and is resistant to combustion;

Long service life with the proper level of protective layer (enough for 10-15 years or more);
Resistance to moisture, wear, pressing under heavy furniture;
Good soundproofing properties, which reduces the degree of noise of annoying extraneous sounds;
Compatibility with the "warm floor" system and uniform distribution of warm air throughout the room, so that you can step on the floor with bare feet;
A different price range, which allows you to put on the floor covering, taking into account your own preferences and the budget planned for the purchase.

The unique property of linoleum is its compatibility with different finishes. floor coverings: it can be combined with ceramic tiles, parquet and parquet tiles, complement with laminate, frame with porcelain stoneware. This way of installing the floor gives a lot of opportunities for design and allows you to beat the lack of space, zone the room, giving it an unobtrusive organization.

The combination provides for the use of materials of up to three varieties of different colors and textures, which is convenient, allows you to hide laying defects by means of thresholds and a decorative plinth.

Minuses

Laying linoleum is a rational investment. However, with a lot of advantages, the material has several negative nuances.

The cost per square meter of material increases with the thickness of the protective layer;
Among the assortment presented for sale, not all raw materials are natural: synthetics suit far from all buyers;
The greater the weight, the more difficult the transportation of the material and the greater the possibility of violating the integrity of the coating during inaccurate delivery;
Depending on the quality and class, linoleum can dry out with constant temperature changes, which leads to a loss of elasticity of the material;
Laying should be carried out as accurately as possible: non-compliance with the technology can cause waves to form on the floor surface.

Not every type of linoleum is easy to work with: if you leave air under it, the coating may swell. If the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is greater than the maximum allowable width of the web, joints cannot be avoided.

Joints are a sore spot for laying. They are weak, exposed to moisture, therefore, to extend the service life, you need to take care of the flooring as carefully as possible: you can not fill it with water, it is important to immediately remove dirt from the surface before they become part of the pattern.

Types of linoleum

So that negative moments-surprises are not revealed in the work, and the flooring is the best, it is important to know the types of linoleum, which are determined by its structure. Linoleum - finishing material based on polymers, which often consists of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), has a dense structure and a porous base. It can be homogeneous, consisting of a single layer, or heterogeneous, multi-layered.

The first type combines all the layers into one, so it is dyed through, erased rather slowly. The second variety allows you to clearly see the different layers by looking at the cut of linoleum from the side.

Each type is unique in its own way, allowing you to choose a worthy material option for flooring. The only thing that distinguishes them protective layer, which is greater in heterogeneous varieties.

In addition to PVC linoleum, companies offer other types of flooring for sale, among which the following are especially in demand.

Natural made from oxidized linseed oil, hardwood resins, wood flour, limestone, jute and color pigments of natural origin (plain linoleum with a service life of up to 40 years, excellent bactericidal properties and practical qualities);
Alkyd, which is distinguished by a woven base, the presence of alkyd resins and various pigments in the composition (it has a high level of sound and heat insulation compared to polyvinyl chloride linoleum, however, it is fragile and prone to cracking);
Rubber, which is a product of the processing of rubber waste with the addition of a top layer of new rubber (a material resistant to moisture and highly elastic).

According to the type of wear resistance and purpose, linoleum is divided into three varieties.

Domestic;
semi-commercial;
Commercial.

What is the difference?

Household flooring- a cheap class of material that is erased faster than its counterparts, looks simpler, has a smooth surface, and has no texture. Its colors are more often stylistic, in the form of ornaments, they do not differ in premium and relief.

The material is suitable for areas with low traffic, over time, erasing in the most working areas of the canvas.

semi-commerce better than household analogue, stronger, more resistant to abrasion. It looks more expensive, has more solid colors for parquet, laminate, marble and tiles. The coating is resistant to high weight loads, designed for flooring in residential buildings, studios, salons, shops.

The material can have a smooth, embossed surface, is often anti-slip, and is designed for areas with medium to high traffic.

commercial linoleum- a premium grade of flooring of this material. Its front side practically does not differ from its semi-commercial counterpart. It is quite solid, can have anti-slip, antibacterial impregnation, often contains natural ingredients, which increases its cost.

This linoleum differs in price and weight, which depends on the protective film.

The lineup flooring can be complemented by a different effect. In addition to slip protection and fire resistance, the canvases are treated with antistatic impregnation and are made with a 3D effect. The texture can be rough, reminiscent of the structure of wood planks.

According to the type of base, linoleum comes with a foam or felt base. This factor determines the need for a substrate. If the linoleum has insulation, the substrate is not needed: the felt will perform the function of sound and heat insulation, and at the same time hide the unevenness of the floor.

Protection

Protection is the main difference between linoleums of different classes. If the sellers in the store answer at length enough what the difference is, in reality everything is simple: household, semi-commercial and commercial linoleum have different thicknesses of the protective film located on top of the canvas (on the front side). It is she who saves the surface from losing its attractive appearance and determines the different level of weight load on the surface of the canvas. To understand the difference, you should look at the linoleum from the side.

In the household class, the film is almost invisible and is 0.1-0.2 mm;
Semi-commerce has better protection: 0.3-0.4 mm;
Commerce is more reliable: its protective layer is from 0.6 mm to 1 mm.

To choose correctly, you can focus on weight: if you take canvases of the same width, the weight of a household canvas will be the lightest, while commercial linoleum may be unbearable. Moreover, the nuance is interesting: the thicker the protective layer, the thinner the foamed base of linoleum. Sometimes, of course, there are exceptions, but more often the thickness of the commerce is minimal and reaches no more than 3 mm.

You can lay such linoleum only on a flat, almost perfect surface.

To choose best view material that is optimally easy to install, it is worth taking a closer look at semi-commerce: its characteristics are enough for the floor to be perfectly flat and the surface not to be erased even in areas with high traffic. Commercial linoleum was originally created for industrial premises. However, its high resistance to stress has been noted by many buyers, so today commerce is often the decoration of the floor of apartments and country houses. Many users like it much more than laminate, which swells in case of high humidity.

If you want to purchase a commercial grade flooring, it is better to pay attention to the option with a protection of 0.6-0.8 mm and the maximum possible thickness. So the weight load will be maximum, and floor irregularities will not stand out.

Linoleum under tiles

Tiled linoleum - an analogue of a roll variety and a kind of alternative ceramic tiles. In structure, it is no different from linoleum in its usual form. Here is the same classification, the presence of household, semi-commercial and commercial categories, the similarity of the composition of the layers and the same level of protective film thickness.

The difference lies in the appearance: linoleum tiles are fragments of the same size and shade, which are laid like ceramic flooring.

The raw materials are so similar to tiles that it can be difficult to distinguish them at first glance.

The rest is unchanged: the characteristics are similar to the roll counterpart, the service life depends on the quality of installation, the durability of the coating is determined by the intensity of use of the working surface, a flat surface depends on the calibration, the seams are made at will. This type of laying allows the combination of material of different textures: tiled linoleum can be combined with an analogue of a different shade and color, complemented by tiles and, less often, laminate.

Parquet is inappropriate here: an excessive amount of small details can violate the nobility of the flooring, thereby adding a sense of disorder to the room.

How to calculate the required amount of material?

Today, for convenience and simplification construction works there are special calculators. They help to calculate the correct amount of raw materials, saving buyers from unnecessary expenses. However, this invention is not always necessary, because in any case it will be necessary to measure the room. In order not to be mistaken, it is important to take into account the maximum distance in length and width, checking it at several points on each of the walls.

If there is an assistant who can hold the tape measure, it is even more convenient: this way the measurement accuracy will be greater, because the edge of the metal tape will not slide and move.

All data should immediately be written down on paper, depicting a schematic drawing of the room in which the installation is carried out. This is important in order to take into account the direction of the pattern and the addition of an allowance for a threshold, another ledge (for example, for a radiator, a niche) or docking with the flooring of an adjacent room.

You need to focus on the largest indicators (this also applies to asymmetric types of premises). To the measurements obtained, add 7 cm in length and width. This eliminates the risk of shortage of material. If the canvas is not solid, they are repelled from the length, taking into account the allowance of 7 cm, they are guided by two lengths, while not forgetting to give an allowance for joining.

Foundation preparation

Floor preparation is an important condition for installation. The final aesthetic perception depends on the quality of this stage. It is not enough to buy a beautiful coating - it must be properly and accurately laid.

The process includes several working moments.

Preparation of the premises (completely free the room from furniture);
Dismantling floor plinth and door frames (if any);
Assessment of the condition of the floor, its alignment in height, getting rid of cracks, pits, bumps.

The type of installation matters. For example, if the linoleum will be located on a concrete base, the surface must be perfectly flat.

If it is planned to lay it on fiberboard, the floor can be trimmed with a mixture of cement and sand in the right proportions, masking the cracks pointwise. If the quality of the mixture leaves much to be desired, tile adhesive of the Ceresit or Eunice brands can be used as a cement composition. Their consistency is perfectly balanced, the mixtures are stirred without lumps, they mask the surface of the floor evenly and do not crumble after drying.

It is not recommended to level the surface with gypsum-based levelers: if there is high humidity in the room, such a leveler will quickly move away from the floor in layers. It is designed for walls and does not provide for a weight load, so these experiments are devoid of common sense.

If for some reason water gets under the linoleum, this leveler will nullify the entire installation, adding the work of re-laying the coating.

After the floor is leveled, it is vacuumed, removing dust and residues of the cement composition. It is important that it is dry and clean: if there are residues of the mixture on the surface, the floor under the linoleum in these places can creak and create unsightly bumps. Then you can start styling.

Preparing for styling

The preparatory stage for laying linoleum depends on the method of laying the material. Usually, linoleum is laid without bending on the wall, although often the canvas is wrapped on the wall, giving it the appearance of a kind of narrow plinth. The second method is used to finish the flooring of a commercial type of industrial premises. This makes it easier to clean the floor without touching the wall. In this case, it is important to calculate the allowance for the linoleum plant on the wall.

When performing flooring without a bend, it is important to cut the canvas correctly. It is customized to the features of a particular room in different ways: right next to the plinth or with a small gap to the walls.

The first method allows you to leave the baseboard before laying, but requires the exact contour of the linoleum and its snug fit to the bottom edge. The plinth can be selected according to the color of the linoleum.
The second option is best solution: often under the influence of different temperature conditions linoleum can stretch, so it needs a little space (0.5 cm) to lie flat without forming waves against the general background.

You can lay linoleum on different floors.

Parquet;
Hardboard;
Concrete floor;
Old linoleum.

The following tools may be needed for installation.

roller;
Metal rails;
Ruler with a corner;
Cutting tool (construction knife);
Welding tool;

Spatula (for the adhesive method);
Primer;
Mastic;
Glue "cold welding" (sealant for seams).

Laying technology provides for the preparation of linoleum. Since linoleum has been on the roll for a long time, it must rest before installation. Before direct laying, it is spread on a flat surface and left for 2-3 days. During this time, the canvas takes a flat position and allows you to make a more accurate fit to the measurements of the room.

Soundproofing the floor in the apartment

To make the floor surface smoother and warmer, soundproofing is placed under the linoleum. This can be a draft floor on logs, leveling and insulating the base, or a soundproof plate, which is made when arranging a new screed. However, the simplest option for soundproofing is a linoleum underlay, which is made of different materials and often complements the preparation of the floor on a heat and sound insulating subbase.

This stage is a need for installation, however, not all types of material are suitable for work. It is worth paying attention to raw materials with an elastic structure and high bursting resistance.

These include the following.

Membrane sound-absorbing materials;
Single-layer texound made of aragonite and flexible polymers (occurs on felt base);
Tear-resistant fiberglass without harmful impurities;
Isoshum (shumostop) with hydro- and heat-insulating properties;
Isolon is a derivative of polyethylene foam;
Cork substrate made of compressed ground cork chips;
Jute fiber lining.

Having prepared the base and taking care of the heat of the coating and sound insulation, proceed to laying.

DIY installation process

Mounting technology depends on the type of surface. In small rooms with dimensions up to 20 sq. m. linoleum is not glued to the floor surface. Flooring without glue is the simplest and is called dry. The main condition is a dry surface. Linoleum is placed on the floor, the edges are trimmed, the edges are attached to the base (if it is fiberboard or a wooden base, they can be nailed with roofing nails at a distance of about 5 cm).

So that the edge does not collapse over time, it is fixed with aluminum strips, making holes in them the size of nail heads.

In case of concrete base pre-drill holes for plugs, into which screws will then be screwed. However, if the house leads, over time the screws can rise up, breaking the harmony of a perfectly flat floor. In this case, it is enough just to attach the linoleum around the perimeter. The joints are glued, sometimes nailed.

The second option looks less beautiful, so if you can buy a whole sheet, you should forget about saving: a monolithic floor is more practical.

Step-by-step instruction laying linoleum on glue implies two ways.

With separate dryer

Before laying, the back side of the material is treated with a primer. This minimizes the number of bubbles that prevent perfect operation. It is important to prime the base with an even layer without gaps and give the linoleum and the base time to dry for about a day. Each surface is dried separately without contact. Then mastic is applied on the wrong side of the linoleum over the primer.

After that, the linoleum is determined on the floor surface and the flooring is smoothed, using a special roller for optimal fit, rolling it over the surface and evenly pressing the canvas to the floor.

To properly lay the material against the wall, you need to use a spatula, pressing the linoleum around the perimeter.

When there's not enough space

If it is not possible to dry the linoleum and the floor base separately, you can lay the canvas on the floor and bend at least half a meter. The primer is carried out in parts, after which glue (mastic) is applied to the floor surface, although for reliability it is better to add an adhesive to the back of the linoleum. So that there is not much glue, it is distributed over the surface with a spatula, removing excess.

When gluing the floor covering, it is rolled with a special heavy roller or wiped with a cork board. This eliminates air bubbles and promotes an even distribution of adhesive between the floor and the back of the floor.

Seam processing

A solid sheet of material is pressed with skirting boards. However, if the coating has joints in a visible place, they are glued by "cold welding" using a special glue. The tool is designed to fill the seams, it is transparent or the color of the material. It is used with a welding machine. In addition to "welding", you can use a linoleum profile tape to join the seams. She herself compresses together the coating inserted into it from two sides.

Laying linoleum tiles

With regards to tile linoleum, its laying involves leveling the floor, otherwise the fragments will stand out from each other. After preparing the floor, it is primed, the center of the room is determined. To do this, pull the threads diagonally from the corners of the room. The first tile is placed in the center: glue is applied to its back side, while retreating from the edges of the fragment.

It is important to roll each workpiece with a roller. After gluing all the fragments, a sealant is applied to the surface of the coating.

To make the look of the flooring pleasing to the eye, look professional and solid, you can take note of a few tips from experienced craftsmen.

When laying marble-like or plain linoleum with joints, it is preferable to lay the canvas in the direction of the light: this way the coating will look monolithic;
To glue the joints, you can use double-sided tape;
Buy a primer deep penetration: so the adhesion of the two surfaces will be maximum;
Using oil-chalk mastic, the base can be primed with drying oil;

If the mastic is bituminous or rubber-bitumen, instead of a primer, you can use mastic diluted with gasoline in a ratio of 1: 3;
You can’t immediately unroll the roll and lay the material on an uneven floor: high-quality work does not tolerate haste (both the material and the floor need to be prepared);
If the linoleum moves away from most of the base, it lacks mastic: you need to carefully remove the linoleum, clean it from the adhesive, re-priming and laying.

Experts draw attention to the fact that for some types of flooring, brands develop their own adhesives. This factor matters: if you ignore the manufacturer's recommendations, put linoleum on another glue, you can ruin the structure of the material. If this happens, carpet will help to save the case, with which you can close the floor.

You started a renovation in your apartment, bought everything necessary materials and realized that calling installers to fix everything in its place is now an unaffordable luxury for you? It doesn’t matter, because you can do most of the work on installing materials on walls, floors and even ceilings with your own hands! Today we will tell you about how to lay linoleum on your own. By following our tips and instructions, you will be able to repair the floor without much difficulty.

Linoleum is one of the cheapest floor coverings. However, despite its low cost, this material has a lot of positive characteristics. Also, its pleasant appearance speaks in favor of linoleum, some canvases have a “parquet-like” pattern.

The linoleum floor does not burn, is not afraid of water and is very easy to clean. It can be stellit in absolutely any room, but it shows itself best in the kitchen and in the corridor, because these rooms are most prone to pollution.

At the first stage, you need to choose suitable material. There are no special rules here. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the thickness of the linoleum sheet, because the thicker such a coating, the more resistant to wear the floor will be. Experienced craftsmen do not recommend using canvases thinner than 3 mm.

Next, you measure the length of the walls and find out the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, on the basis of which you calculate the number of rolls. Quantity sq. meters of material should be slightly larger than you calculated as allowances are made during installation.

After the linoleum is purchased, it is necessary to remove all furniture and other items from the room that may interfere with the repair. If there are cabinets in the room that you can’t handle moving on your own, then ask your friends for help. You should not cut the flooring to the shape of the furniture, leaving the areas under it uncovered, because in this case you will not be able to make further rearrangements.

Now you just have to prepare the following tools:

Wide and narrow paint spatula;
Special glue;
roller;
Double sided tape;
Scissors.

This is probably all preparatory work common to sexes of different species. Further laying of linoleum will be slightly different.

How can you lay linoleum on glue with your own hands

There are several ways to lay linoleum, it is best to put such material on glue. In this case, the coating will hold on tighter and will last you much longer.

There are only two options for how to put linoleum on glue:

Coating with adhesive composition of the entire surface of the base. For such work, a roller or notched trowel and a special adhesive are used, it can be one-component, two-component, water-dispersion, polyurethane, or solvent-based.
To fix linoleum, glue is applied in drops in some places. In this case, you can use double-sided tape or special glue for fixing.

Since there are a lot of types of linoleum, there are special adhesives for use in one case or another. To lay a sheet on a heat-insulating base, a dispersion adhesive is used, which is applied to the floor with a layer about 0.7 mm thick. For fabric-based materials, dispersion adhesive is also used, but the thickness of its layer should not exceed 0.5 mm.

To cover the concrete floor with linoleum, use a special bituminous mastic. It provides better grip and longer material life.

Linoleum is glued as follows:

First you need to cut the linoleum in the shape of the room. If you cover the entire floor with one sheet, then you need to let it lie down for a couple of days in expanded form. After the material has straightened, it must be cut so that its edges do not reach the wall of one centimeter. This is necessary, the linoleum did not rest against the wall when you lay it and stretch it.
Half of the linoleum lying on the floor rolls into a roll. The floor under it is smeared with glue, after which the canvas unfolds.
The same must be done with the second half.
Then the glued linoleum must be rolled with a roller and left to dry completely.

If you use several linoleum sheets to decorate a room, then they overlap each other. After that, one tightly rises and is smeared with glue, the same must be done with another piece of material. At the junction, you need to make a cut and remove all unnecessary trimmings. With this gluing, the seam between the parts of the linoleum is perfectly even.

How to properly lay linoleum in an apartment without using glue

A simpler, but less reliable way of laying linoleum is to lay it without the use of glue. This option is acceptable if you use a solid linoleum sheet for finishing the floor. However, if you decide to cover the floor with such material without the help of glue, then you should know that in any case there is a risk of wrinkles appearing on the coating.

When installing linoleum on the floor, the temperature in the room should not fall below 18 degrees. It is also necessary that the humidity of the air does not exceed 68%.

If you decide to lay linoleum without using glue, then you need to mark and cut off the linoleum as accurately as possible. Only in this case, the canvas can be placed correctly.

How to cut linoleum correctly:

It is necessary to spread the linoleum sheet and let it lie down for several days.
Linoleum is laid in the room in such a way that a uniform overlap is formed on each wall.
If the room in which you are making repairs has external corners, then you need to start trimming the linoleum from them. First of all, it is necessary to cut the linoleum in this place so that the overlap on each side of the corner is equal to the overlaps on the wall, so that the canvas lays down at the junction of the sides of the corner, it is necessary to make an incision. You should not cut the corner, as they say “by eye”, so that the material lies flat in such corners, you need to draw two parallel lines: the first is from the beginning of the wall to the beginning of the corner, and the second is from the outer part of the corner to the perpendicular wall. The same must be done on the other side.
Now you can proceed to the final trimming of linoleum. To do this, you need to bend the canvas against the wall and use a ruler to measure such a distance from it that when you cut off the excess, there is a gap of 0.5 cm between the edge of the linoleum and the wall. Put a dot in this place, continue to measure the same distance further around the room. Connect all the dots with a line and cut off excess strips of material.

After completing all the above steps, you can cut the linoleum perfectly evenly. If you are going to put several strips of linoleum in the room, then we advise you to refuse the glueless method. However, it is possible to join pieces of material using cold welding. To do this, use a special glue, instructions for its use are usually written on the package.

Description: how to lay linoleum on a concrete floor yourself

A very important step in the repair is the preparation of surfaces. Laying linoleum on a poorly prepared floor is a useless job that will soon have to be redone.

Basically, the floors in the apartments are of two types: concrete and wood (fiberboard, chipboard). The first option often requires a new screed, which will even out all the old flaws.

Preparing a concrete floor for the installation of linoleum requires care and responsibility, but you can handle it yourself. First of all, you need to remove the old finishing material. Try to concrete floor no dried glue, no debris, no dust left.

Now you need to inspect the floor for irregularities. If there are only small depressions and bulges on the surface, then you will be able to level it with a metal spatula and cement plaster.

If the shape of the floor does not meet the standards, and it is not possible to remove irregularities with a simple method, you will have to change the strategy and re-fill the floor. We can write a lot about the most different ways screeds, however, it is easiest to work with flooded self-leveling floors. These mixtures allow you to make the most even surface, in addition, they dry quickly enough.

Professionals do not advise laying linoleum immediately on a concrete floor, in which case sufficient thermal insulation will not be provided to the room. It is better to close the concrete with a special cork substrate.

It is also worth paying attention to the characteristics of the linoleum itself. For a concrete base, it is necessary to choose a material with a heat-insulating felt or foam layer. Linoleum is also divided into types.

Types of linoleum:

Commercial linoleum is suitable for use in public areas;
Household linoleum can be used for finishing residential apartments;
Semi-commercial linoleum combines the positive properties of the first and second types.

How to lay linoleum on plywood

Another option for linoleum is its lining on plywood. Such wood sheets are used if it is necessary to improve the thermal insulation of the floor or to strengthen old boards. In the first case (if the surface is concrete), you can use plywood up to 1 cm thick, if you want to prepare a wooden floor, then choose a material no thinner than 1.5 cm.

A word on how to lay plywood sheets on a wood floor:

Loose boards must be tightened to the base boards with self-tapping screws;
The settled lags must be knocked out with wedges;
Replace the collapsed parts of the old floor with new boards;
Sand all knots and ridges on the tree;
Separate the sheets of plywood. At least two pieces, and attach them to the floor with a slight offset from each other.

How to lay linoleum (video)

Linoleum is one of the most inexpensive flooring materials. Many consider it unsafe, and in the case of low-quality products, this is true. However, conscientious manufacturers have long refused to add harmful substances to linoleum, so do not hesitate to send the seller for a quality certificate.