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Linoleum flooring

Laying linoleum on the floor - from the choice of material to the technology and methods of installation on different types of base.

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Laying linoleum on the floor is a simple process that even a non-professional can handle. This finish imitates everything, even marble and river pebbles, so it fits perfectly into any style of interior. To lay linoleum on the floor, you need to know how to choose the finishing material and substrate, and understand how to lay them on different types of substrates.

The main types of linoleum for the floor

There are many varieties of such a finishing floor covering. Moreover, the models differ not only in appearance, but also in quality and composition. How to choose linoleum for the floor and not make a mistake, consider below.

Floor coverings based on oiled fabric and resin appeared in the 18th century. The next 2 centuries, linoleum was completely natural. By the middle of the 20th century, it was replaced by synthetic - it cost less, and it was much easier to produce it.

Modern linoleum is divided into several groups:

By area of application - for residential premises (household), for offices and warehouses (semi-commercial and commercial).
According to the material - alkyd (glyphthalic), polyvinyl chloride, nitrocellulose (colloxin), rubber, natural.
By the presence of a basis - basic / baseless.
By structure (by the number of layers) - homogeneous and heterogeneous.

When choosing a material, determine the load on the floor. Based on this factor, it is obvious that semi-commercial linoleum is the best option for the hallway, kitchen and living room, and less durable household linoleum is quite suitable for the bedroom and children's room.

Synthetic and natural linoleum differ significantly in cost. Finding a material without artificial impurities is quite difficult. When choosing cheaper linoleum, pay attention to its smell. High-quality PVC material is almost odorless. Additionally, ask the seller for a certificate. If he finds it difficult to provide it, refuse the purchase.

The main linoleum does not require laying the substrate, which greatly simplifies its installation. For baseless material, an interlayer between it and the rough base is required. The substrate, like linoleum, must be chosen correctly.

Criteria for choosing linoleum on the floor

Pay attention to how rolls of material are stored in the store. They must stand vertically or be wound on special reels and hung horizontally.

Before buying, bend the tip of the linoleum, if after that a white stripe forms, refuse to buy. Such material will quickly begin to deteriorate, as it is fragile, moreover, spots will appear on it over time.

Examine the surface of the linoleum. It should not have any delaminations, tubercles, bubbles, color deviations. Their presence indicates the low quality of the material.

When buying linoleum, pay attention to:

Protective layer thickness. Minimum - 0.15 mm. Such protection is erased quickly, leaving stains and stains on the coating. Linoleum in these places will quickly become unusable. The maximum thickness of the protective coating is 0.6 mm.
Linoleum thickness. For a children's room, choose a thicker one so that the floor is softer. However, remember that the thicker the linoleum, the worse it reacts to furniture legs and sharp objects - it is pressed through and torn.
The presence of a foundation. If it is, the installation will be faster and easier.
Marking. Linoleum is divided into classes: 21-24 refers to household, 31-34 to semi-commercial, 41-44 to commercial. Also consider the spread of operating temperatures, moisture resistance, fire safety, abrasion.
Design. Modern linoleums imitate anything - from river pebbles to granite, marble and laminate. For a small room, choose light cold colors, for a large room - warm.

Choose high-quality PVC linoleum for residential premises. For children's rooms, as well as for people with allergies and asthmatics, natural material will be a successful, but expensive option. Products based on rubber and bitumen (linoleum-relin) emit harmful substances, therefore they are not recommended for use in apartments and residential buildings.

Colloxin linoleum has an attractive appearance, but significantly changes in size with temperature changes. Glyptal flooring is difficult to install and requires a professional approach.

Rules for laying linoleum

Despite the fact that laying linoleum on the floor is much easier than finishing the floor with parquet or laminate, you need to remember a number of rules, without which the end result may be far from ideal:

Be sure to prepare the base and use the substrate. This will extend the life of the linoleum.
The purchased material should “lie down” for a couple of days. Stand it upright, and after "acclimatization" turn it around so that it straightens out.
Try to use large pieces and minimize the number of joints.
Linoleum is laid in three ways - on glue / mastic, dry and on double-sided tape. The first option is suitable for large areas, the second for small ones - up to 12 m 2. The third method is relevant for rooms of any area.
Fixing skirting boards when finishing the floor is made only to the walls. This allows the linoleum to shrink / expand with temperature changes and not wrinkle.
The edge of the linoleum, located in the doorway, must be fixed to the floor with metal strips and self-tapping screws.

Now you have some idea how to lay linoleum on the floor. It's time to go to the construction supermarket for the material and tools necessary for the job.

Technology for installing linoleum on the floor

Having bought the material, you need to figure out how to lay linoleum on the floor so that the result pleases for a long time. To work, you will need a certain set of tools, as well as a set of preparatory work with a subfloor.

Tools and materials for laying linoleum

Linoleum is an easy-to-use material. For its installation, a minimum set of tools is required:

Sharp knife for cutting material;
Notched trowel, if laying is carried out on glue;
Heavy roller or small roller for rolling linoleum;
Long ruler (reisshin) or tape measure;
Glue / double-sided tape for hard installation;
Plastic plinth;
Metal nut (if required);
The required amount of linoleum.

Additionally, if preparatory work with a rough base is required, you need to have a self-leveling concrete mix for putting the concrete slab in order, cement mortar for redecorating the concrete floor, plywood if the linoleum will be laid on a wooden floor, a drill with a mixing nozzle for mixing the leveling mortar, for filling joints, a grinder with a grinding wheel for working with a wooden floor, a nail puller, a needle roller.

Preparatory work before installing linoleum

Installation of linoleum on the floor begins with the preparation of the base. Such a topcoat can be laid on any surface - wood, concrete, tile. The main condition is evenness, the absence of obvious bumps and pits. On an uneven surface, with a large difference in height, laying high-quality linoleum will not work.

The order of preparatory work, if the subfloor is concrete:

Examine the stove. Knock down obvious bumps, seal the holes with mortar.
Check the surface with a level. With a height difference of more than 2 cm per 1 meter, a self-leveling thin screed will be required.
Close the dry mixture with water according to the instructions, stir with a drill with a mixing nozzle, let stand for 5-7 minutes and mix again.
If the area of \u200b\u200bthe room to be finished is small, divide it into two equal parts. If the room is large, divide it into equal squares.
First, pour the mixture into one part, go over the spiked roller to expel the bubbles. When the surface hardens, repeat the work with the remaining floor.
Let the surface gain working strength and dry well (at least a month!).

If the base is wooden, the order of work is slightly different. First you need to carefully examine the surface and analyze the condition of the floorboards. To do this, they are tapped with a hammer. If the tree "sounds", then there is no rot and wood-boring bugs. Such a floor can be left by leveling under the laying of linoleum with plywood.

If rot is found, proceed as follows:

Dismantle the wood floor. Discard rotten floorboards and replace with new ones. Remove paint from old ones, inspect, sand. Treat all boards with antiseptics and leave to dry.
Check out the logs. If there is a hint of rot, then it is better to replace them.
Reinstall wood floor. If the floorboards lie tightly to each other, do not creak, you can do without a plywood leveling layer. Walk on the surface with a grinder with a grinding wheel.
Check for evenness. If everything is in order, you can start laying the substrate (if linoleum is chosen without a base).

Leveling a wooden floor with plywood is not difficult. It is better to lay two layers, fixing each with nails, observing the dressing between the sheets like brickwork. The second layer must be laid with the obligatory overlapping of the joints in the lower layer with a solid slab in the upper one. Fixation is similar.

Flooring substrate under linoleum on the floor

Covering the floor with linoleum begins with the choice of substrate, if preference is given to a baseless sample of this finishing material. The layer between the rough base and the finish coat will create an additional heat-insulating layer, hide small irregularities, and make the floor softer.

There are several types of substrates:

Linen. The linen substrate under linoleum has a small thickness, is quite rigid, consists of 100% linen. A good option for the middle price category for polyvinyl chloride baseless linoleum on a wooden base.
Cork. Cork underlay is the best on the market, but also the most expensive. Suitable for any baseless linoleum and on any subfloor. Does not absorb water, does not collapse under the influence of moisture, does not deform under temperature changes, has high shock-absorbing properties. Additionally, it provides high-quality sound and heat insulation. To prevent the cork substrate from creasing, choose a material with maximum density.
Jute. Jute is a natural material. The substrate made of it has high heat and sound insulation qualities. It has a low density, so it will slip under heavy furniture. Choose a jute backing under baseless linoleum if you are going to lay it on a wooden base.
Combined. The combined lining under linoleum consists of flax, jute and wool. Such a substrate has high heat-insulating properties, is quite dense, therefore it does not slip under furniture much, and it absorbs noise well.

In addition, artificial substrates are produced from foamed polyethylene and polypropylene. They are often chosen because of their cheapness and availability (you can buy at any building market). They are short-lived, do not withstand the weight of furniture, quickly collapse in the most loaded places (corridor, kitchen). The positive qualities of the above natural materials outweigh their high cost compared to synthetics.

The underlying concrete floor must be thoroughly swept and dust-free before laying the underlay. After that, lay the vapor barrier film, dense polyethylene is suitable. Be sure to put it on the walls. After installing the skirting boards, cut off the excess.

Roll out the underlayment on the floor. Fix the joints with construction tape. Leave a technical gap of 3-5 mm between the wall and the substrate.

The vapor barrier does not fit on wooden floors, all other points are relevant and are performed in the same sequence.

Laying linoleum on the floor with a floating method

The easiest option to put linoleum on a wooden or concrete floor is to roll out the roll and let it rest for a few days, then install the baseboards, and that's it. This arrangement is called floating.

If you choose it, observe some subtleties:

Leave a technological gap between the linoleum and the walls (about half a centimeter).
Use this styling only in small rooms.
Do not fasten skirting boards tightly to the floor. When the temperature rises, linoleum slightly expands, and when it decreases, it contracts. If you strongly press it with a plinth to the floor, bumps may appear.
Be sure to secure the edge of the linoleum in the doorway with a metal threshold so as not to tear it by accidentally catching it.

Fixing linoleum with glue

Suitable for large rooms and used for concrete floors or tiles. Such laying is more time-consuming than floating.

Operating procedure:

Lay out the linoleum rolls. When they straighten out, proceed with the installation.
Close the adhesive mixture according to the instructions.
Bend back half of the prepared linoleum and apply the composition to the floor with a notched trowel.
Lay the linoleum on top and gently press it into the glue with your hands. To improve traction, use a heavy roller or small roller - roll the floor.
Do the same with the second half of the linoleum.
Let the glue dry (maximum a week).
Wipe dust off linoleum. Glue masking tape on each side of the joint and close the gap with cold welding. After it hardens, remove the tape.
Install the skirting boards, securing them to the walls.

Mounting linoleum on double-sided tape

Pretty simple way. Suitable for large, medium and small spaces.