How to properly lay linoleum in an apartment. How to lay linoleum: the technology for the correct laying of linoleum on a wooden and concrete floor

Among all the existing varieties of finishing flooring, linoleum enjoys special love and respect. This material simultaneously combines high quality, ease of installation, attractive appearance and affordable price.

And if there are no difficulties with laying linoleum in most rooms, then the process of installing the coating in question in the corridor, bathroom and on the balcony must be approached with knowledge of certain nuances. First of all, understand the features of basic surface preparation.

Regardless of where the linoleum is laid, the basic preparation will remain the same. Only the finishing preparation and the laying of the flooring will differ.

First step. Remove the boardwalk.

Second step. Check the tightness of the structural elements. Hammer in any protruding nails and generally strengthen the system.

Third step. Get rid of rotten floorboards. Place new strong elements in their place. If there is a damaged bar, replace it as well.

Fourth step. Fill up all visible gaps with putty.

Fifth step. Additionally level and reinforce the underfloor with plywood sheets. Lay the sheets with offset seams, like masonry, and attach them to the support bar using self-tapping screws.

Walk across the floor. If sagging areas are found, place additional support elements under them, for example, pieces of fiberboard.

Basic concrete floor preparation

In the case of a concrete floor, you will need to get rid of the existing flooring and repair or completely replace the screed.

In the case of a concrete base, you should refrain from using plywood flooring - in such conditions, the wood will rot very quickly.

Additionally, you can prime the concrete to eliminate the slightest defects in the base and improve the quality of adhesion of the flooring to the surface.

Some do-it-yourselfers practice laying new linoleum on top of an existing one. This method is quite appropriate in the corridor - the old linoleum will serve as a kind of substrate, providing additional protection of the new flooring from damage.

Linoleum torn and soaked in dirt must definitely be removed.

Remember also that only one-layer new coating is allowed on the old linoleum. Before starting finishing, the base should be thoroughly washed, dried and primed. A layer of primer will provide a stronger adhesion of the new surface to the existing substrate.

Regardless of which particular room is planned to lay linoleum, the requirements for the preliminary preparation of the finishing material remain the same for all situations.

Before laying new linoleum, it must be brought into the room, expanded, leveled and left for a couple of days. The optimum air temperature in the room is + 15- + 18 degrees. Humidity should not exceed 65 percent.

The next requirement is only relevant for balconies, because in the corridors and bathrooms there are in most cases no windows. When laying a covering of several strips of material, the seams must be placed perpendicular to the window - this way they will be less noticeable.

In the process of laying linoleum, it is necessary to remember about allowances for seams and indents around the perimeter. Usually a couple of centimeters are sufficient.

In the case of laying linoleum with a pattern in the process of calculating and designing the finish, add an increased margin for fitting the coating according to the ornament.

In the bathroom, hallway and on the balcony, linoleum is laid with the obligatory use of substrates. Most modern manufacturers offer linoleum, to the back of which the backing is initially glued. In the absence of such an add-on, you will need to buy and stick it yourself.

There is a large selection of substrates from a wide variety of materials on the market today.

Cork backing is unlikely to be suitable for these situations. It is not recommended to use it in the corridor for the reason that the cork very badly transfers the load from heels and other thin objects.

You can't put her in the bathroom, because the cork does not transfer contact with moisture in the best way.

And on the balcony, there is simply no point in using the "cork" - there are much more budgetary analogs.

Therefore, cork substrates are best left for residential use.

Jute

Jute underlays are also quite expensive. However, such material feels great both in the bathroom and on the balcony and even in the hallway - jute is not afraid of moisture, fire and point loads.

The material is budgetary and quite popular, but it cannot be called very high quality. Penoizol does not have high rigidity, therefore, it cannot be laid in the hallway. For a bath, such a substrate is also not suitable. The only option for use in the situations under consideration is when laying linoleum on a glazed balcony.

Choose a suitable underlay and be sure to use it when installing your flooring. Without a high-quality rigid base, your linoleum will very quickly lose its original visual appeal.

For laying in the hallway, use only high-quality linoleum with a high strength index. The substrate, if it is not originally included with the linoleum, should also be of the highest quality possible. Give preference to a jute base.

Otherwise, laying the material in the hallway is no different from similar work in most other rooms of the house.

First step. Measure the corridor taking into account the gaps in the doorways. In the case of linoleum, standard sizes are changed in increments of 500 mm. Round the measured width up to 50 cm. For the length, add a margin of 30-40 cm.

Second step. Remove cabinets, other furniture and interior items from the corridor, if any.

Third step. Prepare the floor according to the recommendations previously received and proceed directly with the installation of the floor covering. If there is no factory backing on the back of the linoleum, lay the backing yourself.

Fourth step. Spread linoleum along the corridor, with approximately the same overlap on the walls. Also, the overlap should be sufficient to cover the existing openings and niches.

Fifth step. Armed with a construction knife and a ruler, carefully cut off any excess linoleum on each side. Be careful not to ruin the finish. The laying technology requires that a gap of 20-30 mm remains between the linoleum and the wall. Consider this when cutting the material.

The gap is necessary for the simple reason that the material in question is subject to thermal deformation. In the heat, linoleum expands, and if the said gap between the coating and the walls is not there, the coating will simply go in waves.

Sixth step. After trying on, fix the linoleum on the floor. This is best done with glue. Fold one edge of the linoleum up to about the middle, cover the base with an even layer of adhesive, lay the linoleum on the base and press the material to the surface, carefully smoothing out all irregularities and getting rid of air trapped under the flooring. Then follow the same procedure for the second part of the cover.

Let the glue dry. Hide the gaps between the walls and the coating with decorative skirting boards.

Laying linoleum in the bathroom

The procedure for laying linoleum in the bathroom does not differ significantly from the installation of flooring in the hallway. However, when renovating a bathroom, you must eliminate the risk of water getting under the installed flooring. Based on this, a number of additional requirements and new features of the linoleum laying technology arise.

Remember the following requirements and take them into account in the process of completing the finishing work. Directly install the linoleum as in the case of the corridor.

First of all, try to cover the entire bathroom floor with a solid piece of material. The fewer joints you make, the lower the risk of moisture penetrating under the flooring.

In the bathroom, linoleum is necessarily laid on a substrate, the best option is jute lining material.

Consider installing linoleum without gluing it to the floor. Such installation will leave you the opportunity to periodically lift the coating to disinfect the base and finishing materials when an unpleasant odor occurs.

If there are joints, they should be glued with "cold welding". In particular, great attention should be paid to the quality of gluing linoleum at the joints with water supply pipes.

In the bathroom, linoleum is laid with some overlap on walls and other vertical surfaces (plumbing boxes, etc.). This type of installation will prevent moisture from penetrating under the edges of the flooring.

For fixing and additional protection against moisture penetration, fix the linoleum against the walls with PVC skirting boards. It is also allowed to use special fluted skirting boards.

If you nevertheless decide to glue the linoleum to the base, use dispersion moisture-resistant glue for this. Pre-dismantle the toilet and washbasin cabinet.

Lay the linoleum and return the dismantled products to their places, having previously cut out the corresponding holes in the linoleum. The aforementioned products are installed with the obligatory subsequent sealing of the cracks under them. For sealing, use a transparent compound specially designed for this purpose.

The joints formed in the places where the coating overlaps the walls should also be glued with cold welding. Fastening butt thick linoleum may require the use of hot welding, but you will not be able to cope with it yourself without special equipment and skills in handling it.

Video - Cold welding of linoleum

The procedure for laying linoleum on the balcony practically does not differ from the installation of the material in the hallway. If the balcony is not glazed, then the covering must be protected from moisture penetration. In this case, follow the rules relevant for the technology of laying linoleum in the bathroom.

The only significant differences are present except in the preparation of the balcony floor before laying linoleum.

First step. Get rid of the old coating. Study the condition of the foundation carefully. If there are any defects, seal them with a primer or grind them. Any unevenness will be noticeable on the laid surface and will lead to a significant reduction in its service life.

Second step. Prime the floor and let it dry.

Third step. Pour the concrete screed, let it dry and re-prime the base.

Fourth step. Spread the linoleum on a dry base. Let the material sit for a couple of days to get used to the environment and level off.

Fifth step. Cut the linoleum around the perimeter of the balcony and attach it to the floor with special glue.

If linoleum is laid on a glazed balcony between the coating and the walls, you need to leave a gap of 2-3 cm, and then close the gaps with a plinth.

Video - Laying linoleum on the balcony

In the case of repairs on an unglazed balcony, lay the linoleum with an overlap on the walls, like in a bathroom.

Thus, if desired, linoleum can be installed even in such specific areas as balconies, bathrooms and hallways. You just need to take into account the features of each of these premises and follow the recommendations received in everything.

Happy work!

Video - How to lay linoleum with your own hands

Video - Errors when laying linoleum

How to lay linoleum with your own hands? In fact, everything will turn out very easily if you follow certain instructions and advice from professionals. Laying linoleum is much easier than, for example, laminate flooring. And so, you bought linoleum, it lies waiting in the wings. And the whole family looks at you thoughtfully with the same question, how to lay linoleum? Can call a professional uncle to quickly and efficiently? Stop thinking, you can do everything yourself, than "please" your home budget and feel the sea of positive emotions from what you have done. The main thing is to think about everything in advance and slowly change your house beyond recognition.

Floor arrangement diagram.

Linoleum is a cheap and practical material. They can transform any room or room. Today, the building materials market has a fairly rich selection of style and color solutions. This allows you to bring any design ideas to life. In addition, linoleum material is distinguished by its high strength and the ability to withstand considerable mechanical stress. It remains to figure out how to lay linoleum.

Preparation for laying work

The procedure for laying linoleum at the front door.

When carrying out work on laying linoleum, you need the following tools for marking and fitting a fragment:

ruler and tape measure;
pencil;
stationery knife;
scissors.

When you lay linoleum flooring in a room of considerable size (more than 25 squares), then you should stock up on an additional tool. At the same time, in rooms with a smaller area, gluing is not used, since free laying is performed. This is:

glue;
double sided tape;
roller;
putty knife.

The entire possible set of tools is listed, it all depends on what and how you will lay linoleum.

Construction of linoleum-coated floors on the ground.

The first step in preparing for work is to vacate the premises. Take out large furniture and all sorts of objects in the room. The space should be cleared to the maximum. If the work is carried out in a two-room apartment, then the linoleum spreads in turn. And the furniture is moved to a place where nothing is being repaired at the moment.

You have vacated the room, then you need to think about preparing the floor surface. And no matter what you covered the floor before, you need to make sure that before the final installation, the surface on which the material is spread is cleaned and leveled. It is necessary to remove the skirting boards on all walls of the room, since the covering to be laid will adhere directly to them. If you plan to use the skirting board again, remove it carefully so as not to break it. In this case, you can even number the strips on the back side by placing a similar number on the wall to facilitate further work. If the repair work was carried out quite a long time ago, and it is not possible to remove the whole skirting boards, then it is better to purchase new ones. Aesthetics in this case will only benefit.

Now it is worth paying attention directly to the floor. If you decide on a major overhaul, then the ideal option would be to use a self-leveling floor. This option is optimal if the base is made of concrete or cement screed. But in most cases, linoleum spreads on a board or parquet that is crumbling. And if you do not plan to clean the old flooring completely, choose one of the options for eliminating unevenness:

Use of chipboard sheets.
Strengthening the falling planks of the parquet.
The use of self-leveling floor technology with special leveling compounds.

Laying diagram of antistatic linoleum.

Creaking is a big problem with old floors. Therefore, when making repairs, attention should be paid to this.

The only goal pursued by all preparatory work is to achieve a perfectly flat and clean floor surface. Protrusions, grooves, all kinds of irregularities and rubbish on the basis of the floor when covering will certainly make themselves felt, manifesting themselves in places of the most intense wear. Now you know about the ways to level the surface, and you can bring cleanliness with a vacuum cleaner and wet cleaning.

When laying linoleum, it is important to observe the temperature regime, which varies from +15 to +25 ºС. At lower temperatures, the material may lose elasticity and become brittle. Pay attention to this if you are doing renovations in winter. Even if the room is warm, allow material brought from outside to warm up. The lower the outside temperature, the longer the warm-up time will be, up to 12 hours. Before work, spread the roll, let it rest. This will avoid unwanted “waves”.

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Where to stop the choice?

A small digression to the direct laying of linoleum will be advice on the choice of material: linoleum and substrate. When choosing the first one, it is necessary to make a selection commensurate with the loads that will "fall" on its share. Also taken into account are shoes in which they will walk on linoleum material, and even air humidity. Based on this, choose the thickness of the coating. The thicker it is, the stronger, of course. For example, a coating with a thickness of less than 3 mm has an almost minus resistance and will deteriorate critically quickly during intensive use.

Often, when using linoleum, a substrate is placed under it. In most cases, these are cork substrates. When using them, the effect of light walking on the floor is achieved. But at the same time, heavy objects will leave their unwanted marks on it. Jute or linen materials also look good as a substrate. They are pre-treated with an antifungal composition and provide fire resistance. The use of a substrate is recommended if the linoleum is without a base. In this case, insulation is required. Otherwise, the substrates are not used, since they lack sufficient mechanical strength and rigidity.

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Laying diagram of conductive linoleum in rolls.

As mentioned above, the first step is to check how leveled the floor is, whether cracks and protrusions have been removed. After wet cleaning, make sure that the floor remains dry, without residues of grease, paint and other contaminants.

If you are using a substrate, then at this stage it is necessary to spread it out with maximum uniformity over the floor surface. Next, the substrate is leveled and trimmed at the corners. Remember, the use of a backing is only necessary if the linoleum has no foundation.

Directly the flooring of the linoleum coating begins from the wall, least of all cluttered with furniture and clearly visible. A roll of linoleum is rolled out with an even side near the wall, leaving overlaps of excess material on the rest of the walls. Be sure to follow the position of the picture.

If the roll is not wide enough, it is necessary to dock the strips of the coating.

The structure of household linoleum.

To do this, the strips are positioned so that one overlaps the other with an overlap of about 10 cm. You will have to use glue, attaching part of the strip in the joint area to the floor. After that, using a knife, it is necessary to cut the linoleum under the ruler at the overlap, removing the cut and gluing the edges. The junction should be as invisible as possible.

When the location of the pattern is matched, you can safely start trimming the linoleum in the places of the allowance, in the corners of the room. This is important and extremely necessary so that it is possible to press the linoleum material with the greatest density against the walls along the perimeter and cut it with precision.

Then you, using a spatula and placing it in the folds, press the material against the corner between the floor and the wall. And with the help of a sharp knife, you remove the excess part of the coating, that is, what was left for the allowance. After you have done this, the maximum gap that is allowed between the walls and the covering should be no more than 1-2 mm. Do not worry, it will not be after the final leveling of the linoleum. At this stage, it is necessary to stop work and let the linoleum rest for about 24 hours. The bigger, the better. Then you can safely begin to mount the skirting boards.

Laying linoleum with your own hands is an easy task for any person. Clear recommendations from a specialist, the necessary free time and a piece of your own hard work - this is the secret of an excellent result that will delight you and your whole family.

Similar materials

Linoleum has long established itself as one of the most practical, strong and durable coatings. This material can be seen in rooms for any purpose, and the reason is simple - linoleum has a unique moisture resistance, it is easy to install and looks quite beautiful, given that now you can choose a coating of absolutely any color. Therefore, it is bought for installation in apartments. But not everyone knows how to properly lay linoleum. Let's study this issue in more detail.

Linoleum is a floor material that is not only practical, but can also be used for installation in any room and on any surface. There are practically no restrictions for the flooring of this coating - it can be laid on wood, concrete, old coatings of various types.

Base type	Recommendations
	As a rule, concrete floors are a common cement-sand screed. If done correctly, it is already a fairly flat type of subfloor. The main thing is that there are no dents, potholes, protrusions on the screed. If the screed is filled in with a new one, then it is important to wait until it is completely dry (28 days). Linoleum can be laid directly on such a base. For softness, you can put a special substrate under it. A self-leveling mixture will help to make such a base perfectly even.
	A great way to keep your floors flat. The material can be laid on logs or directly on top of an old wooden floor, depending on its condition. It is easy to lay linoleum on plywood floors, but it lays down very evenly. It is recommended to use a mastic with waterproofing properties as an adhesive so that the plywood is not afraid of moisture and does not deform.
	If the linoleum will creep on such a base, then it is recommended to first putty and cycle the plank floor in order to remove the gaps between the planks and get a perfectly flat surface. Nails or screws, with which the boards are fixed on the base, should be drowned as much as possible in the tree, otherwise their hats will protrude - they will leave traces on the linoleum. It is also important to make sure that all floorboards are intact, strong and well fixed to the joists, do not "walk".
	Laying a new linoleum on an old one can be done if the coating that was already in use is in relatively good condition - not worn out, not damaged, well fixed.
	An excellent option for laying linoleum, since such mixtures usually create a perfectly flat surface. By the way, it is on such a rough floor that absolutely any finishing finishing material for the floor can be laid.
	Linoleum can even be laid on old tiles without removing it. The main thing is that it is even, whole, all the tiles are in place. To fix the linoleum on the surface of the tile with glue, you will have to grind the tile a little and make shallow cuts on it - this will increase the tenacity indicators.

The most important thing to remember about the base for linoleum is that it should be as flat as possible. This type of coating is soft, plastic, easily takes on various shapes, and all surface irregularities will immediately be felt and show through on it. It is also important that the substrate is clean and dry. If the subfloor is wet, then due to the peculiarities of linoleum - it does not belong to breathable coatings - mold may form under the material.

Attention! It is impossible to lay linoleum on the carpet. It will bend strongly, the legs of the furniture will easily leave dents that may not even out, even if a heavy piece of furniture is moved to another place. In this case, if there is no desire to remove the carpet, it can be covered with sheets of plywood. This method will improve the thermal insulation properties of the floor, and extraneous noise will not penetrate through such a layer of materials.

Methods for laying linoleum

Linoleum on the surface of the rough base can be laid in two ways - with and without adhesive components, fixing with baseboards around the perimeter of the room. Free styling where the material is fixed only with skirting boards, it is suitable for small rooms in which there is no strong effect on the base (for example, the permeability is low). The area of the room should not exceed 20 m 2.

Adhesive laying method suitable for spacious rooms, as well as for those where there is a strong impact on the floors. In this case, the strips of linoleum sit on a special adhesive or double-sided tape. Also, this method is recommended for rooms where heavy furniture is located, which periodically needs to be moved.

Selection of material and preparation of tools

To lay this coating, you will need not only a number of tools, but also the material itself. And his choice must be taken with full responsibility. There are many types of linoleum, but among them the following main ones can be distinguished:

made of PVC... It is notable for its low cost and good quality, but nevertheless it tolerates loads worse than a natural coating, and does not like the effects of aggressive chemicals. Also, PVC linoleum is afraid of freezing temperatures, which is why it is important to transport it very carefully in winter;

made from natural materials... It costs a lot of money, but it is very durable, does not squeeze under furniture, even for a long time.

When choosing linoleum, its thickness is taken into account, as well as the presence of an insulating layer. You should not buy very thin linoleum even in an apartment with low traffic - it can quickly lose its appearance.

The material, that is, it does not have a base, or is heterogeneous, equipped with a backing on the wrong side. If the first option is purchased, then experts recommend placing an additionally purchased substrate under the topcoats under it. Heterogeneous is produced on two types of substrates - on a foam base or fabric (jute). The latter option has excellent thermal insulation properties, while the former is considered stronger and more durable.

Advice! It is necessary to choose linoleum according to its performance characteristics based on the conditions under which it will be used.

As for the external data of the coating and its colors, then you need to focus on the interior design. You can also think about your taste preferences and buy the color of the linoleum that you like the most. But to purchase rolls, if you need several of them, it is advised from the same batch - then the stripes will not differ in color and shades.

The purchased material is stored upright. It is recommended to immediately put it in the room where the repair will be carried out. This is especially important if the material was transported along the street in the winter.

Important! Linoleum can not be laid at temperatures below +18 degrees.

Also for the installation of linoleum coverings you will need:

roulette- for taking measurements and marking material;
long metal ruler- for easy trimming of the coating;
linoleum knife- for trimming the material;
marker- for marking;
glue and notched trowel- in the case of installation of the coating by the adhesive method.

Double-sided tape can also do a good job. In some situations, it is even able to replace the adhesive composition. And for joining individual linoleum canvases, special cold welding is purchased.

Calculation of the material and the first laying of linoleum

Linoleum should be purchased in the required amount, which will be equal to the area of the room being decorated with a small margin added to the value (about 10%, 10-20 cm on each side of the measured piece). It is easy to find out the area of the room - the length and width of the walls are measured with a tape measure, the values are multiplied.

Attention! The calculation of the area is made necessarily taking into account all the niches and gaps that are in the room.

It is important to remember that the walls in a room can be uneven - in fact, on rare occasions, rooms have perfect geometry. All these nuances should be taken into account when calculating the amount of coverage.

Also, the store immediately purchases the missing tool and adhesive composition (for the adhesive installation method). If the linoleum will be fixed with plinths, then they are purchased immediately. In color, they should be in harmony with the topcoat and other elements of the interior design. For sills bought, which can be made of wood, aluminum and other materials.

Thanks to modern technologies, the choice of floor coverings on the construction market is presented in a huge range, as they say, for every taste. However, the most in demand is the most practical of them - linoleum. In addition, it has a long service life and an easy installation method that even an inexperienced person can handle.

In addition, you can use options for a beautiful styling of linoleum in the interior, as in the photo.

Preparation of tools and materials

Before you start laying linoleum, you should make the necessary measurements of the area of the room, calculate the required number of sheets with certain dimensions. This will help determine the amount of material required.

When purchasing material in a store, a small margin (20-30 cm) should be added to the calculated amount of material obtained, suddenly in the process of work there will be a need to cut off the edge or cut out a piece in some places.

How to lay linoleum with your own hands? To do this, first of all, you need to acquire faithful helpers in the form of tools, devices or means:

an ordinary vacuum cleaner,
means for removing various types of stains,
sharp construction knives with straight and hook-shaped blades,
lath made of wood or a ruler used in construction,
marking devices,
glue or double-sided tape,
construction trowel,
mixture based on glue for putty joints.

Main features of the coating

In order to properly lay linoleum with your own hands, you need to study the instructions, which describe in detail all its features. First of all, it should be said that linoleum belongs to the category of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) panels.

The most important is the feature of laying on top of almost flat substrates associated with the high elasticity of the material.

Various minor defects and damage can be transformed into significant destruction of the flooring, which can be noticeable upon visual inspection. This option is not suitable for residential property owners who dream of presenting their home only from the best side.

Considering all of the above, we can conclude that before laying linoleum, you should responsibly and efficiently approach the preparation of the base. Defects must be invisible to the naked eye, the product must be clean, free of dust, debris and dirty spots.

Choosing a base is not considered a straightforward and hassle-free affair. On the contrary, sometimes these very problems arise.

But the most win-win option is the self-leveling screed method, the simpler ones are wood flooring: chipboard, plywood or gypsum fiber.

But remember that laying a wooden base, and linoleum on top of it, is not recommended in rooms with high humidity. So not only the wooden layer will rot, but also the linoleum itself.

When laying flooring from sheets for linoleum, it is important to process the joints at the joints and fix them so as to slightly drown the screws in the thickness of the coating.

Then the joint seams are covered with putty and sanded from above. Thus, the base will be of high quality and you can safely lay linoleum on top of it. In this case, the places of voids and protrusions will not provoke the coating to deformation.

An equally important factor in laying various types of linoleum is the process of adapting it to the humidity and temperature of the room. Therefore, the acquired material is brought into the room and left for a couple of days.

In this case, the optimum temperature will be +18 degrees and humidity 60%. After that, the material must be spread to level the coating.

Laying options for linoleum

Owners of houses or apartments often face problems when doing work on their own in cases of installation:

floor heating,
ceramic tiles on linoleum,
linoleum on a special base (substrate).

Linoleum underfloor heating

It contains synthetics, which at elevated temperatures begins to release substances hazardous to human health. In addition, surface deformation can occur with temperature jumps.

Coating linoleum with tiles

This process includes a technology similar to laying tiles on a concrete base, since a mesh for reinforcement is laid over the linoleum and a concrete screed is made, after which the tiles are laid.

But it is better to resort to this method when it is impossible to remove the PVC flooring.

Laying linoleum on a substrate

How to lay linoleum correctly? The most correct way of installation is to use a special underlay, which will help to avoid contact of the floor material with the linoleum.

In addition, she performs the following tasks:

final leveling of the base, because even a screed will not give a perfect surface evenness. The underlay will remove any remaining minor irregularities.
thermal insulation, as it protects the floor from heat loss.
soundproofing, muffles sounds, which is especially important in multi-storey buildings.

The most popular are the following types of substrates with a base:

from jute,
from cork,
from expanded polystyrene (foamed),
from flax.

The best option is a cork backing, but again, the final choice is yours. Can linoleum be put on old linoleum? Of course yes. In this case, the old coating, which does not have any special defects, will play the role of a substrate.

Cutting material

When the base has already been selected, you can start cutting the material and leveling it between the walls. When planning a non-standard shape, the material should be leveled, taking into account the factory cut, and only on one side. Then the second corner is cut with a sharp knife under the ruler.

After processing the corner, move the linoleum 1 cm away from the wall and go to the corner opposite (diagonally). Make the markup of the material in advance so as not to cut off the excess. A loose belt can swell, so adjust the tension right away.

Installation instructions

Having adjusted the dimensions of the canvas correctly, securely fix it in any way:

without using fasteners,
using double-sided tape,
using glue.

Each installation method has its own characteristics, although in principle the process itself is identical:

The free method is the usual linoleum flooring. Suitable for small areas. The material is fixed with plinths, pieces of furniture or household appliances. But before that, it is necessary that he lay down.

The method using double-sided tape is more complicated. It is glued to the linoleum from below near the sheet joints, while the other side of the tape must be protected with a film, which is removed during the laying of the canvas.

The method using glue is used in rooms with a large crowd of people. The prepared canvas is folded in half on one side, then the other is smeared with glue. After the canvas is turned away and straightened. They do the same with the other part.

Summing up, we can say that laying linoleum is not at all a complicated process. Moreover, you can use step-by-step photos of how to lay linoleum. But if you doubt your own abilities, then it is better to entrust this matter to professional craftsmen.

Before you start laying linoleum, it is worth studying the theoretical part of the process and the advice of professionals. Have you started repairs in your apartment, bought all the necessary materials and realized that calling installers so that they attach everything in their place is now an unaffordable luxury for you? It doesn't matter, because you can do most of the work on installing materials on the walls, floor and even the ceiling with your own hands! Today we will tell you how to lay linoleum yourself. By following our tips and instructions, you will be able to repair your floor without too much difficulty.

General preparatory work before laying linoleum

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

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 manifests itself best of all in the kitchen and in the corridor, because these rooms are most susceptible to pollution.

In order for linoleum to serve for a long time, before laying it, it is worth carefully cleaning the floor from debris, which during operation can damage the floor covering

In the first step, you need to choose the right 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 is, the more resistant the floor will be to wear. 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 the room, on the basis of which you calculate the number of rolls. Number of 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 cannot handle 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 rearrangements in the future.

Now all you have to do is prepare the following tools:

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

This is, perhaps, all the preparatory work common to floors of different types. Further, the 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 plant such material with glue. In this case, the coating will hold on more tightly and will last you much longer.

To securely fix the linoleum, it is enough to apply a small amount of special glue to the floor.

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

Coating the entire surface of the base with an adhesive. For such work, a roller or a notched trowel and a special glue are used, it can be one-component, two-component, water-dispersion, polyurethane, or made on the basis of a solvent.
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 also special adhesives for use in this or that case. To lay the canvas on a heat-insulating base, dispersion glue is used, which is applied to the floor in a layer about 0.7 mm thick. For fabric-based materials, dispersion adhesive is also used, but its layer thickness should not exceed 0.5 mm.

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

Linoleum is glued as follows:

First you need to cut the linoleum to the shape of the room. If you cover the entire floor with one canvas, then let it lie down for a couple of days unfolded. After the material has straightened, it must be cut in such a way that its edges do not reach one centimeter of the wall. This is necessary, the linoleum did not rest against the wall when you lay 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 canvases to decorate a room, then they overlap each other. After that, one rises tightly and is coated 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 turns out to be perfectly even.

How to properly lay linoleum in an apartment without using glue

A simpler, but less reliable way of laying linoleum is to post it without the use of glue. This option is acceptable if you are using a solid linoleum sheet for flooring. 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 folds appearing on the coating.

You can lay linoleum without using glue using double-sided tape

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

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

How to cut linoleum correctly:

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

After completing all the above steps, you can perfectly cut the linoleum evenly. If you are going to put a few 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 properly lay linoleum on the concrete floor yourself

Surface preparation is a very important step in the renovation. Placing linoleum on a poorly prepared floor is a useless job that will soon have to be redone.

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

Extra pieces of linoleum can be cut off with a clerical knife

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 not to leave any dried glue, debris or dust on the concrete floor.

Now you need to inspect the floor for irregularities. If there are only small depressions and bumps on the surface, then you can cope with its leveling with a metal trowel and cement plaster.

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

Professionals do not advise laying linoleum directly on the concrete floor, in which case the room will not be provided with sufficient thermal insulation. Better to cover with concrete with a special cork backing.

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. Also, linoleum is divided into types.

Types of linoleum:

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

How to properly lay linoleum on plywood

Another option for linoleum is its covering on plywood. Such wood sheets are used when it is necessary to improve the thermal insulation of the floor or to reinforce 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.

If you decide to lay linoleum on plywood, then there should be a small distance between its pieces so that the coating does not break while moving on it