What to put linoleum in the apartment. What to lay linoleum on? Tools you need to lay linoleum

Linoleum is difficult to attribute to the most modern types of flooring - its production and practical use began at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Nevertheless, this material is by no means going to give up its positions, since in many respects it successfully competes with innovative types of flooring, and in some respects it even surpasses them. In addition, its popularity is quite explainable by the relatively low price, speed and simplicity of the flooring, which can be done independently.

It is this criterion that very often becomes decisive - homeowners opt for such material. But in this case, a problem inevitably arises before them: how to properly lay linoleum? The purpose of this publication is to try to give the most comprehensive answer to the main questions regarding the laying of this type of coating.

All the "art" of linoleum can be divided into three important components:

It is necessary to make the right choice of material, based not only on decorativeness, but also on their operational and environmental characteristics.
You need to make the right measurements in order to purchase right amount linoleum.
The third and final stage is the observance of the recommended laying technologies.

This article will be built in this order.

You can probably bet that at the word "linoleum" most people immediately have a direct line association with something artificial, synthetic. Apparently, this is why a persistent prejudice remains in relation to this material, as unfavorable from the point of view of ecology and the creation of a healthy micro-atmosphere in apartments.

Surprisingly, meanwhile, the very concept of "linoleum" contains the definition of the naturalness of the material. This term was introduced back in the 19th century, and it came from two Latin words - “linum”, which means “flax” or “linen”, and “oleum”, translated as “oil”. This is how the prototypes of this modern flooring were produced - dense linen or jute fabric was impregnated with treated vegetable oil, and then a small cork crumb was pressed in there. Incidentally, almost the same in general terms technology is still being used today.

Classification by type of base material

So, the first representative of modern linoleums is natural. For its production are used exclusively natural materials: refined linseed oil, linen or jute textiles, shredded wood, including cork, tree resins, natural dyes, etc. The return to the technologies of the past, despite the rich choice of synthetic materials, was caused by an increase in people's interest in natural materials in the 80s and 90s of the last century.

Natural linoleum - the technology of its manufacture has not changed much

What, in addition to high environmental friendliness, natural linoleum is good for:

— It is very durable, resistant to wear, able to withstand significant mechanical stress.

— Material hardly flammable, that is, it is safe from a fire point of view.

— Interesting feature- Linseed oil contained in it gives linoleum antibacterial properties.

- The material is very easy to care for, as its surface does not absorb dirt.

- Natural linoleum does not accumulate static charge on its surface.

- Natural dyes used to decorate the coating do not fade over time under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

However, a number of factors still do not allow such linoleum to become the market leader:

— One of them is a very high price, which is comparable to the cost of high-quality parquet.

- Some people are put off by a somewhat specific smell from such a coating. This shortcoming disappears over time.

- Such material is very "finicky" to the microclimate of the room - it cannot stand high humidity, from which rotting of the natural base can begin.

- Laying such linoleum is a rather complicated procedure, due to its low elasticity.

— The technology of its production does not allow making complex original drawings and ornaments – as a rule, it is monophonic.

However, natural linoleum is an excellent floor covering for residential areas, especially for bedrooms or children's rooms. But it is not recommended to lay it in the kitchen or in the hallway.

PVC-based linoleum is the undisputed leader among all other types of this coating. It is very diverse in its structure:

– It can be on a fabric basis (natural or synthetic) with a top, rather thick, up to 5 mm, PVC layer.

- PVC linoleum is also produced on a non-woven, for example, felt, basis. He has much higher soundproof and insulating qualities, but it does not withstand moisture or intense loads. You can’t put it in the kitchen or in the hallway.

- The most popular is linoleum on a foamed PVC backing. It not only withstands severe mechanical stress, but can even hide some small defects in the floor surface.

PVC linoleum can be uniform throughout its thickness - then it is called homogeneous. He is not afraid of abrasion, but he cannot achieve diversity in decorative design with him - usually these are plain coatings with color splashes. It is good for rooms with high traffic and solid loads. In an apartment, it can be laid, for example, on or in the hallway. True, the cost of such material is quite high.

Heterogeneous linoleum has a complex multilayer structure. Quantity, component composition, layer thickness may vary, and use as a decorative layer modern technologies photo printing practically does not limit the possibilities design decoration this coverage.

In general, PVC linoleum is the most applicable for residential premises:

- It is distinguished by excellent elasticity, and this greatly simplifies the process of its flooring.

— The protective coating of the surface makes cleaning the premises a very simple task.

- The price range and variety of decorative designs can satisfy any buyer.

- If you buy a quality material from well-known manufacturer, on which received a certificate of hygienic conformity, then there will be no problems with the environmental friendliness of the material - it is completely harmless.

PVC linoleum also has certain disadvantages, and the main one is a rather large coefficient of linear expansion. With significant temperature differences, it, especially with not very accurate styling, can go in waves.

Glyphthalic or alkyd linoleum is produced exclusively on a fabric basis. His distinguish excellent sound and thermal insulation qualities, it is durable, resistant to external loads. But there is no need to talk about thermal resistance - with decreasing temperatures, such a coating becomes brittle, low-elasticity.

In addition, it is not as fire resistant as PVC. Laying such a coating requires highly skilled craftsmen. All this in total predetermines the not so high popularity of alkyd linoleum, but nevertheless it is quite applicable for use in apartments. However, more often it is laid in public buildings or even in vehicles- buses, passenger cars, etc.

You don’t have to dwell on colloxyl linoleum - its nitrocellulose base is an extremely dangerous material in terms of fire, and such a coating is not used in residential or public buildings.
Relin is also of little use in everyday life - rubber-based linoleum. Its scope is technical, warehouse, industrial premises. In an apartment or it, despite its high performance, it is impossible to lay it - it is not environmentally friendly, it can emit fumes that are unsafe for the human body.

Classification by coating strength class

Linoleum production material is by no means the only selection criterion, since most of the medium-sized models offered for sale price category are mainly PVC. But it is necessary to pay special attention to the strength class of the material.

In everyday life, the "conversational" division of linoleum into household, semi-commercial and commercial. If you take a deeper approach, you should focus on the EN 685 classification adopted in the European Union. It clearly defines the permissible operational parameters of the material, and it is divided into several classes. There are also established pictographic symbols that directly indicate the purpose of the coating:

The class of linoleum is indicated by a two-digit number. The first digit indicates the main purpose of the coating, and the second - about its resistance to dynamic loading.

Classes 21 to 23 - household linoleum, intended exclusively for residential buildings.

Its density is, according to existing standards, 1.25 ÷ 2.25 kg / m². The thickness is usually within 3 mm, water absorption should not be higher than 1.5%. The bending radius at which the integrity of the coating is not violated - about 22.5 mm. Noise canceling ability - about 15 - 18 dB. Permissible level shrinkage - about 0.2 mm per linear meter.

This linoleum usually does not have a very high price - the most expensive, from leading manufacturers, rarely costs more than 10 euros per square meter.

Linoleum of classes from 31 to 34, which are often referred to as "semi-commercial", is probably more appropriate to call "service" or "office". It's also great for retail stores.

It is thicker, stronger and even more elastic than household. It has higher soundproofing capabilities, resistance to abrasive loads, to temperature extremes. The shrinkage of such linoleum is less - up to 0.1 mm per linear meter.

If earlier the improvement of performance was carried out by reducing the environmental properties, then the modern semi-commercial linoleum in this matter practically does not differ from the domestic one. Its price is somewhat higher, but not so much that it could not be afforded for rooms with intensive use - for hallways, kitchens, balconies or loggias. So there are 31 classes and 32 is quite often bought for residential construction. The strength of 33 and 34 classes will be clearly excessive for an apartment.

The material of classes 41 ÷ 43 is called commercial, although, of course, the name “industrial” is more suitable for it. It is intended for industrial enterprises, warehouses, assembly shops, workshops, etc. It does not make sense to use it in residential buildings - it will be too expensive, and the highest performance characteristics will simply remain unclaimed.

For greater clarity, it is worthwhile to give a table that shows the main areas of application of linoleums in accordance with their classes:

	linoleum class	degree of wear resistance	general characteristics of the premises	optimal use in practice
Living spaces	21	low	rooms with low traffic or rarely used	bedrooms, separate home offices
	22	average	constantly used during the day premises of the apartment with an average intensity of movement of people	living rooms, children's
	23	high	rooms with a pronounced load on the floors	hallways, kitchens
service and public premises	31	low	low traffic area	separate rooms in offices, hotel rooms
	32	average	premises with constant, but low-intensity movement of people	receptions, offices, classrooms, small boutiques
	33	high	areas with a constant flow of people	corridors of educational and medical institutions, offices, busy offices, shops
	34	very high	buildings with a pronounced intensive movement of people	premises of airports and railway stations, halls of large supermarkets, concert venues, etc.
industrial premises	41	low	production facilities where the technology provides for the sedentary work of people without their active movement and without the use of loading equipment or vehicles	shops or workshops for the production or repair of electronics, precision mechanics, laboratories
	42	average	premises where work is carried out mainly while standing and the movement of specialized vehicles is allowed	assembly shops of electrotechnical enterprises, warehouses
	43	high	production facilities with increased level floor loads	large warehouses and logistics complexes, production workshops

In many ways, the strength qualities of linoleum depend on the thickness of the protective transparent layer.

With a thickness of up to 0.15, the material is suitable only for bedrooms or home offices.
0.20 mm - linoleum can be laid in the living room or children's room.
A thickness of 0.25 mm makes the material suitable for kitchens, hallways, walk-through corridors.
A layer of 0.30 mm is usually in linoleum, which spreads in office space with busy traffic.
Coating with a thickness of 0.50 mm and even more - for rooms with very heavy traffic or very high other mechanical load on the surface.

How to buy linoleum

Before you go to the store for the material, you must carefully measure the room in which the linoleum will be laid. It should be of interest not only to the length and width of the room - all niches, doorways, complex sections must be taken into account in order, if possible, to cover the floor with one sheet.
The most reasonable solution would be to draw a diagram of the premises - this will give maximum visibility of the front of future work. Perhaps it makes no sense to purchase extra material if, for example, a deep niche requires a significant overrun of linoleum - it would be more profitable to make a joint of two sheets.

It’s also a good idea to check the perpendicularity of the walls - here you can also make a mistake when buying material. It is clear that it should be purchased with a reasonable margin, of the order of 100 mm in each direction, but with a large curvature of the walls, this precaution may not be enough. It is better not to risk it, and measure the room also along two diagonals, comparing the results. If they are approximately equal, then there is no reason for great concern.

This scheme is best to take with you to the store. In good salons, sellers will not only be able to help in selecting the required amount of material, but also to make a pattern of the required canvas. By the way, it is quite possible that for a small room or for additional sections in the cabin there are already cut off fragments - they are usually given a significant discount. In any case, if several canvases are purchased, they must be of the same batch, otherwise there may be a noticeable difference in the saturation or brightness of the hue or pattern.

Linoleum is produced in rolls from 1.5 to 4 meters wide, and in most cases this is enough to cover a standard room with one sheet. If circumstances force a flooring of two or more pieces, then it is more reasonable to make the joint parallel to the beams natural light- from the window.
When buying, you should not show unnecessary modesty - do not hesitate to ask for certificates proving the “brand” of the product and its compliance with hygiene standards.
The cut off piece must be rolled out to the full length at the buyer, so that the integrity of the coating can be checked.
It is worth paying attention to the pictograms printed on the back of the material - they can tell about the features of this model:

Applied pictogram	Special material qualities
	Pronounced antistatic properties of the coating
	High fire resistance
	Increased abrasion resistance
	Surface scratch resistance
	Anti-slip coating effect
	Linoleum is easy to clean
	The material has a reinforced polyurethane outer protection
	Double material base
	Service life guaranteed by the manufacturer subject to the rules for laying and operating the coating
	The highest class of environmental friendliness - the presence of a certificate "Leaf of Life"

Acquired linoleum must be rolled up into a cylindrical roll with smooth edges. No folding in half, quadruple, "envelope" and etc.. not allowed. Until the start of work, the roll is stored only in a vertical position. If it is kept horizontally on the floor, the roll will certainly wrinkle to an elliptical shape, and this will give difficultly smoothed waves when laying.
Store linoleum before the start of the flooring should only be in a heated room, preferably in the same temperature and humidity conditions that will be in the laying room. No sheds, garages or balconies are allowed - if there is no storage space, it is generally not worth purchasing material in advance.

Find out what methods are used to clean up in our new article.

Prices for various types of linoleum

Linoleum

The process of laying linoleum with your own hands

Foundation preparation

Any floor covering requires the preparation of the base to start work. But if some materials can "forgive" minor flaws in the base, then this does not work with linoleum. All, even the most seemingly insignificant flaws of a poorly prepared surface will be transferred over time through a new coating, no matter how thick it may be. Neglect of preparation can make senseless both the money spent and all the efforts made.

If linoleum is planned to be laid on a concrete surface, then it should not have any relief. All protrusions must be knocked down, all recesses, cracks, cracks must be completely sealed with repair mortar, so that an almost perfect flat surface is obtained.

Repair of a concrete base is a prerequisite for high-quality linoleum flooring

Moreover, even too large a fraction of the filler concrete screed can spoil appearance finish coating. If there is a desire to do everything perfectly, it is recommended to add a leveling screed, taking advantage ofself-levellingbuilding mixtures.

Finished concrete base is subjected to the most thorough cleaning, so that there are no small fragments and dust. It is impossible to do this manually - you will need a powerful vacuum cleaner.

In any case, the concrete surface after cleaning, it will require mandatory priming with a penetrating composition. The goal is to ensure good adhesion with the adhesive and to completely eliminate the phenomenon of dust formation, which is so characteristic of concrete. If this is not done, squeaks will soon appear, and dust will eventually begin to penetrate into the room.

When laying linoleum on a wooden base, there are no less problems. The floor is checked for stability - there should not be unstable, "playing" areas. Maybe, have to raise boards, repair or renew logs, replace weak floorboards.

If it is planned to lay directly on the floorboards, then there should be no gaps between them - they should be sealed with inserts or carefully putty. Glue may not adhere to painted boards, and besides, the paint may begin to peel off. The way out is to clean off the old coating with the help of special flushing fluids or by heating the surface building hair dryer. It is imperative to check that the nail heads do not rise above the surface anywhere - it is better to drown them, and then seal the turnouts with putty. Ideally, a plank floor is best to go through with a sander.

Another way out is to cover the old wooden floor. The sheets are laid "in a run" on the glue and fixed with self-tapping screws at 100 mm intervals. The caps of the self-tapping screws must be recessed into the material - then they, as well as the remaining gaps between the sheets, are tightly sealed with putty. After the putty has hardened, the surface can be sanded with a belt or disc machine, or even by hand.

You can often hear the question - is it possible to lay new linoleum on the old one? In principle, of course, this is quite acceptable - this way the coating will become even warmer and “quieter”. But, firstly, if both lay too thick linoleum, then the overall coating will be excessively crushed under mechanical stress. And secondly, the new coating will exactly repeat all the flaws of the previous one, if any. This means that such an approach is acceptable, only if the old linoleum had no surface defects (with the exception of an erased or faded pattern).

However, most masters are unanimous in the opinion that for high-quality linoleum flooring, it is still better to dismantle the old coating.

After the base is fully prepared, you can proceed directly to laying.

How to lay linoleum correctly - several options

First of all, in the room where the installation is carried out, an optimal temperature and humidity regime must be created. Do not start work if the temperature in the room is below + 15 ° With, since the material will not have the necessary elasticity, and when the temperature rises, it can go in waves. Excessive heat, over 30 — 35° With- a sheet adjusted in such conditions can subsequently shrink so much that it will come out from under the baseboards or give a delamination of the welds.

This is the result of neglecting the basic rules for laying linoleum

The roll must necessarily "acclimatize" in the room where it will be laid - stay in it for at least 2 ÷ 3 days so that the material equals both in temperature and humidity with the conditions of the room.

The next step is to roll the roll over the floor surface. As we remember, linoleum was purchased with a margin of at least 100 mm in length. This "reserve" is temporarily left as an allowance for the walls of the room. True, here, too, you need to know the measure. If, for example, with a room width of 3.2 meters, a 4-meter sheet is purchased, then leaving 300-400 mm on the walls on each side is not worth it - this will interfere with the normal straightening of the linoleum. A certain part should be removed, leaving about 80 ÷ 100 mm on the walls.

If there are two adjacent walls in the room - even throughout, without heating pipes, protrusions, niches and other obstacles, then you can roll out the sheet based on them. Only at the same time, a gap of about 10 mm from the wall is necessarily left - in no case should the linoleum rest against an obstacle, this will prevent it from taking on a normal shape.

The term "aging" linoleum may be different, but not less than 1 — 2 days. The duration depends on the specific conditions of the room, the type and thickness of the media, the degree of wrinkling and other factors. The main thing is that the main task is achieved - the sheet is completely stretched out, straightened out, all the waves are straightened out. Sometimes he can get a little "help" — for example, by pressing down particularly protruding irregularities with wide boards or other loads with a flat surface. But heating linoleum with a hair dryer = is extremely dangerous: with one awkward movement, you can overheat and melt the protective layer, and the coating will be irretrievably damaged.

If laying involves the use of two sheets, then during the initial laying, it is necessary to consider the coincidence of the pattern (if required) and also to leave a small overlap, up to 100 mm - here then the mating fragments will be trimmed.

After the sheet has completely rested, they proceed to the most, probably, crucial stage - the final trimming of the stale linoleum to the size of the room. It is at this stage that more mistakes are allowed in it.

Trimming and fitting is the most important step

The principle should be the same - along the walls it is necessary to leave a small compensation gap, of the order of 8 ÷ 10 mm. In principle, this is the main difficulty - the linoleum resting against the wall can subsequently give a wave, and too large a gap or, for example, a curved cut due to a trembling hand will peek out from under the plinth.

First of all, you need to properly cut the sheet at the corners. First, release the outer corners, if any. In internal pruning, it is best to make two neat cuts with a sharp construction knife diagonally - this will free up both surfaces adjacent to the walls, and it will be easier to cut them evenly.

Haste in the process of trimming is absolutely unacceptable

The allowances left along the walls are maximally pressed to the corners - this way you can achieve the appearance of a visible line cutting. Some masters prefer to draw a line with a marker - this is a matter of habit. But everyone is one in one - you should not drag the “tail” from a long cut strip along with you - it is better to remove the excess in small sections, 250 - 300 mm each. Haste in this matter is completely unacceptable - it is better to spend a little more time than to spoil the material. To achieve evenness cutting you can use a long steel or wooden ruler, or even a wide, about 500 mm, spatula. And yet - the knife should always be as sharp as possible - do not forget to change or break off the replaceable blade more often.

Video: possible errors when fitting and laying linoleum

If this stage P It went well, we can say that the hardest part is behind us. It remains only to fix the linoleum on the floor surface. They do this in several ways.

1. Very often, linoleum is not attached to the surface at all, except for pressing it along the perimeter of the room with skirting boards or transitional strips (sills). Skirting boards are better to use plastic, flexible - they will tighten the material well and hide possible irregularities. They are fixed exclusively to the wall (in no case to the floor), using self-tapping dowel or special brackets included in the delivery.

The positive qualities of this approach are speed, no need for additional materials. Main disadvantage– the remaining instability of the coating. If by chance the linoleum is shifted at least a little (for example, when rearranging furniture), it will be extremely difficult to remove the wave, and maybe without completely lifting the entire flooring - and impossible.

2. Laying linoleum on double-sided tape. In this case, the adhesive tape is glued to the prepared base in advance without removing the top protective film. The place of mandatory placement of adhesive tape is along the perimeter, at the joints of individual fragments, you can arbitrarily add several strips in the center of the room.

Sticking linoleum with double-sided tape

After the linoleum lies down and straightens out, it will be trimmed, all that remains is to lift it in places where adhesive tape is glued to the base, remove protective film, and put the cover back in place - it should firmly stick to the floor.

3. And all in the best way, most masters consider laying linoleum on glue. There are always many varieties of similar compounds on sale, designed specifically for PVC products. It is quite possible to use the usual PVA.

To apply glue, a section of linoleum is folded inside out. Glue is usually applied with a spatula, evenly distributing over the surface.

Then a coating is laid on the smeared area, while achieving the complete exit of air bubbles, so that the linoleum is completely adjacent to the base. For these purposes, you can use a homemade trowel - a flat bar or a plank covered with soft cloth. Air acceleration is carried out from the center to the edges, "herringbone". If there is a heavy roller, then rolling them will give the best results.

After that, they move to the opposite site, where the procedure is completely repeated. Linoleum is bent outward to the already glued area, glue is applied and air is expelled.

In rooms with a large area, you can do it differently - after trimming, the linoleum is carefully so that there is no displacement in the direction, freely, without interference, rolls up in one direction into a roll. Gluing begins with a small area from the wall. Then, from the laid fragment, they go in the opposite direction, successively smearing the base with glue and unwinding the roll.

An important feature is that after laying the linoleum on the adhesive, movement along the floor should be limited or even completely eliminated until the composition is completely dry.

Prices for flooring adhesives

Floor adhesive

What to do with joints

If you had to lay linoleum in two or more fragments, then the problem will inevitably arise how to evenly and correctly fasten the joint between adjacent sheets. Often, for this, a master is invited who is engaged in welding such a coating and has the appropriate equipment. However, it is quite possible to make a strong connection on your own.

As already mentioned, adjacent sheets are overlapped - this will make it possible to make a perfectly even joint.

If linoleum is laid on concrete, then in place cutting from below, lay a gasket made of thin plywood or thick cardboard. With a plywood subfloor, this is not required.
But the ruler fits the intended line. With a sharp knife, a cut is made along it, so that both sheets of linoleum are cut simultaneously.

The swatches are removed, both above and below, and the sheets should match perfectly. Now you need fix them in such a position. Initially, this can be done with the same double-sided tape, but you can’t leave it like that - such a connection will not last long.

Most the best way- take advantage of technology so-called " cold welding» . To do this, you need to purchase special glue, and ordinary masking tape.

Video: "cold welding" of the joints of the laid linoleum

A strip of masking tape is glued along the entire length of the joint. Then a neat cut is made in it with a knife, right at the place of the future seam.
A narrow nozzle is put on the tube. Then the glue is gently squeezed out into the cut slot - it will fall exactly where it is needed, and securely connect the two sheets with an almost imperceptible seam.

Application of "cold welding" exactly along the seam

After the time specified in the instructions for using the adhesive has passed, the masking tape can be removed. The seam is checked, if necessary, minor defects are eliminated or streaks are cut off. Such a seam should last a very long time. The only condition is that such “cold welding” is carried out no earlier than a day after laying the linoleum.

Here, perhaps, are all the main secrets of independent linoleum flooring. With the desire and accuracy of the owner of the apartment, the process is not at all something unimaginably complicated and difficult to perform. Good luck with your work!

Video: a visual lesson on laying linoleum

Before you buy given material, you need to carefully calculate the required 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 when the material expands, 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 glue is applied to a perfectly flat surface of 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 most simple methods laying linoleum is free 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.

Publication date: 14-10-2014

To date, the range of construction supermarkets pleases us with a fairly wide selection of new materials and technologies for repair work, but older materials should not be written off.

Among the most sought-after materials for a long time there are old, time-tested finishes.

Features and benefits of linoleum

Laying linoleum on glue

For example, many buyers use this coating as a floor covering or an independent finishing material. It is not only easy to use and aesthetically pleasing material, but it is also quite economical compared to other finishing materials.

In addition, there is a lot of information on how to lay linoleum, so you can do it very simply yourself, that is, with your own hands without any professional help.

Many buyers who decide to use linoleum as a floor covering are concerned about the question of how to put it on their own, whether it is necessary to specially prepare the primary coating and how to properly put linoleum on a wooden floor so that it lasts a long time and does not lose its qualities.

Before you start construction works, you should decide which type of linoleum is best for you, and what qualities it has.

According to its structure, this type of finishing materials is very strong, elastic and durable. This material is resistant to moisture, acid and grease, so it is easy to clean and can be safely laid in the kitchen or living room.

But everything positive characteristics You can only appreciate this material if you use it correctly. Initially, this material must be laid on a properly prepared primary work surface. Features of installation work will directly depend on what type of linoleum you choose.

Based on what material linoleum was made from, it can be polyvinyl chloride, glyptal, linoleum-relin and colloxylin.

In terms of wear resistance, it can be divided into commercial, semi-commercial and household. The finishing material we are considering also has different base, on which the main material is applied.

Foam-based coatings are often used to cover large areas. The thickness of such a coating reaches 3.5 millimeters, and it can be applied without taking into account the level of humidity in the room.

Trimming excess material

Fabric-based linoleum is used for intensive thermal insulation of the floor, it is afraid of the high traffic intensity of people in the room, and its thickness reaches 5 millimeters.

Baseless linoleum is made in several layers, it is mainly used in the form of tiles for rooms with high humidity.

Back to index

Material laying

Knowing the features of a particular type of flooring, you can easily lay it correctly with your own hands. Laying takes place in several stages.

First you need to prepare the floor covering and the linoleum itself. Direct laying should take place at the very last turn, when all global construction work has ended, in particular, wallpaper stickers.

The room must be washed, freed from unnecessary items and building dust, there should be no open windows and drafts, and the temperature should be maintained constant for several days in a row, it should not be lower than 15 degrees.

Before starting the installation work, we keep the finishing material in this room for several days. Getting ready for finishing work primary coverage. It should be dry and even.

cutting material

In no case do we use varnish, paint, repair concrete mortars, sealants and fillers to level the floor and eliminate cracks and defects.

Initially, linoleum is unwound on the floor and, without cutting, is kept for some time in order to get rid of the waviness.

If this stage of preparation for laying the canvas is skipped, then there is a high probability that after all the work is completed, bumps and blisters will appear, which will then be impossible to remove.

If you have a need to lay linoleum on a concrete floor, then it must also be properly prepared.

First of all, we get rid of tubercles and bulges, then fill cement mortar all cracks and crevices. If necessary, fill the surface with a leveling mixture or a mixture of cement and sand, which is subsequently polished.

Before spreading the finishing coating, we treat the concrete floor with a special primer. If the primary surface is prepared correctly, then there will be no problems with laying linoleum, and in the future, you can safely lay a laminate on it.

When cutting linoleum, several nuances should be taken into account. If there is no insulation in the structure, then you should first spread the substrate. It has soundproofing and warming functions.

Its seams are glued with masking tape, and it is laid in two layers. In order for the laying of linoleum to take place with minimal cost, it is worth correctly calculating the required amount of material, taking into account the length and width of the strips. It is worth considering that with diagonal laying remains large quantity waste than with parallel.

Experts advise taking into account the degree of shrinkage before starting cutting linoleum. It often accounts for up to two percent. Also, you should not lay the material close to the walls, the cut piece should go five centimeters onto the wall.

If it is necessary to bypass the ledge on the wall, the contour is first released, and then the canvas is cut.

An important point is the play with light in the process of laying. If you are using plain canvases, then the light should fall along them, then the joints will not be noticeable.

If you are laying patterned linoleum with your own hands, then you should combine the pattern on the cut line. After the strips of linoleum are cut, it is necessary to let them rest for ten days.

Linoleum structure

In order for the edges of the cut strip to be of high quality and beautiful, you need to use some special tools.

We use trapezoidal and hook-shaped sharp knives for cutting strips, liquid glue is often used for joining seams, and spatulas are used to apply mastic or glue to the surface of the material.

Do-it-yourself linoleum laying can take place:

Dry;
By applying glue;

In small rooms, the material is usually laid dry. The primary surface of the floor is pre-treated, all irregularities and defects are removed.

After the linoleum has rested for a sufficient amount of time, it is attached to the base. To wooden floor they are nailed, and holes are pre-drilled in concrete, into which wooden plugs are driven in, equal in length to the screw used.

Linoleum is glued in the case when the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and the intensity of use imply the use of several coating strips. In such a room there can be a lot of furniture and equipment.

Before laying linoleum on glue, the floor surface is cleaned and primed. The linoleum itself should be primed first. After the primer is completely dry, you can proceed to gluing. We put on the floor thick layer mastic, which is leveled with a notched trowel.

We apply glue to the material itself with a brush thin layer. We leave the joints of the canvases not smeared by eight or ten centimeters. After the canvas has been laid on the work surface, it should be rubbed to the floor. To do this, use a roller or sandbag.

Linoleum in the living room

You need to smooth from the middle to the edges, carefully removing the waviness and accumulated air. Excess mastic and glue wipe with a rag. In the event that, nevertheless, swellings have formed on the surface, then a sheet of plywood with a load should be placed on them for a while.

If the swelling does not disappear, then this place should be cut through, the air squeezed out and, having smeared that place with glue, you need to put linoleum, and some kind of load on top.

Linoleum is not only one of the most affordable floor coverings, it is also simple and unpretentious in laying, and it is quite possible to cope with it without the involvement of specialists. But there are some nuances that you need to know in order to properly lay linoleum in an apartment.

Necessary materials

Depending on the laying method, in addition to the coating itself, you may need:

Double-sided tape;
cold welding;
glue or mastic;
primer (linseed oil or gasoline for diluting mastic);
skirting boards, sills.

Choosing the type of linoleum

For residential premises, the best solution is PVC linoleum (from 200 rubles / sq. m.), or more expensive natural (from 900 rubles), in the bedroom, study, you can lay household linoleum, in the kitchen, hallway - designed for a higher load semi-commercial (from 300 rubles).

The composition of the adhesive or mastic must match the material of the linoleum and its base.

The composition of the adhesive or mastic must match the material of the linoleum and its base:

dispersion adhesive universal, for PVC linoleum with any base;
KN-2, KN-3 (coumaron-rubber mastic) - for baseless PVC linoleum and fabric or cardboard base;
"Bustilat" - for a heat-insulating base;
Uzin-LE 2401, Okamul L14 - for marmoleum (natural linoleum).
Glue consumption for PVC linoleum is 250-300 g, for natural - 500 g per sq. m.

Tools you need to lay linoleum

To lay linoleum, you will need:

tape measure, long wide ruler, square, felt-tip pen;
durable sharp knife, shoe or construction;
for laying on glue - spatula, roller for rolling.

How much linoleum to buy?

Before purchasing linoleum, you need to measure the room, make sure that the opposite walls have the same length(otherwise, focus on the dimensions greater wall and add another 5-7 cm to them), if there are niches (see also the article), measure from the deepest point of the niche. If the room has a complex shape, sometimes it is more profitable to put linoleum on the concrete floor not in a single piece, but dock several. In this case, you must first complete the plan for cutting linoleum with your own hands and it is better to choose a monophonic or abstract pattern so that there are no problems with its combination.

Linoleum is produced in rolls of different widths, up to 5 m, in increments of half a meter, you need to choose a width that is as close as possible to the width of the room, but no less. The length can correspond to the length of the room to the nearest centimeter (including niches), but it is better to add 5-7 cm for cutting. Thus, for a room 3.3 m wide and 5 m long, you need to buy and lay linoleum 3.5 m wide and 5.05 m long.

Here are some popular brands of linoleum

Sinteros - household PVC linoleum with foam backing and polyurethane protective coating 0.15 mm thick, meets hygienic standards, costs from 345 rubles / sq. m., various colors are available.
Juteks (Uteks). Household PVC linoleum with a thickness of 2.7 mm, of which 0.15 mm falls on the protective layer, wide selection decors, price from 213 rub./sq.m. Semi-commercial linoleum of the same brand has a protective layer thickness of 0.6 mm, costs from 399 rubles / sq. m.
IVC - semi-commercial linoleum 2.4 mm thick, protective layer 0.5 mm, price from 417 rubles / sq. m.
Tarkett - semi-commercial linoleum 2.4 mm thick, with protective layer 0.6 mm, with an additional protective and antibacterial coating, can be used with underfloor heating, costs from 747 rubles / sq. m.

The base for laying linoleum must be thoroughly cleaned of debris, dried, fixed or replaced loose or damaged elements (parquet, board, tile).

Technology and styling methods

Floor preparation for linoleum

The base for laying linoleum must be thoroughly cleaned of debris, dried, fixed or replaced loose or damaged elements (parquet, board, tile). Often, preliminary leveling of the surface is required, its technology depends on the base material and the size of the irregularities.

Cutting out linoleum

Linoleum brought from the cold cannot be unrolled immediately, it must lie warm for at least 12 hours, and before laying the unfolded linoleum, it must be aged for about 2 days.
the roll is rolled out with an overlap on the walls, if there are distortions or niches, and in their absence - almost close to the wall, with a gap of 5-10 mm;
cardboard patterns are made corresponding to niches and ledges;
using a ruler, circular trimming is carried out around the entire perimeter (if the walls are curved, trimming is carried out along the wall itself), there should be 5-10 mm gaps between the edges of the linoleum and the walls to compensate for thermal expansion; if the walls are completely crooked, it may be worth aligning them with GKL, more on this.
if it is necessary to join several pieces, the linoleum is cut according to a previously drawn up plan, the pieces are overlapped and pressed against the load;
the cut linoleum is aged from 2 days to a week until its surface becomes perfectly even, then, if necessary, the excess is cut off, the pieces are connected from below with double-sided tape, the seams are glued from above by cold welding;
along the perimeter, linoleum is pressed with skirting boards.

The cut linoleum is aged from 2 days to a week until its surface becomes perfectly even, then, if necessary, the excess is cut off, the pieces are connected from below with double-sided tape, and the seams are glued from above by cold welding.

In rooms with an area of more than 25 sq. m. linoleum must be laid on the adhesive composition.

In rooms with an area of more than 25 sq. m. linoleum must be laid on the adhesive composition. If linoleum is attached to mastic, it back side and the base must be primed with drying oil (for oil-chalk mastic) 1-2 days before gluing, for bituminous mastic it serves as a primer, only with the addition of three times as much gasoline.

Laying stage

The fabric ready for laying (cut, aged, primed) is rolled up on both sides (with the backing out) so that it is approximately in the middle of the room.
Concrete floors in half of the room from the center to the walls are smeared with mastic using a spatula.
It is necessary to wait 10-15 minutes, after which half of the roll is rolled out, glued and rolled towards the walls with a massive roller, until the remaining air is removed and the surface is completely leveled. Then the same operation is repeated for the other half.

After gluing the mastic, it is necessary to wait 10-15 minutes, after which half of the roll is rolled out, glued and rolled towards the walls with a massive roller, until the remaining air is removed and the surface is completely leveled.

The final trimming and gluing of the edges is done after 3 days.

If joints are provided, the application of glue ends 10 cm before the joint. The pieces are overlapped, with a margin of 2-3 cm. When the mastic is completely dry, and this takes at least 3 days, the excess is cut off under the ruler and the seam is processed by cold welding.
According to a similar principle, linoleum is laid on a concrete floor with PVA glue, only the canvas does not roll, but bends, and the glue is applied with a notched trowel (see article about) on its wrong side, trimming can be done immediately after gluing.

It is better to buy linoleum in large shopping malls, there is more choice, you can get a discount when buying a large batch, buy immediately skirting boards, glue or mastic, cold welding.
If you need linoleum for a small room, it makes sense to look among the discounted remnants.
If there is no roller for rolling the glued web, you can use the rule, a mop without bristles, or iron it manually with a rag.
Natural linoleum can be glued immediately after applying the adhesive.
There is a technology for hot welding linoleum, but it requires special equipment and is used mainly by professionals.
If the same linoleum is laid in several rooms, cutting should be done in such a way as to combine the pattern. Seams at the joints between rooms can be closed with special overlays (sills).
If the drawing consists of lines, it is important that they are parallel to the walls.
If it is not possible to cover the room with one canvas, it is better to use not 2 identical pieces with a joint in the center, but 1 large and 2 narrower ones, making 2 joints closer to the edges of the room.
When laying on glue or mastic, it is imperative to immediately remove the adhesive composition protruding beyond the web.

All stages of laying linoleum on one scheme.

How much does it cost to lay linoleum?

The cost of laying linoleum depends on its quality, so laying multilayer PVC linoleum costs within 7-12 $ per square meter, natural - from $ 12. Installation of skirting boards, thresholds, processing of joints is paid separately - from 100 rub. per meter linear. Masters may require an additional fee for laying linoleum in hard-to-reach places, in a room of complex configuration. If you entrust professionals with preliminary leveling of the surface, the total cost of services will be significant.

Joints of pieces of linoleum can be glued with double-sided tape. This can easily be done by one person.

The main difficulty in laying linoleum is preparation of the base and proper cutting canvases. It is best to purchase linoleum in such a way that you can cover the entire room in one piece without joints. Laying linoleum with glue is more difficult than dry laying and requires additional expense materials, but allows you to cover a larger area with linoleum and get a more durable, load-resistant coating.

Video instruction

Modern market building materials offers customers a variety of floor coverings that differ in price range, technical indicators. Among this variety, we note the material that appeared in the middle of the last century, the popularity of which has not changed for several decades. Linoleum has excellent characteristics, reasonable cost, simple installation. Owners of city apartments often have a question about laying this floor material with their own hands, we will consider this issue in detail.

Tools for the job

In order to properly lay linoleum, you will need the following tools:

pencil;
roulette;
metal ruler;
stationery knife.

The list of basic tools can also be supplemented with a screwdriver, nail puller, hammer, roller and brush.

Stages of work

Professionals distinguish two main stages of laying linoleum.

Carrying out preparatory work.
Direct laying of a covering.

At the preparation stage, it is necessary to remove all furniture from the room, to provide free access to the floor.

Floor preparation

This stage involves leveling the surface, since linoleum is laid on a smooth and even floor. All irregularities on the floor must be eliminated.

Wooden floor

AT country houses, basically, wooden floors are used, the preparation of which must be taken with great responsibility.

When laying the coating on a wooden floor, proceed according to the following algorithm:

Dismantle all old floor plinths around the perimeter of the room. Instead of them, then it is better to use new PVC skirting boards. Check the condition of the floor surface. Remove all construction garbage accumulated under skirting boards.
We raise the entire wooden floor, tightly shift the boards, eliminating the gaps between them. In case of detection of low-quality boards, we simultaneously carry out their replacement.
After all the gaps between the boards are eliminated, you will have to additionally process the surface. armed grinder or hand planer, you need to walk around the entire perimeter of the floor. To simplify the floor leveling procedure, you can use plywood, laying it with a slight offset. To fix plywood, use parquet glue. All gaps between plywood sheets must be treated with mastic, dried with high quality, pierced with nails (if necessary).
If squeaks are found, they fix a similar problem. All rotten boards are removed, replaced with new ones. Protruding nail heads are carefully hammered with a hammer, all screws are screwed deeper.
If there are differences in height, the boards are leveled using stands or with the help of scraping. Large gaps are eliminated with putty, then primed, the floor is treated with a special antiseptic.

Concrete floor

Modern apartment buildings are characterized by concrete floors. For their alignment and hardening, it is important to use self-leveling floors created on a cement basis. It is quite possible to do this on your own, without involving qualified specialists.

If there is a bulk or concrete floor in the room, its preparation is carried out according to a certain algorithm:

To get started, you need to visual inspection floor surfaces, remove debris. If sharp differences in height are detected, the problem is solved by using concrete or leveling mixtures. If the differences are too large, you can build a wooden frame, then lay chipboard sheets. All seams between sheets must be carefully puttied.
Next, the laying of the decorative coating itself is carried out.

Tiled flooring

When laying linoleum on a tile, first inspect the surface, assess the condition of the tile. If you find broken or chipped tiles, you need to change them. All seams between tiles are carefully overwritten, getting a flat surface.

Attention ! Laying linoleum on a floor that has not been pre-prepared will cause all tile joints to “show through” on the linoleum.

If it is not possible to level the floor covered with ceramic tiles, remove the tiles, or lay chipboard sheets over the tiles. Minor bumps can be eliminated by using the lining under decorative material.

We lay linoleum

After the base is ready, you can proceed to laying linoleum with your own hands. We offer step by step instructions.

Before you start laying linoleum, bring it into the room, lay it out at room temperature for 10-12 hours.

Advice ! To level the linoleum, you can put heavy objects on it.

Such a "trick" will help you eliminate all the waves, avoid mistakes when cutting the material. This decorative material can be fixed in two main ways: by welding or with double-sided tape. The choice of laying technology depends on the surface, room humidity, type of linoleum. Small rooms involve laying linoleum in the width of a roll, but for apartments with modern layout this width will not be enough.

Single lane option

We cut out the linoleum along the perimeter of the room, making an allowance of 10-15 cm on each side. During the operation of the linoleum, it may shrink, if you do not leave allowances, the linoleum will lose its aesthetic characteristics. The strip is spread around the room, checking compliance in size. Next, you need to fold the strip of material along in half. The open part of the base of the floor is treated with special glue, using a brush or roller.

Advice ! After applying glue to the floor surface, wait 10-15 minutes, then proceed with laying the linoleum.

Straighten the linoleum, carefully begin to lay it on the surface treated with glue. Take your time, use a clean roller to smooth the surface. Then follow the same steps with the second part of the coating.

Instead of glue to fix the decorative coating, you can use double-sided construction tape. The laying technique is similar to the case with glue, but first adhesive tape is applied to the floor, then the protective film is removed from it, and the coating is laid.

Laying the coating with a multi-strip method

You can lay the coating in two strips. AT modern construction two types of laying are used: hot and cold welding.

Cold welding

This method is considered simple, you can lay the coating on your own, without involving professionals. For cold welding, glue models "C" and "A" are required.

When choosing brand "A", you will additionally need adhesive tape. It is applied to the joints between the edges of the coating. Then it is cut with a sharp knife along the joint, glue is introduced into the resulting gap. Once the glue dries, the tape is removed.

When choosing glue grade "C", it is enough to simply apply it to the edges between the coating strips, at the moment of their junction.

Hot welding

This type of fastening of linoleum involves the use of special equipment. In addition, hot welding will require additional materials. A welding machine is indispensable in the work, into which a special polymeric cord will be inserted (a substance that fastens linoleum strips).

First you need to bring the temperature welding machine up to +350 degrees Celsius. This temperature allows you to melt the polymer cord. hot welding performed in two stages:

At the first stage, the apparatus is placed at the end of one strip of linoleum, so that the bonding polymer substance falls directly between the strips of the coating. Next, move the apparatus to the center of the room. The polymer layer will be slightly above the coating, its excess can be removed with a sickle-shaped knife. Excess polymer must be removed until it hardens.
At the second stage, we perform similar actions, only with the second half of the decorative coating. On the this stage it is necessary to overlap the fastening material with the first part. Excess material is also removed with a knife.

How to lay linoleum on a concrete surface

Laying is allowed from any corner of the room. First you need to spread the coating over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room, align the strips so as to follow the pattern. All excess pieces are cut off, leaving 5-10 cm of overlap on the wall. Between the wall and the coating, you need to leave 0.5-1 cm gaps around the entire perimeter of the room.

When laying the coating in a room whose area does not exceed 20 m2, there is no need to additionally strengthen the strips, it is enough to use skirting boards. When working indoors with larger area, after marking, it is necessary to bend the linoleum, coat the floor with special glue, then lay the coating back.

After laying the coating, pass over it with a heavy roller, moving towards the walls from the center, expelling all air bubbles from under the coating.

To fasten the joints between the strips of linoleum, use polymer welding, or double-sided tape. After 1-2 days, you can proceed with the installation of decorative skirting boards on self-tapping screws or dowels - nails.

Conclusion

If you do not install skirting boards, decorative coating the floor will look unfinished. AT construction stores there are PVC skirting boards of any color, you can pick up corners, connecting elements for them. If you install plastic skirting boards along the perimeter of the room, you will turn your floor into a real work of art.

home > power plants