Linoleum is used not only for residential, but also for office buildings. This is due to two important qualities of the material: low cost and unpretentiousness in operation.
In this article we will talk about how to lay linoleum on a wooden floor. This seems to be a fairly simple question. But upon closer inspection, several nuances emerge that can affect the quality of styling. Even a person far from construction and repair can cope with the work. However, it is better to immediately do everything right so that you do not have to correct your mistakes in the future.
Types of material
It all starts with the choice of coverage. In the store you need to consider that it is better to purchase a canvas that, in its width, corresponds to the dimensions of the room. In this case, there will be no joints on the floor that cause trouble:
- deterioration in aesthetic properties;
- the possibility of bending the material at the seam;
- inconvenience when walking;
- probability of water ingress.
If you lay linoleum on a wooden floor of several pieces, you will need to be very careful. All joints should be done very carefully and be firmly fixed. This option can be performed by professionals, but for beginners it is easier to lay the material with a solid canvas.
There are several varieties of material:
- polyvinyl chloride - has good heat and sound insulation performance;
- fabric - characterized by ductility and strength;
- colloxylin - flexible and shiny;
- alkyd - quite durable, but during operation can become cracked;
- groundless - helps to level the structure of the floor, copes well with mechanical stresses.
The choice of linoleum for wood floors should be done not only for aesthetic reasons. The minimum web thickness is 3 mm. For your own home or apartment, it is recommended to take 4 mm or more.
Foundation preparation
The coating is characterized by high flexibility, over time it will exactly repeat the outlines of the lower layer. In this case, there are problems with the aesthetic and practical component. It is not very pleasant to walk on a surface that has tangible differences. Therefore, it is necessary to level the base.
At this stage, it will be necessary to repair all cracks, troughs and crevices between the boards of the wooden flooring. It is also worth checking the fixing of the elements of the rough floor. After all, no one wants to lay down a new coating and find out that boards creak under it.
A well and properly laid rough floor does not creak, all elements are securely fixed. The tree should not be rotten or wet. It is also worth paying attention to the heads of nails and self-tapping screws. If they stick out of the plane, then there is a high probability of damage to linoleum. We recommend you take a hammer or screwdriver, walk across the entire width of the floor and drown the hats in the wood. Read more about removing floor creaking.
If the draft part contains damaged items, you will have to replace them. Irregularities are eliminated in several ways, depending on their scale.
To remove small cracks, crevices and gaps, you will need ordinary wood putty.
With small irregularities of the base, it will be enough to walk through it with a grinder or a manual plane. Read more about sanding a wooden floor.
More serious preparation of a wooden floor under linoleum implies the use of plywood. In this way, significant height differences are eliminated: a completely flat flooring under the flooring is obtained. Plywood should be pre-laid on the floor. This is necessary in order to fit the sheets. At the edges of the layer is not brought to the walls by several millimeters. The same rule applies to all sheets: between them there should be a small gap for thermal expansion.
The sheets are laid apart. This resembles brickwork, where each subsequent row is offset from the previous one. Mounting is carried out on PVA glue. After it dries, additional fixation on the screws on the edges is used.
After completion of the work, the joints between the sheets are carefully sanded, the cracks are putty. Before putting linoleum on a wooden floor, you will need to remove all the debris formed during the previous work. Read a detailed article on leveling the floor under linoleum.
When operating the floor, plywood performs several tasks at once:
- additional sound insulation;
- additional thermal insulation;
- alignment;
- prevention of subsidence of flooring.
What linoleum to buy by size
It has already been said that the width of the roll must match the size of the rooms. When laying material in standard buildings, this usually does not cause serious problems. In order not to make a mistake before going to the store, you need to take measurements.
The width and length are measured at several points. This will allow you to take into account some irregularities in the walls. Make a purchase at the maximum values. It is advisable to leave a small margin of 10-20 cm in length and width.
It is important to remember that linoleum is not cut in advance. This is the right path to error. An entire strip with approximate dimensions (with a margin) is laid on a wooden floor. In this case, small allowances at the edges should be provided. Excess can only be cut off after this procedure.
If the roll covers only half of the room or its other part, the joint is made in the center. In this case, more material may be required, since it becomes necessary to align the picture (as, for example, when wallpapering).
After purchasing the material, it is recommended to put it in the room for a couple of hours. In this case, the roll is not deployed. This approach will allow the coating to adapt to the temperature in the room. In this case, linoleum varies slightly in size. Then the roll is spread on the floor and left for several days. This will make linoleum flooring with maximum fit to the base of the floor.
Work execution technology
There are three main ways of laying material:
- without glue with fixing only on skirting boards for small rooms;
- double-sided tape around the perimeter;
- on glue.
The latter method guarantees the greatest strength. It is especially relevant when covering large areas.
Fixing without glue:
- lay out the floor;
- wait a few days;
- fix it with baseboards, controlling the absence of bubbles.
Fastening to double-sided tape:
- stick tape along the perimeter of the wooden floor;
- stack linoleum, measure all sizes again;
- roll up the roll to the middle of the room;
- tear off the protective layer from adhesive tape;
- unwind the roll by gluing it;
- control the absence of bubbles and irregularities;
- cut off excess, install baseboards.
Fixing on glue:
- lay the roll on the floor;
- cut corners for a snug fit;
- fold half of the coating into a roll;
- gradually expand the roll, applying glue to the surface (after applying the glue, wait 20 minutes, and only then fix the material on the floor);
- repeat work with the second half;
- cut off excess;
- set skirting boards.
When laying linoleum from two strips, adhesive tape or cold welding is used to connect them at the junction.
Do I need a backing
Floor preparation for linoleum does not always end on leveling. In some cases, it is worth additionally laying the substrate. Such material is needed for sound and heat insulation. It is especially necessary if plywood is not laid on the flooring. The substrate is able to correct minor irregularities if there is no need or time to make a full alignment.
There are five types of substrates:
- Jute. They have the ability to absorb excess moisture. The material will be an excellent additional insulation. Jute is resistant to decay, does not appear mold on it. In addition, it has good resistance to fire.
- Cork. If the room does not plan to install heavy furniture. Cork is a great option. It becomes a good additional insulation, natural and safe for humans. The disadvantage is low strength. Also, the material may have a relatively high cost.
- Flaxseed. If you need to prevent the occurrence of mold and fungus in the room, then flax will be the best material for the substrate. It is not influenced by various microorganisms.
- Combined. There are substrates made of several materials: linen, wool, jute. They are dense and do their job well. But during operation, their quality is significantly reduced.
- PVC Suitable for different types of surfaces, low cost.
The easiest option to simplify the work is to buy linoleum with a substrate already pasted (check with sellers in the store).