Lay linoleum on a plank floor. How to lay linoleum on a wooden floor with your own hands

Floor coverings such as linoleum require a flat surface for installation.

This is what causes most of the problems when laying it on a wooden base.

Of course, when laying on a base made of sheet materials, the difficulties are minimal, but with an old plank floor you will have to work more thoroughly.

The wooden base transmits sound, moisture and cold very well, so when choosing linoleum you should choose a coating with good protective properties.

Despite all the advantages of natural material, it is not recommended to use it in this case. It is better to choose a synthetic one, which has low thermal conductivity and is not susceptible to rotting due to fairly high humidity.

Particularly good in this regard are types of PVC linoleum on a foamed or multi-layer heat and sound insulating base.

Alkyd linoleum also has good insulating characteristics, but it is quite brittle. Since the wooden base has a large number of seams, even after preparatory work, this type of linoleum is still not worth choosing.

Otherwise, there is a high probability of creases, cracks or even tears in the fabric. For the same reason, you should not purchase products with a thickness of less than 3 mm.

Floor condition assessment

Before laying linoleum, it is necessary to assess the condition of the wooden floor and the need for preparatory work.

Walk energetically around the room, or better yet, jump.

If the floor does not wobble underfoot and does not make any sounds, then such a floor will be the easiest to work with, even if it does not have a perfectly flat surface.

Inspect the surface: the color of the boards should be natural. Try to pierce areas with discoloration with a screwdriver or an awl - healthy wood, regardless of age, will be strong enough.

The good condition of the floor and a normal level of humidity is indicated by the absence of fungus or mold on the boards and rust on the heads of the nails.

Another problem with wood flooring is wood-boring insects. Their presence is indicated by eaten grooves on the surface and inside the boards. Rotten boards must be replaced, otherwise the rot will spread to other wooden elements.

If there are traces of the presence of insect pests, then treatment with bioprotective preparations is mandatory.

It is advisable to lift one or two boards and assess the condition of their undersides and the joists on which they are laid. Tap them with a hammer - a distinct wooden sound should be heard, and a dull sound indicates the presence of pockets of rot.

Particular attention should be paid to load-bearing joists if the floor creaks or sag: most likely, they cannot withstand the load and you will have to place bricks or bars under them, and additional boards are nailed to the joists.

The squeaking noise can also be caused by friction between the floorboards. To solve this problem, it is recommended to pour talc or graphite powder into the cracks between them.

In addition, it is necessary to evaluate the evenness and horizontality of the surface. Performing all these actions is the key to long service life and good appearance of the coating.

Tools and additional materials

Before starting work, prepare everything you need:

• Sharp knife;
• A spatula with teeth (wooden or metal);
• Long ruler or staff (2-3 m);
• Glue or double-sided tape depending on the mounting method;
• Roller;
• Nails;
• , if joints of the canvases are expected.

For preparatory work the following will be useful:

• Planer or sanding machine for leveling the surface;
• Plywood, bars (joists) and nails/screws to create the most horizontal and even surface;
• Glue, putty.

Preparation of the base surface

It is necessary to remove paint from the old plank floor and deepen the nail heads.

If the floor is strong enough and does not have any distortions in height, but the surface itself is uneven, then you can use a plane or sanding machine to level it.

Scraping can also be done manually using a hand scraper or a piece of glass, but this method will be very labor-intensive and ineffective.

The gaps between the boards must be filled. In the same way, it is worth treating the places where the nails are buried.

If the surface is not treated, then the unevenness of the wooden flooring will appear on the linoleum.

If the floor has significant unevenness or differences in height, then sanding the surface alone will not do.

How and with what to level a wooden floor under linoleum? Methods of preparation

In this case, several options are possible:

Although the floor will be almost perfectly level, this is not the best option for wooden surfaces. But if you decide to use it, then you should select a mixture specifically designed for plank floors.

1. Leveling the surface using sheet material.

Under linoleum on a wooden floor you can use hardboard, plywood, fiberboard or furniture panels. If you only need to get rid of unevenness, then the sheets are fixed with parquet glue or a mixture of PVA and gypsum, and then additionally nailed to the floor with nails or a construction stapler.

To create a horizontal line, you will have to lay the sheets on logs made of bars or plywood strips fixed to the floor with glue.

After laying the sheets using any of these methods, the seams must be puttied. Finally, the surface must be oiled.

Additional thermal and waterproofing is usually not required, since the base of correctly selected linoleum itself performs these functions.

Before laying linoleum, the floor must be thoroughly cleaned of debris, vacuumed, washed and dried.

Preparation of linoleum

When purchasing linoleum, you should add 5-15 cm along the length and width of the room. If it has a repeating pattern, then you need to take one more row on each side. Thermal shrinkage allowance should also be taken into account. For PVC it ​​is 2%.

Do not bend linoleum during transportation, as creases will form. Having brought it home, you need to spread it in the room, leveling it from the center to the walls, and leave it for a couple of days to adapt. If there are waves, they must be pressed down with a weight.

And if significant fractures or bends are detected, it is better to replace the roll. The room temperature should not be lower than 16°C, and the humidity should not be 40...60%.

It is better to place single-color or marble canvases in the direction of daylight, which makes the seams less noticeable. The joints of linoleum of any color should be placed in the middle of the board.

After leveling, the canvas is cut, leaving a space of 5..30 mm to the walls, which will be covered with skirting boards. To cut holes for pipes or protrusions for other elements, these places are first marked with a pencil or gel pen, and then carefully cut out by making small cuts.

Fastening linoleum to the base

The most in a simple way is a flooring without gluing. It is exclusively suitable for small rooms ≤12 m². the canvas is secured around the perimeter of the room with skirting boards, and in the doorway with a threshold.

If there is no real threshold, the linoleum is fixed in its place with a special strip. But with this installation method, the coating wears out faster, and during operation, waves may appear on the surface.

The second, more practical way is to secure it with double-sided tape.

It is glued along the perimeter of the canvas, and for better fixation it can be secured with additional strips over the entire surface area.

The sticker is made in stages. First, one half is bent, the protective layer is removed from the tape, and then this part of the coating is straightened.

Work with the second half is done in the same way.

Planting with glue will fix the linoleum more thoroughly, but this process will require more time and physical effort. If the room area is ≥20 m², then this is the only acceptable method.

Half a piece of linoleum is folded back, coated with glue and waited for some time indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. After this, the material is unbent and smoothed by hand. Then move on to the second half.

After gluing, the surface is rolled with a special roller or roller. Until the glue dries (7-10 days), you should not walk on the freshly laid floor.

If two pieces are connected, then they are glued with a slight overlap on each other. At the point of overlap, use a sharp knife to cut off two layers of material using a ruler. Then, without waiting for the glue to dry, a “cold welding” compound is applied to the seam.

You can see clearly how to lay linoleum on a wooden floor in the video. Laying is carried out on a leveled wooden floor, it can be plywood or other sheet material, followed by gluing:

Correctly laying linoleum on a wooden floor is not so difficult; it takes much more time to prepare the surface. But correctly selected material, the installation technology of which is not violated, will please the eye for a long time.

Linoleum is used not only for residential, but also for administrative premises. This is explained by two important qualities of the material: low cost and ease of use.

In this article we will talk about how to lay linoleum on a wooden floor. This seems like a fairly simple question. But upon closer examination, several nuances emerge that may affect the quality of installation. Even a person who is far from construction and repair can cope with the work. However, it is better to do everything correctly right away so that you don’t 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 take into account that it is better to purchase a canvas whose width corresponds to the dimensions of the room. In this case, there will be no joints on the floor that cause trouble:

• deterioration of aesthetic properties;
• the possibility of bending the material at the seam;
• discomfort when walking;
• possibility of water penetration.

If you are laying linoleum on a multi-piece wooden floor, you will need to be very careful. All joints must be made very carefully and firmly secured. This option can be done by professionals, but for beginners it is easier to lay the material in one piece.

There are several types of material:

• polyvinyl chloride - has good thermal insulation and sound insulation properties;
• fabric - characterized by plasticity and strength;
• colloxylin - flexible and shiny;
• alkyd - quite durable, but may become cracked during use;
• baseless - helps to level the structure of the floor, copes well with mechanical loads.

The choice of linoleum for a wooden floor should be made not only for aesthetic reasons. The minimum thickness of the canvas is 3 mm. For your own house or apartment, it is recommended to take 4 mm or more.

Preparing the base

The coating is characterized by high flexibility; over time, it will accurately follow the contours of the underlying layer. At the same time, problems arise with an aesthetic and practical component. It is not very pleasant to walk on a surface that has noticeable changes. Therefore, it is necessary to level the base.

At this stage, you will need to seal all the cracks, depressions and gaps between the wood flooring boards. It is also worth checking the fastening of the subfloor elements. After all, no one wants to lay a brand new flooring and find out that the boards squeak underneath it.

If the rough part contains damaged elements, they will have to be replaced. Irregularities are eliminated in several ways, depending on their scale.

To remove small cracks, crevices and gaps, you will need regular wood putty.

To fill cracks, use a special wood putty
It is most convenient to sand small irregularities using an angle grinder (“grinder”)

More serious preparation of a wooden floor for linoleum implies. In this way, significant differences in height are eliminated: a completely flat flooring is obtained for the floor covering. The plywood should first be laid out on the floor. This is necessary in order to fit the sheets. Along the edges the layer is not brought up to the walls by a few millimeters. The same rule applies to all sheets: there should be a small gap between them to allow for thermal expansion.

The sheets are laid out staggered. This is reminiscent of brickwork, where each subsequent row is offset from the previous one. Fastening is carried out using PVA glue. After it dries, additional fixation is used with self-tapping screws along the edges.

Plywood will help create a smooth and durable surface if the old floor is very uneven

When using a floor, plywood performs several tasks at once:

• additional sound insulation;
• additional thermal insulation;
• alignment;
• preventing subsidence of the floor covering.

Which linoleum to buy by size

It has already been said that the width of the roll should match the size of the rooms. When laying the 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.

Width and length are measured at several points. This will allow you to take into account some of the unevenness of the walls. The purchase is made according to 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 a recipe for error. A solid strip with approximate dimensions (with a margin) is laid on a wooden floor. In this case, small allowances should be provided along the edges. The excess can be cut off only after this procedure.

If the roll covers only half of the room or another part of it, the joint is made in the center. In this case, more material may be required, since it becomes necessary to level the pattern (as, for example, when gluing wallpaper).

After purchasing the material, it is recommended to leave it indoors for a couple of hours. In this case, the roll is not unrolled. This approach will allow the coating to adapt to the room temperature. In this case, the linoleum changes slightly in size. Then the roll is spread on the floor and left there for several days. This will allow you to make linoleum flooring with maximum adherence to the base of the floor.

Technology of work execution

There are three main ways to lay the material:

• without glue with fixation only on skirting boards for small rooms;
• on double-sided tape around the perimeter;
• on glue.

The latter method guarantees the greatest strength. It is especially relevant when covering large areas.

Fastening without glue:

1. lay out the covering on the floor;
2. wait a few days;
3. fix it with baseboards, making sure there are no bubbles.

Fixing the canvas to the baseboard

Securing with double-sided tape:

1. glue tape around the perimeter of the wooden floor;
2. lay linoleum, measure all dimensions again;
3. roll the roll to the middle of the room;
4. tear off the protective layer from the tape;
5. unwind the roll, gluing it;
6. control the absence of bubbles and irregularities;
7. cut off the excess, install baseboards.

Fastening the canvas with tape

Fastening with glue:

1. lay out the roll on the floor;
2. cut the corners for a tight fit;
3. roll half of the coating into a roll;
4. gradually unroll the roll, applying glue to the surface (after applying the glue, you should wait 20 minutes, and only then fix the material on the flooring);
5. repeat the work with the second half;
6. cut off excess;
7. install plinths.

When laying linoleum from two strips, tape or cold welding is used to connect them at the junction.

Before using cold welding, apply masking tape to the joint and cut it along the seam with a utility knife. This will prevent excess adhesive solution from getting onto front side linoleum

Is a substrate needed?

Preparing the floor for linoleum does not always end with leveling. In some cases, it is necessary to additionally lay the substrate. This material is needed for sound and heat insulation. It is especially necessary if plywood is not laid on the flooring. The underlay can correct minor unevenness if there is no need or time to do a full leveling.

There are five types of substrates:

1. Jute. They have the ability to absorb excess moisture. The material will provide excellent additional insulation. Jute is rot-resistant and does not grow mold. In addition, it has good fire resistance.
2. Cork. If you do not plan to install heavy furniture in the room. Cork would be a great option. It becomes a good additional insulation, natural and safe for humans. Disadvantage: low strength. Also, the material may have a relatively high cost.
3. Linen. If you need to prevent the occurrence of mold and mildew indoors, then flax will be the best material for the substrate. It is not susceptible to the influence of various microorganisms.
4. Combined. There are substrates made from several materials: linen, wool, jute. They are dense and do their job well. But during operation, their quality decreases significantly.
5. PVC. Suitable for different types surfaces, is characterized by low cost.

The simplest option, which allows you to simplify your work, is to buy linoleum with a backing already glued on (check with the store salesperson).

Linoleum is one of those floor coverings that are very popular among buyers, since several varieties can be found on the construction market that optimally correspond to the “price equals quality” property. But very often the question arises about whether it is possible to lay linoleum on a wooden floor and how this procedure is performed.

Opinion on the combination of wooden floors and linoleum

Many “masters” claim that such a combination ( wooden base and linoleum) is unacceptable. In fact, the negative installation result is due to incorrect work, and not to any incompatibility of materials.

The following article provides detailed information on how to lay linoleum on a wooden floor to achieve a high-quality finish. Without studying the presented data, it is almost impossible to carry out the work yourself.

Types of linoleum

As mentioned above, linoleum is a universal material, despite the fact that it is available to almost every buyer. It is installed not only in residential buildings, but also in commercial ones. The material is resistant to stress, which allows it to be used in places with high traffic: offices, retail outlets, medical and educational institutions etc.

Other positive qualities of linoleum:

• strong and wear-resistant structure;
• excellent water-repellent characteristics;
• elasticity, which greatly simplifies installation;
• ease of maintenance of the coating during operation;
• low cost.

It is worth noting that cost is the determining factor when purchasing this material, since the price range is very wide and each buyer will be able to find a suitable variety.

Based on the type of material used in the production of the base material, the following categories of linoleum are distinguished:

• with jute fabric at the base;
• on wood resins;
• on crust flour;
• on limestone powder.

When considering how to properly lay linoleum on the floor, it is necessary to take into account the raw materials used in the production of the working part of the coating (surface):

• Glyphthalic alkyd linoleum. This type of coating is made from both natural and synthetic materials. The main components in production are: alkyd resins, pigments and various mineral additives. The difference between this material is a wide range of colors. The surface of the material can have either a uniform color or an original pattern. Alkyd coating has the following qualities: improved thermal insulation and increased wear resistance. The negative side of the coating is its low resistance to fractures when bending the material.
• Polyvinyl chloride– as the name implies, it is made on the basis of polymers. This coating is the most popular. It is produced both monolithic (single-layer) and multi-layer. The disadvantage of this material is that its elasticity decreases with decreasing temperature.
• Rubber linoleum– produced on the basis of pieces of rubber and bituminous material. Synthetic rubber is used as the surface layer. It is most popular to use this material in industrial enterprises, since it has the highest elasticity and water-repellent properties.
• Colloxylin linoleum– made from nitrocellulose. It has positive qualities: high elasticity and moisture resistance. This material has an aesthetic surface with an original shine. In the photo and upon visual inspection it looks very beautiful. The only drawback of the material is the fire hazard, which makes it impossible to use in residential buildings.

If we talk about how to properly lay linoleum on the floor, then it is worth considering the wear resistance class of the material:

• domestic– directly for residential premises (lowest stability);
• commercial– has the maximum degree of stability and is ideally combined with rooms where there is increased traffic;
• semi-commercial– a medium option, ideal for installation in office premises, small retail outlets, pharmacy points, etc.

Installation procedure

Before properly laying linoleum on a wooden floor, you should carefully process the rough base. The performance characteristics and aesthetics of the coating depend on the correct preparation of the subfloor.

It is also worth considering the tendency of wooden floors to deteriorate over time, since the material itself, although natural, has a significantly shorter service life than alternatives: tiles, porcelain tiles, stone.

Eliminate this problem simple enough. The floor is covered with plywood sheets 5 millimeters thick. Materials such as OSB and fiberboard are suitable for this (more details: ""). Wood floors with significant defects should be covered with a 15 mm layer of leveling material.

Preparatory work with the base

If we are talking about how to properly lay linoleum on a wooden floor, then the base is leveled in a certain sequence. Before laying linoleum, it is necessary to remove the outdated layer of paint and varnish material. This layer is removed using a wide 15-20 cm spatula and a hair dryer used to heat the coating.

If you don’t have a hairdryer, you can use a blowtorch, but despite its effectiveness, there is a certain danger, since the smoke released when the paint burns can ruin the interior finish.

In conditions where both tools are missing, it is necessary to use special compounds to remove the paint layer. Such a layer is used by simply applying it with a brush and cleaning the paint layer that has reacted with the chemical. At the end, the floors are washed with plain water.

After the paint layer has been removed, you can begin checking the coating for defective areas. If the boards are in poor condition, they should be replaced. Creaking and sagging boards must be carefully secured to the joists using nails.

Old protruding nails should be driven in or bent so that they do not protrude above the surface. Moreover, the nails should not just be crushed, but recessed below the level of the base, since protruding strong heads can interfere with the implementation of further stages of preparing the base.

The following stages of leveling the rough foundation:

• it is necessary to properly process the surface using an electric plane or belt sander;
• the surface is cleaned of dust, dirt and construction waste, and it is necessary not only to go over the entire surface with a broom, but also with a powerful vacuum cleaner. It is also very important to wet cleaning with appropriate high-quality surface drying;
• then the floor is covered with plywood sheets, or OSB or fiberboard. The material is mounted with glue or screws. Regardless of the chosen installation method, work must begin from the corner of the room farthest from the front door. Be sure to maintain a 1.5-meter spacing when laying.

The adhesive installation method is quite simple if the worker first marks the installation site by laying the slab without gluing. Then an adhesive mixture will be applied along the marks, on which the slab of material itself will need to be laid.

The method of applying the adhesive mixture is determined by its type. Typically a notched spatula, roller or regular paint brush is used. After the mixture is applied, the slab is not simply laid, but secured with screws in steps of 40 centimeters. If panels with a thickness of 2 centimeters or more are used, glue may not be used.

After the adhesive mixture is applied, the seams between the slabs of laid material are sealed. For this, the same glue is used, or a specially purchased composition - “liquid nails”. Seams that have been sealed and dried also need to be sanded. After this, you can begin to lay linoleum on the old wooden floor, which has acquired a decent appearance, suitable for installation.

Those who do not want to perform leveling should consider buying thick linoleum for an uneven floor, since when using it, minimal defects in the base can be neglected. But this does not mean that such material is a panacea for any distortion of the subfloor.

Laying sequence

Before you start covering the floor with linoleum on a wooden floor, this same material must simply be brought in and kept in the room being treated. The essence of this procedure is that the material adapts to temperature conditions rooms. And, as you know, most materials expand when heated, and linoleum is no exception.

Then the linoleum is rolled out over the base. In this case, the material must be stretched as much as possible and the excess parts used as spades on the walls. The formation is fixed with the help of heavy flat objects that hold, but do not push through it. It is advisable to keep the sheet in this position for about a day.

It’s worth saying right away that any wrinkles and folds remaining on the surface of the material the next day indicate its low quality. Such linoleum must be urgently returned to the store for the purpose of exchange or refund.

There is no point in laying it, since the aesthetics of the coating will be compromised. These types of defects are simply irremovable, and in the photo and during visual inspection they will be so noticeable that they cannot be neglected.

Every worker should know that the optimal conditions for laying linoleum are: a temperature of more than 15 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 40 to 70 percent. If these conditions are met, then installation can begin. It starts with calculating exact values length and width of the room.

Any niches on the walls are counted towards the total length of the wall, but it is not their width that is recorded, but the length deep into the wall. After the measurements are completed, you need to add 10 centimeters of margin to the calculated value.

In order to start installation, you need to have the following set of tools:

• sharpened knife;
• long construction ruler (metal);
• rolling roller for linoleum;
• glue mixture;
• spatula with teeth;
• paint roller and brush.

Before you start laying linoleum, you should reconsider the option of installing it, since there are several alternative methods:

• instead of the adhesive mixture, you can use double-sided tape, which is placed under the linoleum on a wooden floor, and then the material itself is laid;
• You can also completely abandon any fasteners under the covering, and simply spread and tension the roll, and then use linoleum nails to fix it (read: " ").

Naturally, these options are not very original and are inferior to the method discussed above.

After the material is laid out, all that remains is to cut it taking into account the existing protrusions and niches, and also adjust the sheet to the optimal size. The optimal option is when a gap of 0.5 millimeters is maintained between the wall and the flooring.

After the cutting stage comes the gluing stage. It consists in first coating one half of the sheet and securing it to the base, and then, by analogy, coating the second half and gluing it in the same way. If the material is torn in some place, and there are doubts whether it is possible to paint linoleum, read the detailed details on painting linoleum.

After fastening, both halves should be rolled until various airborne and poorly glued areas are completely removed from them. Without a roller, you can level a sheet of linoleum with a regular wooden strip covered with textile material.

Bottom line

The article describes in detail the procedure for leveling a wooden base and laying linoleum on top of it. Upon completion, all that remains is to wait for the time during which the adhesive mixture dries, install the baseboards around the perimeter of the room, and also move the furniture, appliances and interior items into place.

Linoleum can be considered one of the cheapest and most practical materials used for finishing floors in residential and industrial premises. It is characterized by a fairly high degree of wear resistance and moisture resistance, and modern coating models allow you to choose the desired pattern that is in harmony with the rest of the interior design. The ease of care of linoleum makes it the main option when choosing flooring for a hallway or kitchen - a room where there is always high humidity and a high degree of pollution. How is linoleum laid on a wooden floor?

Choosing linoleum for a wooden base

Before finishing the floor, you need to choose the linoleum itself. What should you pay attention to when going to the store? When you go shopping, first take measurements of the room where you are going to change the flooring. Linoleum is produced in rolls of different widths, usually 2.5 meters, 3.4 meters or 4 meters. If you can choose linoleum so as to cover the entire room at once without joints between parts of the material, then it is recommended to stick to this option. In order to determine what width of linoleum you need, add 7 cm to the width of the room as a reserve.

Rolls of linoleum have different widths.

The coating for laying linoleum on a wooden floor can be different. PVC linoleum is made on a foam or fabric base. Fabric linoleum is the simplest flooring option, with good ductility and a sufficient level of strength. If you are thinking about additional noise and heat insulation, then preference should be given to linoleum with a foam base. Some manufacturers offer linoleum with a thermal insulation base.

Material without a base.

In rooms where a uniform floor structure is required, the best option linoleum will be laid without a base; such material is characterized by increased resistance to mechanical stress.

When choosing linoleum for a wooden floor, focus on the environmental friendliness of the material. The coating, which is made from natural ingredients, including wood flour, cork, jute and linseed oil, will not emit any harmful substances. The only disadvantage of natural linoleum is that it is more short term operation.

In terms of thickness, it is best to choose 4 mm linoleum for a wooden floor. It can serve you as a floor covering for a long time and will not tear during installation.

When purchasing linoleum, pay attention to all its main parameters: material, design, size, heat and sound insulation qualities, abrasion resistance. To avoid unpleasant problems when laying it on the floor, it is recommended to inspect the roll for external defects in the store. If you buy several rolls, make sure they are all labeled as the same batch, otherwise you may find two rolls are a different color at home.

Preparing the floor before laying the covering

How to properly lay new linoleum on an old wooden floor? Before starting installation, you should thoroughly prepare the floor surface itself. The quality of the future floor covering depends half on the evenness of the working surface and another half on the correct installation of the linoleum itself.

What can affect the new coating? Significant defects of a wooden floor include:

• Presence of gaps between boards, cracks and chips;
• Rotten boards and supports, creaking boards;
• Remains of old floor paint;
• Other defects that can deform the new coating.

Before laying linoleum on a wooden floor, all this needs to be corrected. The old paint is heated with a construction hairdryer, after which it is easily removed with a regular spatula. All cracks, chips, and small holes must be covered with mastic or sealant.

Photo of the result of surface preparation.

Eliminating gaps between boards will take much longer. To do this, you will either have to lift the boards one by one and press them against each other, or clear each gap by installing a wooden trapezoidal strip into it. If available, you will have to look through all the boards and those that creak, fasten them all the way through with a long self-tapping screw to the joists and the floor base.

The biggest problem is rotten boards and joists. It is not recommended to lay linoleum on a wooden floor that has rotten parts. All these parts will have to be replaced with new ones, and in some particularly severe cases the entire floor will need to be redone.

After removing all defects of the old floor, it is necessary to level it. This can be done either with special tools or using plywood flooring. In the first case, layers of wood are removed with a plane in those places where there are protrusions above general level original surface.

Working with a plane is quite labor-intensive and requires some experience with this tool. To facilitate the task of leveling the floor, you can use a grinding machine, which will cope with the work assigned to it much faster.

These methods are used quite rarely, since after such treatment the floor will still not be perfectly smooth. Before laying linoleum on a wooden floor, specialists level the surface with plywood.

This method involves additional costs for the purchase of plywood and takes more time, but as a result of the work carried out, you will have a smooth surface. High Quality, on which you can lay the linoleum itself without fear.

The floor is treated with a sanding machine, then plywood sheets are laid on the principle of brickwork. The gaps between the sheets are filled with mastic, and the plywood itself is necessarily covered with drying oil.

How to prepare linoleum?

In order for the installation of linoleum on a wooden floor to be successful, it is necessary to prepare not only the surface of the old floor, but also the material itself. To do this, lay out the linoleum roll and leave it in the room until it is completely straightened. It is best if this procedure is carried out at an air temperature of at least 16 ° C, the optimal humidity level is 40-70%.

How to understand that linoleum is ready for installation? Inspect the surface of the material: there should be no folds on it. If in some places there are defects that have not been smoothed out on their own, then try to force them out by placing heavy objects. If kinks still remain, you will have to return the roll to the store - defects will ruin the entire appearance new flooring after it has been installed.

Preparing linoleum before laying.

Before you lay linoleum on a wooden floor and start gluing it, calculate the dimensions of the material cut: the width of the room plus 7-10 cm at the edges. If you are using material with a pattern that will have to be adjusted, in the store, make sure that they cut you a piece of linoleum with 1 span of the pattern in reserve.

Laying methods

There are three ways to lay linoleum on a wooden floor. The simplest option, which is used for laying linoleum in small rooms (up to 14 m2), is the method without gluing.

The operating procedure in this case is as follows. A piece of linoleum is spread on the prepared floor and leveled. After leveling, all excess material is carefully trimmed. When cutting linoleum, leave additional gaps at the walls 1.5 cm wide. The linoleum itself is secured with baseboards. The gap near the walls is left on purpose, since linoleum at room temperature changes its density and stretches slightly. If this 1.% cm is not left, then the material will simply swell near the walls after expansion - it will be very difficult to eliminate this defect later.

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If you want to secure the coating more securely, then lay the linoleum on a wooden floor using double-sided tape. To lay linoleum in this way, tape is first pasted around the perimeter of the room in the form of a grid of about 50 cm. Then the protective strip is gradually removed from the tape and the linoleum is also gradually glued.

When using tape, you need to stick the material slowly, meter by meter, constantly monitoring its smoothness to prevent the appearance of blisters.

A big advantage of this method of laying linoleum is simply dismantling the coating if it needs to be replaced. Linoleum on a wooden floor, the area of ​​which exceeds 22 m2, is laid only with glue.

Gluing to the floor

In order to glue linoleum to the boards, you will need special glue, which can be bought at a building materials store. In addition to this, also have a pencil, a roller, a painting knife, a spatula, silicone glue, a ruler, and masking tape. Prepare the linoleum itself, as well as baseboards, screws and a screwdriver.

The sequence of gluing linoleum covering includes several steps. First you need to lay linoleum on a wooden floor and mark it according to the size of the room. All resulting excess must be cut off and removed, leaving reserves on the sides.

Now you can start gluing the linoleum with your own hands. The material needs to be lifted upside down, freeing up part of the room. The free surface of the floor is coated with glue, which is applied with a wide spatula. Use glue according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pay special attention to the curing time of the glue before gluing the linoleum.

If it is written that after applying the glue to the floor it must be kept for 30 minutes, then you need to wait exactly half an hour. Strict adherence to the instructions on the label guarantees good results and excellent quality of the floor covering.

Laying linoleum on a wooden floor is accompanied by constant smoothing of the material on the surface. First, it is recommended to smooth out the glued part of the linoleum with your hand, and then go over it with a roller to finally get rid of the air trapped inside.

Seam welding allows you to increase the service life of the material.

The entire piece of linoleum is glued in the same way. At the joints, it is most convenient to use masking tape and silicone glue, which remains colorless after drying. First, tape is glued to the sides of the joint, then the glue itself is applied. After the joints are well glued, the masking tape is removed. To make the joining of seams more reliable, you can use welding for the seams.

After the linoleum is glued to the wooden floor and the glue itself has dried well, you can begin. The choice of plinth is chosen based on the preferences of the owner of the house. It can be a solid plinth made of wood or its analogue made of plastic, which will hide uneven walls and, if necessary, hide the wiring.

The color scheme of baseboards and linoleum may vary. You can choose a baseboard to match the main floor covering, or you can choose a lighter or darker option. The final decision will depend on the idea of ​​the interior of the room.

Wooden plinths are attached to the wall with screws or nails; for plastic, liquid nails are used. It is not recommended to attach the plinth to the linoleum itself, since when the coating shrinks, the plinth may move away from the wall, which will not look very nice.

It is necessary to lay linoleum on wooden floors very carefully, since it will be problematic to correct any defects discovered later. Blisters on the floor usually form if the floor was poorly cleaned before installation or the adhesive was applied unevenly. When gluing the material, the glue must be applied in a continuous manner, and the linoleum itself must be smoothed and pressed with a weight.

To remove the bubble formed after gluing the coating, you need to pierce the linoleum in this place with an awl and release all the remaining air from it. Then you need to put the glue inside through the hole with a syringe and press this place for a couple of days with a bag of sand. The linoleum should straighten out and stick.

In damp rooms, linoleum may peel off. This can also happen due to poorly glued joints and water getting under the coating. The peeled part of the linoleum sheet is folded back, cleaned and dried. Then glue is applied to the floor again, and the linoleum is carefully smoothed and left under the load for several days.

Every person strives to make their home as cozy and comfortable as possible. And the flooring plays an important role in this process. Today there are a large number of varieties of floor coverings.

They differ in their external characteristics, cost, durability and strength. And the most popular type of material is linoleum. This coverage is affordable for every person.

In this article we will similarly talk about the advantages, types and rules for choosing such material. We’ll also tell you how to properly lay linoleum on a wooden floor.

Features of the material

Today, the vast majority of buyers know linoleum as an inexpensive, practical, synthetic material.

However, not everyone knows that initially this flooring was completely natural. It was made entirely from natural ingredients: tree resin and flour, jute, linseed oil and other products. This coating was completely safe for human health and environment. However, the cost of the material was quite high. Therefore, natural linoleum has not become as widespread as its synthetic counterpart.

Modern linoleum consists of several layers. The backing is most often made of polyvinyl chloride, rubber or fabric. Depending on this, linoleum is divided into several varieties:

• PVC. This type of flooring is the most common. It has excellent performance characteristics. However, it is completely unstable to low temperatures;
• relin. Perhaps this is the most plastic and moisture-resistant type of linoleum. The outer layer of relin is made of rubber, and the backing consists of bitumen and crushed rubber;
• marmoleum. This type of linoleum is noticeably different from others. Because it is made from environmentally friendly materials and is completely safe for human health and the environment. This coating is characterized by hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties. You can lay it in the children's room without fear;

• Griftal. In another way, this type of linoleum is called alkyd. The production of this type of material is carried out by applying special resins to a textile base. This material is characterized by excellent heat and sound-absorbing qualities;
• nitrocellulose or colloxylin material. This flooring also has high performance characteristics. However, over time it may become deformed.

Linoleum is also classified depending on its purpose and comes in three types:

• domestic. The name of this type of material speaks for itself. Household linoleum is intended for residential premises and is not very thick. The material is quite wear-resistant, but is not intended for excessive loads. Most often it consists of one or two layers. The design options for such floor coverings are very diverse: from plain coatings to imitation stone, marble, tiles or laminate;
• semi-commercial. This coating option is thicker and more durable. It is noticeably more durable and slightly more expensive than household linoleum. Designed for rooms with average traffic;
• commercial. This is the most durable and reliable type of linoleum. It is incredibly durable, and for this reason, the cost of this option is the highest of all listed. Most often, commercial linoleum is laid in rooms with extremely high traffic. For example, in shops, schools, hospitals, kindergartens.

Let's look at the main advantages of linoleum over other floor coverings: thanks to which it has become so popular among buyers:

• Democratic price. It is for the price-quality ratio that such material has become so widespread. Anyone can cover the floor in their home with linoleum, regardless of the size of their wallet. Of course, there are a large number of types of this material, which differ significantly in cost. However, everyone will still be able to choose the material in accordance with their budget.

This material will cost you several times less than coverings made of natural wood or tiles. At the same time, in terms of its performance characteristics, linoleum is only slightly inferior to its more expensive analogues.

• Long service life. Linoleum is a very durable material. The average shelf life of such floor coverings is at least ten years. Moreover, some manufacturers claim that their products will retain their original appearance even after two decades of use. If we compare this parameter with the cost of the material and its qualities, then even the most skeptical buyers will have no doubt about the benefits of such a purchase.

• Variety of colors. In the catalogs of modern stores you will find a huge selection of linoleum for every taste. This can be an effective and fairly high-quality imitation of more expensive coating options: tiles, natural stone, parquet, etc. Or any other coating design. Color solutions and styles are limited only by your imagination.

• Easy installation. To install household linoleum, you do not need any special knowledge, skills or special tools. You can easily cope with this task yourself, without resorting to outside help. In this case, the installation process will not take you much time. And you will immediately be able to walk on the new floor.

• Moisture resistant. Thanks to this property, linoleum can be laid in the bathroom and kitchen without fear. After all, it is in such rooms that there is the most moisture and pollution. Also, the floor covering can be washed using large quantity water, without compromising the quality characteristics of the material. Moreover, even if the apartment is flooded, the linoleum covering will not be damaged and you will not have to change it.

• Easy to care for. To get rid of dirt and dust accumulated on the floor surface, simply wipe the surface with a soft cloth. You don't have to spend too much time and effort on caring for the material. Which will make any housewife very happy.

Which linoleum is better?

As you can see, each type of linoleum has certain pros and cons. Therefore, the final choice of one option or another depends on your preferences and the characteristics of the room for which the flooring is intended.

First, you should consider the degree of traffic in the room. The more intense the expected load, the stronger and thicker the material should be. The specifics of the space should also be taken into account.

For example, for the kitchen, bathroom and corridor, the most optimal option would be the coating models that are most resistant to moisture, deformation and abrasion.

Hypoallergenic and healthy types of linoleum should be placed in the child’s room, such as marmoleum. Almost all types of linoleum are suitable for the living room. Therefore, the final choice will depend on the external characteristics of the coating.

How to choose?

Taking into account the above information, you can already choose high-quality linoleum that will definitely satisfy you with its characteristics. However, there are a few more tips to help you make a smart purchase.

So, since the material will be laid on a wooden floor, you should remember some of its features. For example, the best option for a wooden surface would be synthetic linoleum, not natural.

This is due to the fact that polyvinyl chloride does not rot and has a special foam backing, which consists of several layers. This means that this type of linoleum has low thermal conductivity, which will allow you to retain heat in your country house, private house, apartment or Khrushchev building.

In addition, PVC flooring will provide excellent sound insulation. And then you will not need additional insulation.

We talked in detail about the features and characteristics of linoleum. Now is the time to figure out how to properly lay such material on a wooden floor.

Preparation

The better the preparation of the wooden base, the better the final result of the work. First, carefully inspect the floor. Under no circumstances should it have deep cracks, chips, mold or mildew. All boards must be whole and even. Otherwise, you will have to replace them or level them using a plane or other suitable tools.

Also be sure to check the security of each individual board. The elements should not move; the entire structure of the wooden floor must be securely fastened. An uneven or faulty old floor can cause you a lot of inconvenience when installing your flooring.

If this is necessary, it is better to prepare the surface with putty. It won’t take much time to putty well, but the result will definitely please you. By the way, if you are going to lay linoleum on a painted floor, be sure to completely remove the old paint from the boards before you begin installation.

After you are finally convinced of the reliability of the wooden floor and have prepared the surface, you should take care to ensure that the surface becomes more even. To do this, you need to place sheets of fiberboard or plywood on top of the boards.

This is necessary in order to avoid deformation of the linoleum during operation. After all, bare wooden boards tend to sag under load. While sheets of plywood or fiberboard placed on top will easily eliminate this drawback. This means that the flooring will retain its original appearance much longer.

So, surface preparation is complete. Now it's time to start preparing the linoleum. Before installing linoleum, it is best to first spread the material on the floor. This is necessary so that the linoleum straightens after storage and accepts the room temperature. Without such a procedure, you should not start laying to avoid unwanted defects.

Carefully ensure that there are no bends or creases left on the linoleum sheet.

How to put it correctly?

If you want to properly lay linoleum with your own hands, you should carefully follow all the rules of installation technology. First thing, decide on the direction of the drawing. Make sure that the joints are as inconspicuous as possible. We also recommend that you ensure that the temperature in the room during installation is stable. This way you will avoid deformation of the material.

Next, you need to decide how you will attach the material to wooden floor. There are three most common options for installing linoleum yourself: without gluing and with gluing:

• What can I use to glue it? To glue linoleum to the floor, special glue or double-sided tape is most often used. The material is secured both at the joints and over the entire surface. The last installation option is the most durable. Moreover, sometimes, in order to secure the material, some decide to nail it to the floor. In this case, it is best to attach the material to nails with decorative heads so that the coating in the house looks as neat as possible.

• Do I need to glue it? The answer to such a question can only be obtained by yourself, having carefully assessed all the conditions. If you want to lay the floor “forever” and do not intend to change the floor material in the future, then it is best to use glue when laying it. This is especially true for spacious rooms. In small rooms it is quite acceptable to lay linoleum without glue or tape. They can only be used when you still need to attach joints or make a hatch.

Secrets and subtleties

As you can see, laying linoleum is not at all difficult. The main thing is not to forget about the basic rules. Let us repeat once again that the main thing is preparation. If you do not seal the cracks, then in the future the flooring will stretch and lose its visual appeal.

It should also be remembered that without plywood or fiberboard previously laid on a wooden floor, linoleum will spread unevenly.

And if you don’t pay enough attention to preparing the boards and miss the fungus, then you shouldn’t be surprised that the base under the linoleum will rot and simply break over time. By the way, if you are going to lay thin linoleum in a rather cold room,