How to put linoleum on a wooden floor?

Linoleum today is considered quite a popular building material, and they use it as a floor covering not only in residential premises, but also in medical institutions, school and preschool institutions, and even at some enterprises. But very often among beginners, you can hear a question regarding the possibility of laying linoleum on a floor made of wood. Those who do not understand this at all, clearly believe that this cannot be done, relying on their own bitter experience. But this is connected only with their inability to put this material correctly. Therefore, now we will consider how to put linoleum on a wooden floor in such a way as not to replenish the ranks of those who had such a bad experience.

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What is linoleum?

Linoleum is produced, as a rule, from raw materials of natural origin, most often it is wood resin, jute fabric, limestone powder, linseed oil and cork flour. Such a flooring can be safely called universal, because it is suitable for homes and apartments, as well as for commercial structures and offices.

Important! There are also materials of artificial origin, and in terms of characteristics they even exceed all the advantages of natural ones.

It is especially popular in places with the highest traffic, but in residential premises it is laid in particular in the corridor, in the kitchen and in the living room. Actually, therefore, its popularity is obvious. In addition, it has remarkable strength properties, excellent elasticity, water resistance and wear resistance, quite simple in terms of care and styling.

And do not forget about its most important advantage - affordable cost, which allows each customer to find something of their own.

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Varieties of linoleum

Depending on the feedstock used for the manufacture of linoleum, it is divided into the following types:

• An alkyd coating that contains mineral fillers, alkyd resins and pigments. Such linoleum is produced on natural and synthetic substrates. It can be monochrome, with a pattern and multicolor. It has the highest level of heat and sound insulation, as well as abrasion resistance.

Important! Its only minus lies in the tendency to breaks and fragility.

• Polyvinyl chloride coating. It is made of polymer material. It can have a fabric basis, foamed and even heat insulating.
• Rubber linoleum. This type of material has a thickness of 3 mm, and its lower layer is made from a mixture of bitumen and crushed recycled rubber. Above it is usually colored. It features high elasticity and water resistance.

Important! Use it mainly in industrial and industrial premises.

• Colloxyl coating, which is made from nitrocellulose. This type of material is elastic, moisture resistant and has a beautiful sheen.

Important! The drawing, which is applied to linoleum, according to production technology, is covered with a special protective layer on top.

Its thickness and density determine the level of wear resistance of the material. Accordingly - the thicker this layer, the more expensive linoleum will cost.According to this criterion, it is divided into the following types:

• Domestic. This type of material has good wear resistance, therefore it is actively used in residential premises.
• Commercial. Such linoleum has the highest rate of wear resistance, in this regard, it is used in rooms with high traffic.
• Semi-commercial. It is also often placed in places with a high percentage of traffic, more often it is offices, but it is also suitable, for example, for an entrance hall or a children's room in a residential building.

As you can see, there is a large selection of this material, therefore, before studying the information on how to properly put linoleum on a wooden floor, decide on the most suitable option. The application of the coating proposed above in accordance with its classification, of course, is exclusively recommendatory in nature, but, nevertheless, remember that the choice of floor decor in accordance with its main purpose is the key to its successful and long-term operation.

Important! Experts recommends still buying linoleum with the highest rates of heat and sound insulation to cover a wooden floor.

If you have already decided on this, you can start laying!

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Preparation of a wooden surface for laying linoleum

Before laying linoleum on a wooden floor, you should first check how smooth it is, since in this process it is of great importance.

Important! If you do not comply with this condition and put the material on an uneven floor, then all defects will be seen through it, which will certainly lead to deformation of the coating. That is, the better you prepare the floor for work, the more beautiful and neat linoleum will look and will last longer.

Here are the following recommendations:

• After some time, the wooden floor is damaged and deformed, therefore, people who are familiar with the construction business, it is advised to lay sheets of chipboard or fiberboard under linoleum.
• If the floor is perfectly preserved, then buy plates with a thickness of 5-8 mm, but if there are differences, then at least 1.5 cm.

The base is prepared in the following sequence:

1. Remove old paint with a spatula. You can use a building hair dryer to heat the floor so that the paint leaves better.
2. Nail the boards that creak.
3. Use an electric planer or parquet grinder to level the surface.
4. Vacuum the old floor, wash and dry it thoroughly. In the case of plywood, buy another special adhesive for parquet. Plywood sheets must be laid with an offset of one and a half sheets.
5. Glue the plywood sheets to the floor with nails.
6. Putty all the gaps with mastic, and grind the joints.
7. Warm the dried plywood sheets with warm linseed oil.

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Preparing linoleum for the laying process

Before laying linoleum on an uneven wooden floor, the decorative coating itself should also be prepared. It’s better if the material settles for a couple of days, settles down and takes off. Moreover, this should happen only at room temperature, so that it is absolutely even, without folds and bends.

Important! If you suddenly notice something like this, try to eliminate the error with the help of books or boards with which you can pin it down. Did the crease or the hall still remain? Then you will have to replace this piece of linoleum, otherwise - during operation you will have trouble.

It is also very important that the humidity level from 40 to 60% is maintained in the room where the material will be stored.

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Calculation of the required amount of material

And now you need to calculate how much material you need:

1. First, measure the width and length of the room, be sure to consider all the protrusions under the door, windows and wall cabinets.
2. Add 10 cm to the resulting numbers.
3. If you bought linoleum with a pattern, then be sure to consider the stock.

Important! Before laying, decide in which direction you will lay the coating. So, monophonic or marble flooring is better to lay along the line of light.

Do not forget that when laying on a wooden floor, joints should be made in the middle of the boards. Thanks to these simple tips, you will successfully hide the seams.

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Laying linoleum on wooden floors

Prepare all the necessary tools, namely:

• honed knife;
• rulers;
• wooden spatula;
• glue;
• gear steel spatula;
• double-sided adhesive tape.

Now let's take a look at how to put linoleum on a wooden floor:

• Spread linoleum over the entire surface.
• On skirting boards, leave reserves of 5-10 cm.
• Use your hands to smooth the material from the center to the walls.
• In the corners, make small cuts in the linoleum.
• If you will lay it without the use of glue, then cut off the excess with a knife along the baseboard. If you use double-sided tape, then it should be glued around the entire perimeter of the room, but you do not need to remove the protective tape.

Important! Only after you unfold the roll, it will be possible to bend one half to the other and remove the protective paper.

• Spread and smooth it again with your hands.
• If you plan to lay linoleum on glue, then first bend one half of the roll and apply glue to the base, and then distribute it with a roller and leave for 20 minutes. Then fold the folded part and smooth it with your hands. The same thing needs to be done with the second half.
• Excess pieces need to be cut off and the edges hidden under the baseboard.
• In the area of ​​doorways, install slats-thresholds to hide the ends of linoleum.

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Stock footage

Having studied all the subtleties of choice and the rules for laying linoleum on wooden floors, you will undoubtedly cope with the task yourself, without using the expensive services of specialists. So feel free to get to work!