One of the most popular floor coveringsis linoleum. It is a material that is resistant to external influences, wear-resistant and relatively inexpensive, and easy to maintain during use. There is a large selection of linoleum in color and pattern, so it is easy to match it to any interior. It is a very elastic material, so you need to carefully prepare the surface on which it is required. The most popular is laying linoleum on plywood.
Linoleum is perfect for the living room interior- it is an inexpensive, wear-resistant and easy-to-clean material. First of all, the room should be completely cleared of furniture. Remove the old floor covering and clean the floor from dust and dirt. Using a building level, check whether the floors are even or need to be leveled. If necessary, make a screed. To improve sound and heat insulation, it is better to lay linoleum on plywood. It is considered one of the best materials if you need to level the floor.
Tools and materials
To lay it correctly, you needmandatory availability of auxiliary materials and tools. This will be the key to successful and fast work. So, in the process of laying linoleum you will definitely need:
- plywood;
- linoleum;
- plinth;
- glue;
- dowels;
- self-tapping screws;
- special film for waterproofing;
- Scotch;
- latex gloves;
- knife;
- putty knife.
Structure of household linoleum.But the most important thing is linoleum. So, if your floors are warm enough and not damp, you can buy even thin linoleum. The thicker the material, the more heat it will give to the room. But also keep in mind that very thick linoleum will be somewhat more difficult to lay on the floor. This is due to the fact that it is the thickness that makes linoleum less flexible and obedient. Pay attention to durability. On high-quality linoleum, the pattern should not wear out. This is especially important for linoleum that you plan to lay in the kitchen and hallway. The reverse side should also be moisture resistant. Return to contents</a>
Floor preparation and installation of plywood
Laying plywood under linoleum requirespreparatory work. The temperature in the room where the repair is being carried out must be maintained at about 18° for 2 days. Humidity should be 50%. Before laying, the linoleum should lie in the room so that it gets used to this climate. If you need several rolls of linoleum for laying, then when working, make sure that the pattern matches.
Technology of laying plywood on joists.Using silicone sealant, we seal all the cracks and holes in the concrete, then lay the waterproofing film. The plywood cannot be laid in one large sheet; it must be sawn into at least four pieces. This will reduce the stress that may occur when the temperature changes. Now the plywood is laid. The sheets are laid out over the entire surface in a checkerboard pattern and nailed to the concrete with dowels. You can lay the plywood in two layers, but then you need to make sure that the edges of the lower and upper layers do not meet. The second layer can be screwed to the first with self-tapping screws. We deepen the dowels and self-tapping screws into the plywood so that they do not protrude outward. We carefully putty all the seams and recesses. Before laying the linoleum, we treat the plywood with an antiseptic. If you have wooden floors, they must be thoroughly inspected and all cracks and crevices carefully sealed with putty before laying the plywood. Plywood is attached to such a surface with screws, the heads of which must be deepened and then puttied. The plywood laying is finished. Before laying the linoleum, it is covered with drying oil or another protective composition. Return to the table of contents</a>
Laying linoleum on scotch tape
It is more convenient to trim linoleum along the wall and in the cornersproduce with a metal ruler. After the preparatory work, we spread the linoleum over the entire surface of the floor at once and let it lie for about three days. Mark and cut the canvas with a margin of about 5 cm. After that, we cut it near the walls and openings, all the seams can be fixed with special glue. After complete drying, its excess is removed. At doorways, linoleum can be fixed with double-sided tape, and along the perimeter near the walls we attach skirting boards that match the color. If the size of the room does not exceed 12 m², then it is necessary to fix the material only with skirting boards. If the size of the room is larger, it is better to use double-sided tape. It is first glued along the perimeter of the room, and then in the form of a grid with a side of 50 cm over the entire surface. Then, meter by meter, as the roll unrolls, we remove the protective paper layer from the tape and, smoothing it out, glue the linoleum to the base. Return to contents</a>
Bonding linoleum
Technology of laying linoleum on glue.You can glue the material. This method of laying linoleum is the most durable, especially if the room is very large. To do this, roll it into a roll towards the center of the room and mark the border with a pencil, from which we will start gluing. Then, using a spatula, apply a special mastic or construction glue to the back of the material and to the plywood, wait for the time according to the instructions for the adhesive composition and, gradually rolling out the roll, carefully glue the sheet to the floor. You need to press the linoleum very hard to the base, smooth it out with your hands, and then with a roller. You especially need to ensure that the edges and joints are well glued. Do the same with the second half of the roll. Each sheet should be laid on the previous one with an overlap of 2 cm. Approximately 2 days after gluing, use a long metal ruler and a sharp knife to cut the joints. We clean the seams from the adhesive composition, press with a board, put a weight on top and leave until completely dry for several days. If you do everything carefully, the seams will be almost invisible. Return to the table of contents</a>
Recommendations after installation
To clean linoleum from dirt it is enoughwipe it with a damp cloth. Whichever plywood you choose, after finishing the work, you should place not too heavy loads, such as books, around the entire perimeter of the room. Let them lie like that for about a day. During this time, the material will be able to optimally adapt to the floor, which will prevent swelling in the future. In order for the linoleum covering to last as long as possible, you should wash it with a simple damp cloth. Or use special products. You cannot use active cleaning agents so that it does not fade and crack. To protect linoleum, you can use polishes and mastics. In order not to damage the covering with furniture, it is advisable to put attachments made of some soft material on its legs. Following all the recommendations, spending a minimum of money and time, you will get a smooth and beautiful floor. So, the main subtleties of laying linoleum on plywood are considered. The presented methods are equally popular today. If you do everything correctly, the process will not cause you any significant problems, no matter what installation method you choose.
