Linoleum is the most popular flooring for several decades. It was actively used in the days of the USSR, and today, many owners prefer with modern materials an old-kind linoleum. The reasons for such folk recognition of the mass is inexpensive, protects well from the cold, not afraid of water, durable and easy to install. However, that the coating corresponds to all requirements that make it necessary, it is necessary to properly put it on the floor. In this article we will talk about how to lay linoleum on concrete floor in a house or apartment.

Preparatory work

Before you go to the store for linoleum, it should be understood in its varieties. There is a commercial, semi-commercial and household linoleum. The species is determined by the material thickness, the presence of the substrate and operational characteristics. For example, the commercial linoleum is thin and does not have a warm substrate, so if you sit it in the apartment, then the floor will be cold. Household is equipped with a substrate, therefore it costs more commercial.

First of all, it is necessary to calculate how many linoleum and glue will need for him. To do this, you need to find the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and add 10 cm from all sides to the resulting digit. Removal of measurements depends on the technology of installation of linoleum to the concrete floor. If you bend coverage on the wall, you will need to leave a small supply. For laying without bend, you can not take into account, but still it is recommended to buy a little more material just in case.

Special attention, when measuring, devoted to openings under the windows, protrusions and niches - all geometric features and layout of the room should be taken into account. If you choose a linoleum with a pattern, then it will have to buy more of the quantity to dock the image beautifully. In this case, it is better to buy rolls from one party (if we are talking about repairing in a large room), because in different batches, the shade can be slightly different, which will be very noticeable after laying.

Substrate floor linoleum

Is it possible to put a linoleum right on the concrete floor? Technically, it is possible, but it is better not to do this, especially in the residential room. Any concrete surface has irregularities and needs preliminary preparation. But even if you applied an aligning screed and got a perfectly smooth floor, it will remain hard and cold. The barefoot will go on it will not be very nice. Fix this drawback will be able to substrate.

Let you bought a household linoleum of the biggest thickness, it is still recommended to lay on a special substrate. It is believed that without it, the coating perfectly copes with its destination, but the substrate significantly enhances all the positive qualities of linoleum. It is an insulating lining material, which is located between the concrete floor and linoleum.

Purpose Substrate:

1. Ensuring additional heat insulation.
2. Sound insulation (if there is a small child in the house, which loves to fuse with legs, or the noisy neighbors live in the apartment below, the usual substrate will absorb most of the noise).
3. The substrate makes linoleum softer, gives depreciation when walking, thereby reducing the load on the foot.
4. It prolongs the life of the linoleum.
5. Hides defects and small irregularities of the coating.

They make a substrate from various materials, but the highest quality are those made from natural components - plants, wool, wood. There is a synthetic foamed substrate, but over time it is pushing and stops protecting from cold and noise.

Types of natural substrates:

1. Jute - fibrous material of vegetable origin, which has anti-view properties. The peculiarity is that the substrate takes moisture from the back of the linoleum, while not wet.
   
2. Linen - provides high-quality venting space between concrete floor and linoleum.
   
3. Cork - material made from pressed crumbs of wood bark. It has excellent heat and sound insulation indicators. It is considered one of the most optimal types of substrates, but also the most expensive. The only drawback is that under the weight of the furniture it begins, so on the legs of cabinets, beds and tables it is recommended to attach rubber lining.
   
4. The combined version - as part of such a substrate in equal proportions is also linen, and jute fibers, and natural wool. It is very warm, has high wear resistance and rigidity.

Paul preparation

The appearance and long-term linoleum service depends not only on its quality, but also on how carefully the basis was prepared. Laying linoleum on concrete floor takes a little time, but only if you deal with perfectly even reason that, you see, a rarity. For a worn or uneven concrete floor, it is necessary to use cement screeds or self-leveling mixtures. If only small cracks or chips are seen on the surface, they can be spacked with putty.

How to align a concrete floor before laying linoleum:

1. Fully dismantle the former flooring. This stage can take away a lot of time and strength, especially in the case of a parquet or laminate. As a result, you should remain "naked" concrete overlap without dust and dirt.
2. Evaluate the condition of the concrete surface. If there are many defects (chip, cracks, tubercles, etc.), and this amount is 20% and more from the total area, the floor must be aligned. In other cases, it is possible to use the putty or sow the tuberculk with a grinding machine. In addition to putty, an epoxy resin is used to equalize the surface or a cement solution with oil. Spaklyka, as you understand, is not suitable any. Since the floor must always withstand intense load, then the "mask" must have appropriate characteristics for it. More information on this topic can be found in the article "Repair of concrete sex with your own hands".
3. If there are strong differences in height and many defects, you will have to make a screed. There are three types of screed: wet, dry and semi-dry. In the first case, you need to mark the walls on the walls to designate the level to which you plan to lift the floor. Then, on a concrete slab, the overlapping should be laid waterproofing (polyethylene film, rubberoid), after which it is possible to put the beacon and pour the cement-sand mix between them. The technology of semi-drying looks like the same, in one exception - the mixture for the floor is more crumbling. This allows the surface to dry faster, not cracking and be more rigid. Dry screed has recently become the most popular floor alignment method. It is quickly, easily, inexpensively and in the literal sense is clean. To learn more about the features of the creation of a dry band screed you can in the article. "How to make a dry tie of the floor".
4. After alignment of the floor, it should be covered with finishing primer to kill dust.

Laying linoleuma

So, the base is aligned, all materials are purchased, and we already see how the linoleum is on the concrete floor. But, as we have already figured out before installing linoleum, you need to put the substrate. Depending on the type of substrate, it is necessary to lay it in different ways. So, the cork must first decompose on the floor and give "acclimatize" in the room during the day. Some instead of the substrate prefer to lay the concrete base with sheets of moisture-resistant plywood or chipboard, and the linoleum is already mounted on them. This option will also provide heat insulation, but the surface will be quite solid.

Before laying any substrate, the floor should be caulated with waterproofing. In this role, a regular polyethylene film with a thickness of 200 microns or the cheapest rubberoid can be. Waterproofing is recommended for laying in all cases, especially if you live on the first floor. Simply spread the material across the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe floor stripes on each other by 15 cm and on the walls - by 10 cm. The joints fasten a wide scotch tape 10 cm. After completing the laying of the linoleum and before installing the plinths, do not forget to crop the excess waterproofing on the walls.

Useful advice: Before laying linoleum, expand it and leave it in a room in which you make repair, at least two days. During this time, he will straighten, and it will be easier to work with it. By the way, the room temperature should be no lower than 19.

If simply disseminate the linoleum on the floor, it will constantly move, folds and other unpleasant phenomena are formed. To prevent this, linoleum is glued to the base with special glue, bitumen mastic or mounting ribbon. In the first case, it would seem, everything should be perfect, because glue was created specifically for such a job. Yes, similar compositions provide reliable fastening, but they do not differ in good insulating characteristics.

Bituminous mastic, unlike special glue, it is much cheaper, provides additional high-quality waterproofing and even lines the surface. If you plan to lay the linoleum directly onto a concrete without a substrate and use mastic, then the surface must first be covered with adhesive primer deep penetration. Article "How to make a primer with your own hands" It will help you to save on this moment.

The mounting tape is a very short-lived method of fixation, but allows you to quickly and easily attach linoleum to the floor. Especially well she copes with joints. When choosing a method of fixation, take into account the durability of the future coverage. If you need to make a temporary repair, it is better to glue the linoleum on the mounting tape. If you "put" it on mastic, to tear the material then it will be quite problematic.

Useful advice: To correctly glue the linoleum before laying in a spacious room, fold the canvas in half so that the front side is inside. First apply the adhesive composition on one half, attach to the floor, and then repeat everything with the second part. In the process of unloving linoleum, use a wide roller with a short rigid pile.

We put the linoleum on the concrete floor:

1. In most cases, linoleum is placed on the floor, gradually unfolding the roll (front side inside). Start work from the wall opposite to the inlet or in the course of the pattern, the pushing roll in the direction of itself.
2. Before you deploy another "ring", thoroughly wipe the back surface of the linoleum layer of mastic. For better clutch, apply it to a dedusted, projected floor.
3. In places adjacent to the wall, the linoleum does not need to miss.
   
4. When glue all the cloth, thoroughly smooth the surface with the roller and jump out of it all air bubbles from under it. At this stage, Linoleum laying is very similar to the blending of the wallpaper.
5. If you are working in a spacious room, where there is no possibility to put a linoleum in one piece, you need to be able to correctly stick the panels. To do this, in the process of sticking, they need to have a 10-12 cm flashes and not to miss these places with mastic, retreating from the edge of each part of 20 cm.
6. After 2-3 days after gluing a linoleum, you can proceed to the design of the joints. To get a smooth and beautiful seam, use a cutter or a stationery knife and a wide metal line. Hurry up the line at the place of the edge joint, cut and remove the trimming. Only after this edge can be glued to the floor and put the roller. So that the seams are well stuck along the entire length, they are recommended to deliver the goods. Suitable anything - jars with water, sandbags, etc.
   

Despite all the above requirements, laying linoleum on the floor is very simple - it is only necessary to choose the correct materials and prepare the surface. In the end, this is one of the reasons for its popularity. In fact, everything turns out to be even easier, and the routine work turns into a pleasant pastime.