How to lay linoleum on a wooden floor: which linoleum to choose and how to lay it correctly on a wooden base

Linoleum is a universal coating that can be laid in a variety of places and conditions, as well as on various types of substrates. It is often used to cover wooden floors made of boards or lined with plywood. Linoleum perfectly protects the surface from excess moisture, and at the same time it looks very nice, because the material can have any color, and choosing the color you like is not difficult. And it’s not at all difficult to lay it yourself. Today we’ll talk about how to lay linoleum on a wooden floor.

How to lay linoleum on a wooden floor

Laying linoleum

Features of a wooden floor

Before we talk about the linoleum flooring itself, it is worth noting several specific features of a wooden floor. This will help you understand why this type of finish and this type of base are absolutely compatible.

Wooden floor

The floor, made of wood, has a multi-layer structure. It consists of joists on which wooden floorboards are laid. In the space remaining under the boards, various communications can be located, as well as layers of insulation and waterproofing. Thus, the floorboards are protected from moisture coming from below. On top, a layer of linoleum, which is not afraid of water, will help protect them from it. In general, of course, the wooden floor itself is breathable, it has good vapor permeability, but still excess moisture is harmful to it.

Options for plank flooring in a private house

Not only the owners of newly built country houses, but also the owners of city apartments of old housing stock are puzzled by the problem of laying linoleum on the floor.

But linoleum can also have a negative impact on a wooden floor. If ventilation is not provided under the floorboards, then moisture willy-nilly will accumulate in the area where the joists are located, because linoleum will not allow it to escape outside and will disrupt the microclimate created under the floor.

However, the linoleum-wood floor combination is one of the best finishing options. Very often, it is this type of finishing coating that allows you to restore the former beauty of the base again. It's simple - boards lose their appearance over time; if they are painted, they constantly need to update the paintwork, which peels off. And thanks to linoleum, you can get a beautiful appearance of the floor quite quickly. At the same time, the coating is durable and will not require updating for many years, unlike the same paint.

The paint on the floor needs to be renewed periodically

On a note! Wooden flooring is considered environmentally friendly; it is optimally suited for installation in apartments where people who take responsibility for their health live. And linoleum, although it is a synthetic material, will never be a source of harmful substances. Therefore, these two materials - wood and linoleum - may well be neighbors.

Wooden floor in the apartment

Floor condition assessment

When starting renovations in a room, we evaluate the condition of the floor and the possibility of using linoleum for finishing. Pay attention to the following points:

• the presence of cracks between the boards and their size;
• the presence of moisture or signs of wood rot;
• manifestation of dry rot, indicated by whitish spots;
• traces of damage by wood-boring beetles, with small holes and winding paths visible.

All these phenomena require correction. Rotten and damp boards are removed, replaced with new elements, the wood is treated against insects with a special agent to kill larvae, large cracks are sealed with putty or filled with liquid silicone.

Floor in need of repair

What kind of linoleum is used on wooden floors?

Any type of linoleum is distinguished from other materials used for finishing by the following positive characteristics. This type of coating is quite durable, has a long service life, is easy to maintain, is not afraid of water, and has a reasonable price with a wide variety of colors and textures. And there are quite a lot of types of linoleum, among them it is easy to choose the type of coating that will be optimal in terms of price and quality.

Linoleum on wood floor

Table. Main types of linoleum.

Glyphtay (alkyd) linoleums

Examples of rubber linoleums (Relin)

Laying linoleum on a wooden floor

Note! There is also thinner PVC linoleum on sale, up to 3 mm thick. Usually in this case the bottom layer is represented by felt. It also has a fiberglass layer covered with PVC film. If linoleum is fabric-based , it does not have a fiberglass layer. The material is not afraid of abrasion and is quite resistant to various factors. Baseless linoleum is the thinnest. It does not have any backing and is usually installed where the floor surface will experience maximum moisture exposure.

Examples of natural linoleum

Of course, linoleum made from PVC is most often used. Compared to other types, it has a relatively low cost, but at the same time has high quality indicators.

Different types of polyvinyl chloride linoleum (PVC)

Any type of linoleum can be laid on wooden floors. But it is still recommended to take material with sufficient thickness. If you look at the classification of linoleum, then for use at home it is recommended to purchase a semi-commercial version.

On a note! There are also household linoleum, characterized by the smallest thickness, and commercial , which is the thickest and hardest type of coating, ready to experience maximum loads.

The structure of household polyvinyl chloride linoleum (PVC): a) multilayer; b) single layer

When choosing a material, it is important to take into account the operating conditions. For example, in high-traffic areas in residential buildings, only a semi-commercial option is installed - the household option will quickly lose its appearance. But in the bedroom or nursery, the first one can be the best solution, especially if you want to save money. In any case, it is not recommended to buy a coating less than 3 mm thick.

Commercial linoleum

Classes of application of linoleum

Table of main criteria for choosing linoleum

Main stages of finishing work

Preparing the base

The first step is to test the wooden floor for defects, rotten or rotten boards, etc.

The correct technological scheme provides for a flat floor, the absence of sudden changes in level, as well as adaptation of the boards to further operating conditions.

If installation is done without additional laying of intermediate material, it is necessary to carefully prepare the rough base. To do this, it is advisable to remove the old paint and check the condition of the boards. If necessary, defective ones are replaced.

It is necessary to remove paint from the base and check the condition of the places where the boards are attached. If the fasteners do not hold them in place tightly enough, they must be additionally secured to the joists. Most often, nails are used for this. Thus, the work on preparing the foundation can be reduced to the following:

• Deepen all the nails with which the floor is attached to the beams by 6-7 mm using a hammer. In places where the boards squeak or move, nail them to the joists with additional nails;
• Remove all irregularities (slabs) using a hand plane or an electric sanding machine;
• Finally clean or lay down plywood (7 to 12 mm thick).

If the material will spread on an old wooden base, it is best to completely wash it, dry it and vacuum it.

Advice

It will be much easier to remove the paint with a spatula if the surface is first heated to the desired temperature.

As for boards that have become unusable, they are replaced with new ones. Gaps and cracks are usually sealed using putties and mastics specially designed for these purposes. They resort to uniting the sexes much less often.

Linoleum can be laid on a completely flat base. The extent to which the surface obtained after repair meets these requirements is checked using a level. Detected irregularities are eliminated using a plane or by sanding.

True, it is impossible to achieve the required result in this way if there are significant potholes in the wooden covering.

Leveling the base in such cases is carried out by laying sheets of plywood, chipboard or moisture-resistant fiberboard under linoleum on a wooden floor, 7–12 mm thick. But at the same time, differences in the rough surface should not exceed 8-12 m per 1 m². Otherwise, a “spring” effect will appear while walking.

For their fastening, adhesives and self-tapping screws are used. For gluing, compounds that are used when laying parquet or PVC glue with a special filler that increases viscosity, for example, building gypsum, are suitable.

On a note

The elements of the leveling coating should be laid staggered and offset, which helps to evenly distribute the load over the entire floor surface.

Self-tapping screws are recessed into the body of the leveling layer, protecting the finishing coating from damage by the heads of the fasteners. Joint seams and places where sheets are attached should be puttied, after which these areas should be sanded.

How to prepare material for installation

A laying diagram is drawn up in advance to calculate the required amount of decorative material. Not only the length of the room is taken into account, but also the width of the roll. You should try to use a monolithic piece without joints. The correct technology for laying linoleum on a wooden floor is to spread the roll. After this, it must remain indoors for about 24 hours to take shape.

Not only the base needs preparation, but also the finishing material itself.

Linoleum must be rolled out on the floor and left for several days. He must adapt to the conditions of the given room and “rest.”

If the rolled out roll does not fit tightly enough to the floor in certain places, it should be pressed down by placing heavy objects on these areas: books, boards, etc.

Attention

If strong kinks or large dents/bulges are found on the surface of the material, then it should be discarded and replaced in the store, since no effort or tricks during installation will help to obtain an even plane of the finished floor.

If your choice fell on laminate flooring, then read how to lay laminate on a wooden floor here.

A prerequisite is that the work must take place in a room in which the air temperature is at least 16 ° C and the humidity is about 40%.

Uncover

Is it possible to lay linoleum on a wooden floor not in one piece, but in component parts? To do this you will need to make a pattern. Cut lines are drawn on the inner surface of the material according to a previously drawn up diagram. Then they check the dimensions again and make the cuts. It is best to use a special sharp knife with a thin blade for this. Regardless of what was laid on the wooden floor under the linoleum, you must first spread the blanks and wait until they take on their final shape.

Skirting boards must first be dismantled. Having spread the canvas overlapping the walls, the contours of all protruding elements, for example, heating pipes, are outlined on it, after which these areas are cut out.

Trimming around the perimeter is carried out with a margin. Excess material will later be covered with baseboards.

Laying technology

There are several options for installing such a coating.

• Laying without gluing is the simplest, although ineffective, technology. It is carried out in two stages:

1. linoleum rolled out on the floor is left in this form for a couple of days;
2. after straightening, press it along the perimeter using plinths.

The risk of resulting in an insufficiently even coating is quite high, so this method is not suitable for rooms with an area larger than 12 square meters. m.

• Gluing with special tape . Using double-sided tape is an excellent opportunity to extend the life of the coating, as it prevents the canvas from wearing out prematurely. As for reliability, it is largely determined by the quality of the tape used.
• Installation with adhesive composition . Despite its relative labor intensity, this method is the most popular and is considered the most reliable option. The underlay will help eliminate small defects in the wooden floor that require mandatory leveling.

Anticipating the question of what to put under linoleum, we note that the best option is a cork backing. It not only improves the quality and reliability of fastening, but at the same time serves as additional insulation for wooden floors.

Let us highlight the main stages of installation:

• the wooden base is covered with an adhesive composition and evenly distributed over the entire surface - a notched trowel is recommended for this work;

On a note

Carefully read the instructions for the composition - as a rule, it indicates the time that you need to wait before proceeding directly to gluing.

• the cork backing is rolled out on the plank floor. Particular attention should be paid to the corners where it is pressed especially carefully;
• the adhesive composition is then applied to the substrate and also leveled with a spatula;
• linoleum is spreading.

Methods for laying linoleum

Linoleum on a wooden base - just like on another type of base - can be laid in several ways. In general, they are divided into adhesive and non-adhesive. In the first case, the material is simply rolled out on the base and fixed around the perimeter of the room with plinths. But this option is only suitable for small rooms with low traffic, otherwise the material can easily move and waves will appear on its surface.

Linoleum rolls out on the floor surface

The adhesive method can be divided into two subtypes - using glue or using double-sided tape. In both cases, the fixation will be quite reliable, but still, for rooms where the floors are under significant load, only the option using an adhesive composition will be optimal.

On a note! Typically, linoleum is laid with glue only in rooms with an area of ​​more than 20 m2.

Laying linoleum with glue

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
Fastening 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 the front side of the linoleum.

Rules for laying linoleum on a wooden floor

In order to properly lay linoleum on a wooden floor, it is recommended to follow several rules:

• It is recommended to lay the material so that it lies along the direction of the boards;
• when joining individual sections of the covering, you need to ensure that the joint is in the middle of one of the floor boards;
• the temperature in the room while laying linoleum should not exceed 20 degrees. But it shouldn’t be too cool here either;
• material with a marble pattern should run perpendicular to the window, then the joints will be less noticeable. In general, linoleum must be laid taking into account the direction of incidence of light rays;
• if the coating will stick to the base and there will be joints on it, then it is important not to forget to leave an overlap of about 8-10 cm. Only in this case will it be possible to beautifully and neatly connect two pieces of material.

Linoleum pieces should be laid with overlap

Positive qualities of the material

Linoleum has always been popular as a finishing coating for floors of any type. This is a consequence of its many advantages over other materials. The positive qualities of linoleum can safely include its following properties: wear resistance and elasticity, water resistance and strength, a variety of shades and patterns, simplicity and speed of installation, which can be done independently, without calling or paying specialists, and, of course, an affordable price, which for many it is a decisive factor in their choice.

Required tools and materials

To lay linoleum on wood floors, you will need to purchase not only the coating itself, but also certain tools and materials. This could be a tape measure and other measuring materials, a knife for cutting the coating, a notched trowel (if using the adhesive fixation method), a roller for rolling the surface, putty for sealing the seams between the boards.

VX75 - knife for cutting linoleum

To implement the adhesive fixation method, you will need to purchase special glue or double-sided tape. For additional leveling of the floor, plywood, as well as nails or screws, can be useful. If installation involves joining individual strips of linoleum, then you need to buy cold welding to connect them inconspicuously.

Cold welding for linoleum

Linoleum seam welding technology

Calculator for calculating the area of ​​a quadrangular room

Go to calculations

To glue or not to glue?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. Some argue that gluing is mandatory (especially sellers in hardware stores who need to sell more). Others believe that gluing can be done without, especially if purchasing glue is beyond the budget. How to proceed?

In fact, you only need to glue the flooring in rooms whose area exceeds 15 m². Gluing ensures reliable fixation of the material. In the kitchen, hallway, balcony/loggia and other small rooms you can do without glue.

To glue linoleum to felt, use dispersed adhesive. For a foamed base, the dispersion is also suitable, but the optimal solution would be an adhesive based on resin and rubber. A cheaper and easier way of gluing is using double-sided tape. But such fixation will be less reliable.

If you are using glue, apply it to the floor surface with a notched trowel. The width of such a tool according to standards is 18 cm, and the length of the teeth is 2 mm. In rare cases, a roller is used for some types of glue. Here is a simple scheme for gluing the floor covering:

• spread linoleum over the entire surface,
• bend one edge
• Apply glue to the base of the floor with a spatula,
• spread the linoleum back and carefully smooth and press it,
• bend the opposite edge and repeat the procedure.

The hardening time of the glue depends on the temperature and humidity in the room.

How to prepare a rough foundation

The base must be level, strong and reliable. Preparing the subfloor includes testing it for strength. It is important to inspect all the boards, walk around them and understand whether they need to be replaced or maybe it’s time to change the joists as well. Floors should not sag or creak, and there should be no mold or mildew on them.

Advice! Even if the boards look quite reliable, it is recommended to additionally screw them to the joists with self-tapping screws. Then they will be fixed as securely as possible.

Old wooden floor

Old paint, if any, must be removed before laying linoleum. It can be heated with a hair dryer and then scraped off with a spatula. It is also recommended to remove absolutely any old flooring so that it does not spoil the work done.

Leveling the floor is also an important task. It is recommended to cut down all the bumps (or plan them with a plane), but if the floors are completely uneven, then it is best to cover them with sheets of plywood or OSB. This will make the base as level as possible. Leveling the floor also includes puttingtying all the cracks and gaps between the floorboards. Copes well with the task of correcting the base of the scraper.

Before installing OSB or plywood, baseboards, nails, etc. are first removed.

Wood floor scraping

The floor should also be thoroughly cleaned of debris. There should be no dust or sand on the surface. If there is a need for wet cleaning, then it is carried out, but the floors must dry thoroughly before laying linoleum, otherwise mold may appear under the already laid covering.

Advice! If the linoleum will be laid using glue, it is recommended to pre-prime the base. PVA glue can be used as a primer.

Preparation of linoleum

The linoleum itself also needs preparation before final fixing to a wooden base. To begin with, the newly arrived rolls are placed in the room where the material will be laid. They must lie down for a while to get used to the microclimate of the room. This procedure is especially important if the coating was transported in winter. The room temperature should be at least 16 degrees, and the humidity should be between 40-65%.

After this, the rolls need to be unrolled and the linoleum left to lie in this position for a few more days. The procedure will allow the material to straighten and stretch a little. Sometimes it is even recommended to press it down with something heavy so that it quickly takes the desired shape.

On a note! If strong kinks or breaks are visible on the unfolded linoleum, it is recommended to return the coating to the store where it was purchased and exchange it for a whole one. If it is not possible to return it, then you can try to heat the fractured area with a hairdryer and straighten it out. But the procedure is not always effective.

Severe kinks in linoleum cannot always be eliminated with your own hands.

The next stage of preparation is correct cutting. The material must be cut according to the geometry of the room. A small reserve of material (about 10 cm) is usually left along the edges, which is removed immediately before attaching it to the base. The necessary cuts are immediately made in the places where pipes and other elements pass. The main thing is not to cut off the section completely, but to make a hole of exactly the same diameter so that the linoleum fits tightly to the pipe. The cut, without which it is impossible to put the coating on the pipe, must be located behind it and, upon completion of the work, is carefully sealed with cold welding.

Important! You need to cut out linoleum very carefully and carefully, since it’s simply not possible to correct mistakes made.

It is easy to determine that linoleum is ready for fixation - there will be no folds or irregularities on the coating.

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 of surface, 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).

Laying linoleum on a wooden base

Step 1. The wooden base is prepared in the traditional way - tested for strength, cleaned of debris, and dried if necessary. If puttying the joints between the boards is not an adequate leveling measure, then the base is covered with plywood or OSB sheets. The thickness of these materials should not be less than 7 mm. A building level will help determine the evenness of the floor.

The evenness of the floor is checked using a building level

Step 2. The sheet leveling material is fixed using self-tapping screws or nails. They are simply screwed to the boards in increments of 20-30 cm.

Self-tapping screws are used to fix sheet material

Step 3. Linoleum is brought into the room, where it stands for several hours and acclimatizes.

Roll of linoleum indoors

Step 4. After this, the coating is rolled out on a wooden base.

The roll is unrolling

Step 5. The material is cut in accordance with the geometry of the room. Trimming is carried out with a special knife for linoleum. After this, the coating is cured for several days.

Cutting linoleum

Cutting linoleum

Step 6. Next, the linoleum is adjusted to the exact dimensions of the room. The stock of material that is currently preventing the linoleum from being laid flat is being cut off.

Linoleum is cut along the walls

Step 7. The final stage of the glueless method is the installation of skirting boards around the perimeter of the room and thresholds at the entrance. This way the linoleum will be fixed to the base.

Laying skirting boards on linoleum

Prices for Tarkett linoleum

linoleum tarkett

Types of linoleum by structure

There are multi-layer and homogeneous linoleum on sale. Products from the first category belong to a variety of heterogeneous materials, from the second - to a homogeneous type.

Heterogeneous coating most often consists of 6 layers. This:

• Protective top layer.
• Decorative layer with a pattern.
• The basis.
• Fiberglass.
• Bottom layer.
• Substrate.

The base of linoleum can be either foamed or natural. For example, from jute or felt. Depending on the materials, the total thickness of heterogeneous linoleum can reach 6 mm.

Homogeneous linoleum is a homogeneous thin layer of polymer or natural materials. The average thickness is 1.3-1.6 mm. This coating is divided into subtypes depending on the absence or presence of a base. If there is a backing, most often it is made of fiberglass or polyurethane.

The main differences between heterogeneous and homogeneous coatings:

• A homogeneous coating has much higher resistance to mechanical damage.
• On a homogeneous material, the pattern runs across the entire thickness of the linoleum, while on a heterogeneous material it is presented only on the decorative layer.
• Homogeneous coating is more resistant to fire because it contains stone chips and quartz sand.
• Homogeneous material will last 20-25 years, heterogeneous - on average 10-12 years.
• Heterogeneous products have much greater variation in seam width.
• The homogeneous coating can be laid overlapping on the wall. This method is strictly not recommended with heterogeneous materials.

Advice! Single-layer linoleum can be cut and laid like a mosaic. Combinations of different textures and shades look interesting.