Is it possible to lay linoleum on linoleum: how to put, lay, do it yourself, how to lay

Manufacturers of floor coverings offer a wide range of products that are used for floors in residential and industrial premises. At the same time, linoleum, which has been manufactured for many decades, does not lose popularity due to its reliability and durability. The use of modern polymers in the protective layer and the foam base made of polyesters makes it possible to use this material not only in domestic but also in commercial premises.

Is it possible to put linoleum on linoleum

The possibility of laying a new coating on an old one has been a matter of dispute from the moment this material appeared in production. There are two opposing opinions, each of them has a right to exist. When carrying out repairs in an apartment or other premises, the question: “is it possible to lay a new layer on top of the old?”, Makes you weigh all the pros and cons before you start work. After that, everyone determines their own method with which to lay a new coating.

Laying a new linoleum on the old one is possible subject to the following conditions:

the bottom layer must be firmly fixed to the base of the floor and not have offsets or swollen spots;
the old coating cannot have cracks or wear, characterized by a change in thickness, because this will affect the topography of the top layer;
the old coating should be laid on an even screed, and linoleum laid on the relief of concrete slabs, as was often done in Soviet times, is dismantled;
the life of the bottom layer should not exceed its real age, because it will collapse under a new coating, and this will affect the quality of the floor;
the first layer cannot have fungus or mold, since the coating will lead to the creation of a favorable atmosphere for its growth.

ATTENTION. The presence of minor damage to the old surface is repaired before laying the second layer. It is important that the difference in relief over the entire surface does not exceed 1.5 mm!

The advantages of such a solution

First of all, laying a new coating on top of the old one will save a lot of time and effort, since you will not have to dismantle the first layer and prepare the surface for laying linoleum. Of course, you will not have to spend money on these works, and you will also be able to avoid the repair accumulation of dust and dirt inherent in construction. Using the first layer as a base layer will increase the sound and heat insulation of the room, and make the floor softer, which is important for living rooms.

Disadvantages of the solution

When laying one layer on top of another, there are risks of the following problems:

with inattentive inspection of the old linoleum, the mold will spread on the newly laid coating;
the formation of creases and waves, especially with insufficient evenness of the lower layer;
the use of heavy furniture will leave a mark on the soft coating of the second layer;
the complexity of repairing defects that appeared during operation.

How to lay linoleum on linoleum

Before laying linoleum on linoleum, you need to understand that the coating used is:

homogeneous - using one layer;
heterogeneous, which includes from 2 layers of various constituent materials.

The last type of linoleum is often laid on a concrete base, since numerous layers are a quality substrate for laying the coating. A homogeneous material will be relevant to apply when laying a second layer on top of the existing one, which will become a good lining surface when laying the top coating.

REFERENCE. Homogeneous linoleum has a high level of wear, low cost, but a small assortment of pattern choice.

Laying a new layer on the first one does not fundamentally differ from the usual installation of linoleum. It is important to clean and dry the surface so that the dirt of the old coating does not make itself felt, emitting an unpleasant odor.

How to lay linoleum on linoleum with your own hands

Beforehow to put it yourself a new coating on top of the old one, free the room from furniture for uniform distribution of linoleum throughout the area. The laying procedure remains the same as on the concrete base.

How to stick

To fix the top layer to the first, there are several methods:

using double-sided tape, they only take into account that waves can appear when the temperature changes;
using ordinary glue for PVA-based linoleum, it is rolled out or smeared with a brush, but you need to remember the complexity of dismantling the glued layer;
using fixing compositions, which first cover the surface, allow to dry, and then lay and press. Such mixtures will not allow the new coating to move, but when dismantled, they can be easily removed.

Features of the work - stages

When laying linoleum, it is important to carefully consider all the nuances of installation and observe the following order:

Measure the room, adding 5-10 cm on each side, order the required patterns of linoleum. The increased size is taken to cover possible defects in the building: uneven corners, differences between visible identical walls.
Clean and wash the old coating, then allow to dry completely. Then check for irregularities using the rule with a water level. This tool should show in all angles and planes the level corresponds to the horizon, if not, then such a defect needs to be corrected. Alignment is carried out using substrates of various thicknesses.
When examining and leveling, they pay attention to the presence of cracks and holes in the old coating, which are being repaired. If necessary, some areas are poured with a screed, especially if the base is destroyed under the old layer. Small pieces of mold are removed, the area around it is cleaned and the entire surface is leveled using the rule.

ATTENTION. The presence of fungi on the old coating, which are visible in a small amount on the surface, and when removed, their presence under the entire first layer is determined, requires the complete dismantling of the old linoleum.

After completing the preparatory work, spread a new layer, cut all sides so that they do not touch the walls. Waves are straightened and allowed to lie down for several days in order for the coating to get the desired shape in the horizontal plane.

IMPORTANT. Throughout the entire time of linoleum shrinkage, the temperature in the room is maintained at + 18-22 degrees. Non-observance of this requirement will lead to the formation of waves during further operation!

If the change in linear dimensions entailed the elongation of the coating to such an extent that it abutted against one or more walls, then the material is again cut and held for another one or two days.
The joints for shrinkage overlap. The docking cut is done simultaneously in two parts in one motion, after having previously placed a piece of plywood or cardboard under the cut line.
Now, choosing the method of applying to glue or fixing composition, spread the back surface with the mixture and fix the coating in the required position.

How to patch joints

One of the most common methods for joining linoleum is smooth trimming of both sides with gluing the joined edges to the base, in our case, to the old coating. This method does not require additional tools and materials. But in construction, other methods are used:

welding with polyethylene;
hot welding;
cold welding type A;
Tina C. cold welding

Conventional welding involves gluing tightly cut edges of linoleum to a polyethylene tape, which is pre-positioned under the seam and coated with PVA glue. Then, they are heated using an iron.

IMPORTANT. When smoothing the glued joints, a newspaper or other paper is placed under the iron so as not to damage the outer surface of the coating.

For hot welding use a special cord and a building hair dryer. The gap between the edges is left under the size of the cord, with the help of a special device and a hairdryer, the required surfaces are joined. Cold welding of types A and C involves filling the gap between the edges with a special liquid adhesive mixture, which hardens over time. The difference is only in the size of the gap.

Having studied the above information, the consumer will independently determine the possibility and procedure for laying linoleum on top of the old coating, which will allow you to correctly lay the floor covering.