Is it possible to lay linoleum on linoleum?

Flooring manufacturers offer a wide range of products that are used for flooring 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 polyester foam base allows the use of 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 subject of controversy since the moment this material appeared in production. There are two opposing opinions, each of them has the right to exist. When carrying out renovations in an apartment or other premises, the question: “is it possible to lay a new layer on top of the old one?” forces you to weigh all the pros and cons before starting work. After this, everyone determines independently the method by which they will lay the new coating.

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

• the bottom layer must be firmly fixed to the base of the floor and not have any displacements or bulges;
• the old coating cannot have cracks or wear, characterized by a change in thickness, since this will be reflected in the relief of the top layer;
• the old covering should be laid on a flat screed, and the linoleum laid along the relief of concrete slabs, as was often done in Soviet times, should be dismantled;
• the service life of the bottom layer should not exceed its actual age, since it will deteriorate under the new coating, and this will affect the quality of the floor;
• the first layer cannot have fungus or mold, since covering will create a favorable atmosphere for its growth.

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

The advantages of this 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 won’t have to spend money on carrying out this work, and you will also be able to avoid the accumulation of dust and dirt inherent in construction. Using the first layer as an underlying 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 is a risk of the following problems:

• if you inattentively examine the old linoleum, mold will spread on the newly laid covering;
• the formation of creases and waves, especially if the lower layer is not evenly level;
• the use of heavy furniture will leave a mark on the soft coating of the second layer;
• the difficulty 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 different constituent materials.

The latter type of linoleum is most often laid on a concrete base, since numerous layers provide a high-quality substrate when laying the coating. A homogeneous material will be useful when laying a second layer on top of the existing one, which will become a good lining surface when laying the top covering.

REFERENCE. Homogeneous linoleum has a high level of wear, low cost, but a small range of patterns to choose from.

Laying a new layer on top of the first one is not fundamentally different 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 known by emitting an unpleasant odor.

How to lay linoleum on linoleum with your own hands

Before how to put it yourself new coating on top of the old one, freeing the room from furniture to ensure uniform distribution of linoleum over the entire area. The installation method remains the same as for a concrete base.

What to glue

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

• using double-sided tape, only taking into account that when the temperature changes, waves may appear;
• using regular PVA-based linoleum glue, it is rolled out with a roller or coated with a brush, but you need to remember the difficulty of dismantling the glued layer;
• using fixing compounds that 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 installation nuances and follow the following order:

• Take measurements of the room, adding 5–10 cm on each side, order the required linoleum patterns. 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 let it dry completely. Then inspect for unevenness using the water level rule. This tool must show in all angles and planes that the level corresponds to the horizon; if not, then such a defect requires mandatory correction. Leveling is carried out using substrates of various thicknesses.
• During inspection and leveling, attention is paid to the presence of cracks and holes in the old coating, which are repaired. If necessary, some areas are filled with screed, especially if the base under the old layer is destroyed. 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 small quantities on the surface, and when eliminated, their presence is determined under the entire first layer, requires complete dismantling of the old linoleum.

• After completing the preparatory work, lay out a new layer, trim all sides so that they do not come into contact with the walls.The waves are straightened and allowed to rest for several days so that the coating obtains the required shape in the horizontal plane.

IMPORTANT. Throughout the entire period of shrinkage of linoleum, the temperature in the room is maintained at +18–22 degrees. Failure to comply with this requirement will lead to the formation of waves during further operation!

• If the change in linear dimensions entails an elongation of the coating to such an extent that it rests against one or more walls, then the material is cut again and left for another one or two days.
• The joints for shrinkage are placed on top of each other. The joint cut is made simultaneously in two parts in one movement, having previously placed a piece of plywood or cardboard under the line to be cut.
• Now, having chosen the method of planting with glue or a fixing compound, smear the back surface with the mixture and fix the coating in the required position.

How to seal joints

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

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

Conventional welding involves gluing tightly trimmed edges of linoleum to polyethylene tape, which is previously placed under the seam and coated with PVA glue. Then use an iron to heat it up.

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

When hot welding, a special cord and a hair dryer are used.The gap between the edges is left to the size of the cord, using a special device and a hair dryer, 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 only difference is 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 covering, which will allow the floor covering to be laid correctly.