To make the flooring look beautiful after stacking, it should fit snugly against the base. If this cannot be achieved in any way, it is worth figuring out how to smooth the linoleum on the floor so that there are no characteristic waves, bends or swellings on the surface. In this case, you can act in different ways. Some methods can be used directly at the time of installation, others - during operation. It is worth figuring out what to do in each case.
Read in the article
- 1 Why defects can occur on linoleum
- 1.1 Waves and bends
- 1.2 Swelling and sagging
- 2 We straighten linoleum before laying: proven methods
- 2.1 Easy peeling off the coating: time required
- 2.2 We remove the defect with the use of cargo: we prepare improvised means
- 2.3 Thermal effect of the building hair dryer
- 2.4 Smoothing the coating with an iron
- 2.5 Application of the heated or warmer salt
- 3 How to smooth linoleum on the floor when problems arise during operation
- 3.1 How to straighten a bubble with an awl and mechanical action
- 3.2 How to align the swelling with an awl and adhesive
- 3.3 Leveling the defect with re-laying linoleum
- 3.3.1 Removing the cover and dismantling the skirting boards
- 3.3.2 Leveling linoleum and trimming the coating
- 3.3.3 Re-laying with gluing of the material
- 4 What you need to consider when installing linoleum: the main mistakes
- 5 Recommendations of our editorial staff for the correct operation of linoleum
Why defects can occur on linoleum
There are a number of reasons, the characteristic defects may appear on the surface on which the linoleum. Knowing them, many problems can be avoided in advance. If you are planning buy linoleum In the near future, be sure to read them. This will help you understand how to stretch their decorative coating before laying.
Waves and bends
Reasons enough for the appearance of waves on the surface of linoleum:
- Incorrect transportation. If when installing the car roll was built, while laying a characteristic defect appears on its surface. Avoiding such a situation will allow the transportation of linoleum in a car with suitable dimensions.
- Violation of stacking technology. With poor-quality foundation preparation, you can often see that the linoleum has gone in waves.
- Excessive amount of stacked material. The opinion that after a certain period of operation the linoleum will shrink is erroneous. It is not necessary to cut off an excessive amount of: for the manufacture of linoleum materials used, not prone to warping or shrinking. If violated, you can see how the layer has risen over time.
Kinks are caused by long-term storage. Coiled in the factory finishing material it will be difficult to straighten, so he will strive to maintain the same form. And the longer he is in a warehouse of the seller, the more pronounced will be creases.
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Swelling and sagging
Bulges appear when the technology of laying linoleum on mastic is violated. Uneven and slow drying of the composition leads to the fact that in these places the flooring lags behind the base. Also, such a negative phenomenon is observed with poor cleaning of the subfloor.
Sagging appears when the linoleum itself is improperly prepared. If it does not lie down for a sufficient amount of time, surplus material will begin to appear during operation.
Advice! The final trimming of the laid material should be carried out no earlier than three days after laying on the floor.
We straighten linoleum before laying: proven methods
In order for the topcoat to fit snugly to the base, it must be properly prepared. The process can be implemented in different ways. Which option will be the most convenient depends on the area of the room, the degree of its filling and a number of other parameters.
Easy peeling off the coating: time required
The easiest option that should be used if the flooring has just been purchased, and the room is completely free of furniture. The material is spread and left to mature for several days. This time will be enough for full straightening.
We remove the defect with the use of cargo: we prepare improvised means
If in the first way the linoleum could not be completely straightened, you can use the load. To do this, put something heavy in the places of excesses. These can be stacks of books, jars filled with water, and other heavy objects.
A comment
Mikhail Starostin
Head of the team of the repair and construction company "Dom Premium"
“In order to ensure a more even distribution of the load, it is necessary to first put a sheet of plywood in the places of bends, and then already ̶ prepared weighting materials”.
Thermal effect of the building hair dryer
If there is no time to wait for the coating to level out under the influence of gravity or as a result of the impact of a load, you can use a construction hairdryer. You can straighten the coating in the sequence shown in the table.
| Illustration | Procedure |
 | With the help of a construction hair dryer, the area of the coating is heated, on which defects have appeared. Given that the linoleum cools down quickly enough, a small area should be heated. |
 | Making active movements, with the help of a roller, you can smooth out the existing unevenness. |
Smoothing the coating with an iron
An ordinary iron can also act as a heat source. We carry out the work in the sequence indicated in the table.
| Illustration | Procedure |
 | Cooking irons well moistened cloth made of cotton and rubber roller. Puts the cloth in place of the defect. We place it so that the unevenness was under the cloth. |
 | Removing tissue from the surface, we begin to actively smooth defect. You need to move in several directions to achieve the best result. |
Application of the heated or warmer salt
To create the thermal effects can use a heater or a heated salt. For this deformed position blanketed with a cloth, and the top heater is placed or salt, is placed in a cloth bag (or simply disintegrates on fabric). All is left for 15-20 minutes and then smoothed with a roller.
How to smooth linoleum on the floor when problems arise during operation
Sometimes problems with the flooring arise already during operation. The procedure for eliminating defects in this case will depend on their type and size. We invite you to get acquainted with the main ways that you can use at home.
How to straighten a bubble with an awl and mechanical action
If the area of the bubble is relatively small, you can use an iron or an awl. In the latter case the defect is punctured and then by active mechanical impact completely vented air. No further manipulation is not performed.
How to align the swelling with an awl and adhesive
If the size of the bubble is large enough, then it should be pierced with an awl, and then bleed the air through the hole formed. This is enough to level the coating. To fix the linoleum in this place, a small amount is pushed through the hole formed adhesive composition. The surface is carefully smoothed with a heavy roller.
Leveling the defect with re-laying linoleum
If all of the above methods did not allow achieving the desired result and defects are still present on the surface, leveling can be done by re-laying. It is necessary to act extremely carefully in order to prevent the recurrence of irregularities.
Related article:
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Removing the cover and dismantling the skirting boards
First you need to dismantle the laid coating. The work is carried out following the instructions in the table.
| Illustration | Procedure |
 | The room should be freed from furniture and other interior items. Along the entire perimeter of the room, the screws that hold the plinth are unscrewed. |
 | The laid cover is removed and rolled into a roll. In this case, no significant effort should be made in order to prevent the appearance of defects. |
Related article:
Laying linoleum indoors: general requirements and rules, what preliminary work needs to be done, how to do it correctly to remove the size of the room, the criteria for choosing a coating, the main work on laying linoleum - in our publications.
Leveling linoleum and trimming the coating
The base is prepared for re-laying. The floor covering is leveled. Excess material is cut off.
Related article:
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Re-laying with gluing of the material
Before re-laying, an adhesive is applied to the substrate. When applying it, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Then the linoleum is spread and smoothed with a roller.
Related article:
How to solder linoleum at home: methods used; the procedure for forming a connection by a hot method, by using cold welding and using a soldering iron, recommendations for choosing a method.
What you need to consider when installing linoleum: the main mistakes
In order to properly lay the flooring, it is necessary to strictly follow the technological requirements. Do not rush to complete the work. If the adhesive method of fixing the canvas is chosen, the composition must be applied in increments of 60-70 cm. With continuous application of glue, you will have to smooth the canvas for a long time, pressing it with a heavy construction roller. If this is not done, waves and bubbles should be expected.
Attention! If characteristic bumps are formed due to untimely hardening of the adhesive, it will be almost impossible to get rid of them.
The size of the decorative cloth to be laid must fully correspond to the area of the base. Excess material will lead to characteristic folds.
A comment
Mikhail Starostin
Head of the team of the repair and construction company "Dom Premium"
“For fixing linoleum, it is worth using glue based on polyurethane or acrylic. The use of polyurethane foam and alcohol-based compounds is unacceptable. "
Special attention should be paid to the quality of the foundation preparation. If the role of the base is a rough wooden floor, it should be prime and waterproof to prevent the wood from swelling when exposed to moisture.
Watch the video to find out how to lay linoleum on uneven floors:
Recommendations of our editorial staff for the correct operation of linoleum
In order for the flooring to last as long as possible, you should initially familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's recommendations for its installation and operation. This will avoid many common mistakes.
In addition, we advise you to adhere to the general recommendations:
- You should not use compounds containing aggressive components to clean the flooring, as they can damage the linoleum.
- Avoid using alkali and caustic soda, which can damage the base of the material.
- Do not use hot water for washing. Because of it, the coating can become dull.
- Quickly remove substances containing coloring pigments from the surface.
- Move heavy objects carefully.
- Place special linings under the legs and bases of the furniture to prevent characteristic defects from appearing in these places.
Share in the comments whether you have encountered defects on linoleum and whether you follow the manufacturer's recommendations for its operation.