Is it possible to lay a laminate on linoleum

When carrying out repairs with their own hands, as well as replacing the flooring in residential premises, a laminate is often used. This material has gained popularity due to its wear resistance and a large selection of colors. The use of such a coating makes the housing comfortable and the floor comfortable. The installation of the laminate in new buildings is due to the mandatory use of the substrate, and when updating the interior of the apartment, the question often arises of the possibility of laying modern lamellas on linoleum.

Preparatory procedures

First, they acquire a laminate, the installation technology of which does not require gluing the substrate to the concrete base. After that, perform the following work:

• carefully inspect the old surface to detect cracks and bumps;
• eliminate defects using special adhesive, putty mixtures, and if floor imperfections are found under the linoleum, make a concrete screed in the destroyed areas;

ATTENTION! Differences in height over the entire area of ​​the room should not exceed 2 mm per 2 sq. M!

• if necessary, linoleum is fixed and pulled;
• the surface of the old coating is thoroughly washed and dried;
• the laminate is unpacked, then kept at room temperature for at least 2 days;
• Combine the texture of the picture and cut the workpieces of the required size.

Is it possible to lay laminate on linoleum

There are two opposite answers to this question, and both are completely justified. To answer it, assess the existence of possible conditions for laying new material on the old coating.

For the possibility of installation work, it is necessary that:

• linoleum surface was clean and dry;
• the old coating was well fixed;
• the presence of cavities and bulges should not exceed a difference of 2 mm;
• cracks and worked out places were repaired;
• the life of linoleum should not exceed two decades, because the deceptive external integrity of the material will not allow it to be used as a base under the laminate.

Compliance with these conditions makes it possible to lay a new coating on the old. But if, any of them is not respected, then the old linoleum is dismantled to prevent premature laminate wear.

IMPORTANT! The presence of mold is the reason for the inability to use an obsolete coating for laying slats! In cases of a small amount of damp places or the possibility of their complete elimination by cleaning and drying, the old layer is left.

Laminate manufacturers do not recommend using materials that differ from a specially made substrate as a substrate. And experienced craftsmen, on the contrary, do all possible types of local repair of the old coating for its use as a base layer, especially since the complexity of laying decreases several times.

Using linoleum as a substrate

The underlying layer is made of foamed polymers, the purpose of which is:

• waterproofing;
• depreciation;
• sound insulation;
• thermal insulation.

Modern linoleum coatings have these properties, so a laminate can be laid on a new material, but the rigidity of the upper protective layer and possible irregularities will require the use of an additional thin substrate. And the installation of new slats on a hard old coating with a thickness of less than 4 mm will require the use of a standard underlying layer to comply with the laying rules.

ATTENTION! The elimination of local irregularities with the help of small pieces of foamed substrate cannot be allowed! This will lead to quick wear of the new panels and the weakening of the locks!

Linoleum is used as a base layer if the following conditions are met:

• the coating has a short service life, while not losing its technological properties;
• there are no differences in heights of more than 2 mm;
• the material is well stretched and firmly attached to the concrete base of the floor.

REFERENCE! To preserve the life of the laminate, when laying on an old coating, it is not recommended to use panels of Chinese manufacturers.

Instructions: how to bed correctly

To obtain a standard pattern, the lamellas are laid along the light flux from the window so that the sun's rays are parallel to the lobes. The panels are recommended to be used wide and long - this helps to reduce waste. When installing, observe the following order:

• Before carrying out work, it is necessary to perform preparatory procedures, which will allow the material to adapt to temperature conditions, and make the base even and dry;
• when laying the substrate on top of linoleum, it is placed perpendicular to the lamellar lobe lines;
• the first laid row of panels is laid out with a gap of 10-20 mm from the walls and fastened with wedges that rigidly fix the laminate, and this makes it possible to easily join subsequent joints;

IMPORTANT! The quality of the following rows depends on the evenness and straightness of the laying of the first row! Wedges are cleaned after installation in the entire room.

• panel locks have a "face" to themselves, which facilitates the docking of joints;
• it is recommended to start laying a row through one with a cut lamella, which will allow economical use of the material and create a specific pattern;
• the last row, if necessary, is cut along the longitudinal line of the figure.

ATTENTION! Fractional trimming of the last row is performed after laying the penultimate! Preliminary measurements and calculations are often erroneous.

If during the installation of the panels one had to encounter a heating pipe or other communication, then in the laminate, after preliminary measurements, a hole is made using a drill and a special crown on a tree or a jigsaw to cut out the contour of the required cavity. After laying the material, the resulting recess is covered with a blank, which is made from waste. Open end surfaces are treated with silicone sealant or other moisture-resistant material.

In which cases it is impossible to put a laminate on linoleum

New panels can quickly collapse and fail to fulfill their purpose if:

• the surface of the old coating has greasy stains that cannot be removed;
• linoleum has long expired and its properties do not correspond to the initial characteristics of the material;
• the old layer has large elevation differences, especially if they are due to the unevenness of the concrete floor, on which linoleum was laid without screed in Soviet times;
• the old coating is poorly attached or not fixed at all to the concrete base;
• defects and cracks are not repaired or restored;
• a fungus or mold has formed on the surface of the old linoleum or under it, which cannot be removed.

Laminate Care Rules

Regardless of how the coating is laid: on linoleum or a substrate, you need to know the features of operation and strive to comply with these conditions. Careful attitude will allow you to save material for a long period of use of floor slats.

Care should be taken in choosing detergents, floor cleaners - they should be designed to clean such panels. Savings in this case will be inappropriate, because aggressive chemical environment will destroy the protective layer of the laminate and moisture will get into the material, which will lead to damage to the coating.

Moving furniture on the surface of the lamellas is not recommended, because you can undermine the protective layer. And if there is a need to install heavy household items: sofas or massive cabinets, then under the legs of such furniture it is recommended to make spacers from fiberboard that will cover the area of ​​the supports. Even with the usual movement of a chair or a coffee table, you must carefully lift this item and slowly install it in the desired place.

REFERENCE! A great danger to the laminate is women's shoes with thin and high heels! Walking in such shoes on the panels exclude!

Having studied the features and conditions for the installation of modern slats on linoleum, everyone will be able to independently determine the possibility of such work in the required room. Having measured the difficulty of partial restoration of worn-out areas or performing major repairs of the floor, many will prefer laying the laminate on old material. It is important to comply with the requirements for such an installation.