How to properly lay laminate on old linoleum. Laminate over linoleum: is it possible to lay and how to do it correctly Is it possible to put a laminate on linoleum: pitfalls of the process

Family finances, or rather, their absence, constantly force us to look for ways to solve the problem of lack of money. Often this results in unexpected ideas. For example, when installing laminate flooring, in order to save money and time, many homeowners try to put lamellas on the old flooring. At first glance, it seems that this is an attempt to combine the incompatible. How about really? In this paper, we will try to figure out whether it is possible to put a laminate on linoleum, using the latter as a substrate.

Is it possible and in what cases

There is not one, but two problems hidden in the above question:

what will happen to the old coating, linoleum, after laying a new layer of flooring on it;
how the installation of lamellas on the old linoleum will affect the durability of the floor.

Linoleum is a practical, hard-wearing synthetic (mostly vinyl) floor covering with a felt backing. It retains its consumer properties when laying a second floor made of wood, laminate or parquet on top.

The only disadvantage of such a puff cake is that when moisture gets under the linoleum, it does not evaporate for a long time, as a result of which the process of decay begins on the felt, accompanied by the appearance of mold and fungus. Therefore, in dry rooms there is no reason to refuse to use linoleum as a substrate for laminate flooring.

Laminate is a modern, beautiful floor covering that is installed on a flat, solid and dry base. In accordance with the requirements of SNiP, it must meet the following parameters:

surface moisture should not exceed 2%;
height difference of the screed is allowed within 2 mm, which is compensated by the substrate. In our case, linoleum cannot have bumps - it itself acts as a substrate and must level the errors of the floor base (you can lay a substrate between the linoleum and the laminate if the linoleum does not have a felt lining from below). If this rule is neglected, then over time, the existing protrusions in places of intensive use of the floor will squeeze out the same tubercles onto the surface of the lamellas, which are well erased when walking;

Important: the presence of various depressions on the surface of linoleum, for example, traces of sharp heels and laminate furniture is not critical.

the slope for every 2 m cannot exceed 4 mm (2% of the length). This indicator is especially important for places of intensive use of the linoleum floor, where the felt lining wears out and shrinks. It is not recommended to check such differences by eye, since the surface of linoleum always looks even and flat. Here you need to use a long rule to determine the amount of slope.

If these requirements are met, there are no obstacles to laying laminate on linoleum.

Often there are situations when linoleum has defects (through holes, cuts, felt is completely dilapidated) and lies in waves (swollen). Is it possible to lay laminate on linoleum in this case? If the previous coating is worn out, then it is necessary to refrain from using linoleum as a substrate - there is a risk of rapid destruction of the lamella locks.

Pros and cons of the solution

The use of linoleum as a substrate has many pluses:

the time for repair work is reduced - there is no need to remove the old floor and lay the substrate;
money is saved for work on replacing the old floor covering with a substrate, as well as its purchase;
the floor in the room receives a good insulation (linoleum has a higher coefficient of resistance to heat transfer than the bulk of the substrates), which saves on heating;
the sound insulation of the room improves - the old floor perfectly muffles all types of noise;
an additional barrier appears when protecting the laminate from moisture from below.

At the same time, such a technological method has minuses:

old linoleum behaves unpredictably and can be deformed for no apparent reason, resulting in waves (swellings) that lead to a quick failure of the locking joints;
if moisture gets under the linoleum, it will protect the lamellas from swelling and subsequent destruction, but it will suffer itself - mold and fungus begin to actively develop on the felt, which will eventually lead to the replacement of the laminate;
a number of experts express a purely theoretical assumption, which has not yet been verified by practice, that under load and without access to moisture, linoleum can dry out and become brittle.

Necessary materials and tools

To lay the laminate with your own hands, you must have:

unpacked lamellas;
measuring tools: a metal ruler with a length of at least 1 m, a construction square and a tape measure of 3 or 5 m;
level;
rule 2-2.5 m long;
electric jigsaw or grinder with a narrow cutting wheel for cutting laminate panels. A hand saw for wood with a very fine tooth can replace these tools (some novice repairmen use a hacksaw for metal, which also gives a good result);
a set of wedges or a self-made rail for fixing the technological gap;
a hammer made of wood or rubber for tamping lamellas;
a mounting bracket or a piece of lamella with a spike at the end;
marker or construction pencil;
crowbar - with its help, the lock of the last row of the laminate is closed.

Preparatory work

When laying lamellas on the old coating, preparatory work is minimized. Step by step, the entire preparation process is as follows:

everything superfluous is removed from linoleum: furniture and baseboards;
analysis of the state of the surface. During the check, the following are revealed: differences in height; slope value; the condition of the material: are there swellings, cuts, holes; surface moisture level;
linoleum is vacuumed and then washed.

Check how smooth the surface can be with a level or rule. The tool is placed on the floor and moves along it. All obstacles are measured. If the height difference exceeds 2 mm, the linoleum is removed and the screed is leveled with self-leveling compounds (there are no other technologies, except for re-filling the screed). But in this case, according to the editors, it is better to lay under the laminate not the old linoleum, but the classic substrate - its behavior is predictable.

The slope can be checked with the help of a rule and a level, or by pulling the threads (cord, fishing line) diagonally, and then, using a level and a building square, measure the slope. Here the situation is the same: if the standards are exceeded, the base of the floor (screed) is leveled.

Cuts, cracks, holes are being repaired. You can do this in several ways:

at the cut, the edges are glued to the screed or to the double-sided tape applied on the back of the floor covering;
holes and large gaps are cold or hot welded. To do this, damaged pieces of linoleum are cut out, and a patch of the same shape is put in their place, after which the connecting seam is filled with a special mixture. Vinyl under the influence of cold welding for a short time passes into a semi-liquid state, after which it polymerizes. It turns out a smooth, strong and durable seam. During hot welding, the seams are brought into a plastic state by heating devices.

Blisters (waves) are cut along the ridge and then stretched. The edges of the cuts are glued to the floor screed with polymer glue (when using adhesive tape, there is a high probability of re-bloating).

A plastic film with an area of \u200b\u200b1 m 2 will help to check the surface moisture. It is glued to the floor with adhesive tape around the entire perimeter. After a day, the film is removed. If the surface of the linoleum or film is damp to the touch, the room is ventilated until it is dry everywhere after removing the film.

the costs for gluing linoleum to the floor and laying the substrate are almost identical. In this situation, preference should be given to a naturally new substrate;
the functional role of glue is not clear, i.e. there is no clear explanation why this is being done;
no one thinks about the day when glued linoleum will have to be removed.

And the main argument in the reviews of the owners of apartments, among which no one glued linoleum to a concrete screed.

Is it necessary and what kind of substrate to use

At the heart of the idea of laying laminate on linoleum is the desire to do without a substrate, the functions of which will be performed by the old floor covering. Everything is clear here.

But you need to take into account that you can’t lay it on linoleum with felt from below - it turns out a thick, soft layer between the screed and the laminate. During operation, such a floor will begin to creak in a few months, and after 1-2 years it will need to be completely replaced - the lock joints will collapse.

The exception is linoleum without lining from below. In this case, the substrate is needed, but not more than 2 mm thick. The best option is cork lining.

Installation instructions

There is nothing new in the instructions on how to lay laminate on linoleum with your own hands. The step-by-step algorithm for performing work is the same as when laying laminate on a concrete or wooden floor (see articles "" and "").

Recall the main stages of work:

the laminate is brought into the room for a day and unpacked - the lamellas must take a geometric shape according to the humidity and temperature of the room;
the method and direction of laying is determined, which can be read about in the work "";
the place for the beginning of the installation of the lamellas is selected - the hints are in the material "";
wedges or a rail are laid between the wall and the first row of lamellas - a technological gap of 1.0-1.5 cm is provided;
the first row is laid. Before that, the spikes are cut off from the lamellas - the laminate panels are laid with the cut side against the wall. End locks are closed with an insert and a mallet;
the second row should go with a shift of 1/3 or ½ of the length of the lamella in relation to the first row. To do this, the first panel is cut off. The floor joints must have a brickwork configuration. The second panel of the row is first installed in the lock of the first row along the length, and then it is knocked forward with a mallet until the end connections are completely connected. It is forbidden to hit the edges of the lamellas (locks can be damaged) - you must use a mounting bracket or a piece of laminate. In this case, the bracket is installed in the locking joint of the customized laminate panel.

Attention: at the beginning of each row, a wedge is placed to fix the compensation gap.

Before laying the last row of panels, carefully calculate its size so that after closing the locks there is a compensation distance to the wall.

Conclusion

Is it possible to lay laminate on linoleum? Yes, you can. Especially in new buildings, where linoleum is initially laid. The new material has no defects and well levels the height errors of the screed. This is an ideal, but very expensive substrate.

Old linoleum, if its defects are correctly eliminated, will also serve as a lining under the lamellas for a long time.

Many people choose to do their own home renovation. And when it comes to flooring, a lot of questions can arise. What to choose - parquet, polymer, laminate? And if the choice has stopped on the last option, what should be the basis? Is it possible to lay laminate on linoleum or will the floors have to be completely dismantled up to the floor itself? In order not to throw away money to the wind, it is better to consider this issue in more detail.

The advantage of laminate over linoleum

Linoleum is used very widely. Its main advantage is the ability to cover a large area with a single piece with a minimum of preparatory work. With a skillful approach, a perfectly flat, smooth surface, easy to clean, is obtained. And linoleum does not limit the imagination of designers, the pattern can be matched to any interior.

And yet, answering the question of which is better: laminate or linoleum in an apartment, they often tend to laminate.

This building material is not in vain chosen by the majority. It works great in residential areas, copes with office tasks, looks great in administrative and educational premises. Specialized stores are ready to offer the widest selection with different characteristics and textures. The main thing - the laminate is made on the basis of natural wood. It is a wear-resistant, durable material that pleases with ease of installation. It does not require additional polishing or varnishing. It is quite easy to care for him, stains are easy to remove from him.

What is better laminate or linoleum?

An additional pleasant factor is the ability to put a new laminate on an existing coating - tiles, boards, chipboard, even on linoleum. All this will even give more heat and sound insulation. In order for the rest of the parameters to please, you need to follow some tips:

the laminate should be properly "rested" upon arrival at the installation site. This will balance the temperature and humidity of the laminate, the subfloor and the room;
be sure to check the pattern and color on each panel;
tools and additional materials are prepared immediately for work over the entire area.

It remains only to properly prepare the base for the laminate and get to work.

What should be the basis

The requirements for the condition of the floor, which will serve as the basis for the laminate, are special. Since the laying is carried out in a locking manner, any significant difference in height will loosen the panels, cracks and cracks will appear. Irregularities only up to 3 mm are allowed, so concrete floors must be leveled and primed without fail. Wooden boards will have to be knocked out to each other, getting rid of the cracks, and then lay the substrate. Ideally, plywood sheets are laid on top of it.

Is it possible to lay laminate on linoleum? This is quite acceptable if the linoleum meets the requirements:

it is dry, clean;
the humidity of linoleum is within the normal range (not higher than 2%);
linoleum is not too soft;
it is firmly fixed to the floor.

This technology is especially popular in new buildings. The floors in new apartments are initially well leveled, so there is no need to dismantle the standard linoleum.

The softness of linoleum is of great importance. Panels laid on too soft linoleum will fail and sag. You will have to change such a laminate much more often.

Significantly simplifies the matter of high-quality linoleum at the base. If you plan to leave the "commercial tarkett" type linoleum under a new coating, then the result will most likely be excellent. This is a dense and durable material that will give the required quality of the base.

Attention! Equally important is the age of the foundation. A dilapidated floor may contain mold spores. You should not guess whether it is possible to lay a new laminate on the old linoleum. This is also fraught with mechanical damage to the panels, because the old coating can swell and this will harm the appearance of the new floor.

Before laying the laminate panels, you will have to dismantle the plinth, clean and dry the surface, check the floors with a level for an allowable deviation. If the irregularities are too large, they are eliminated: the bubbles are cut and glued, the cavities are filled with putty.

The lining is very important

If the linoleum does not quite meet the requirements, you will have to work on the substrate. It will be a kind of shock absorber. Without a backing, the quality of the new coating can suffer greatly: not only will cracks appear, the panels will simply disperse, dips or swelling may form.

The substrate under the laminate is used composite, three-layer, made of dense polyethylene with a layer of polystyrene. The cork proved to be excellent. It is considered the best option, especially for connoisseurs of natural materials. How to lay the sheets of the substrate is indicated on the package, usually this is not difficult. It is impossible to save, without a good substrate, a brand new floor will quickly lose its appearance and working qualities.

Properly made substrate, in addition to good insulation, allows you to reduce the cost of buying a laminate

Lay the sheets of substrate material so that they are perpendicular to the light from the window. Since the panels themselves will later be placed in the direction of the rays of the sun, the joints between them will become less noticeable.

Properly made substrate, in addition to good insulation, allows you to reduce the cost of buying a laminate. Indeed, on such a flat floor, you can pick up thinner panels - 8 mm instead of the usual 10-11 mm. Unless, of course, the operation of heavy or constantly moving furniture is not expected, or the room is not planned to be used as a gym or dance studio.

Laying laminate

The technology of laying laminate on linoleum is somewhat different from working with another base. It is best to entrust this to the masters. But if self-repair is essential, it is worth spending a little time and watching more available videos. There are many and detailed instructions on how to lay linoleum under a laminate, the photo below illustrates each stage step by step.

Step 1. Start laying with two boards of the first row. Spacer wedges are inserted between them and the wall to provide a gap of about 10 mm. This is the so-called "deformation gap". After all, the laminate, being a natural material, will certainly change humidity and temperature, like everything else in the room, and such changes will make the panels “walk” in size.

The panels are laid with a lock parallel to the rays of light from the window. This will make the seams almost invisible. The lock makes the process simple and fast. At the end of the row, the last panel is cut off. If the edge is more than 500 mm, then the second row can be laid starting from it. This will help keep costs down to some extent. You just have to make sure that the end joints are located from each other by more than 300 mm. This helps to properly distribute the pressure that occurs when exposed to moisture.

Near the walls there are often risers of heating pipes. When such a pipe is encountered on the path of the next panel, then a semicircle is cut out in the laminate with a special drill nozzle, with a diameter slightly larger than the pipe. In the future, it can be hidden under a decorative overlay.

Step 2. The second row is laid with a lock on the edges of the panels. It is easy to lay the panel, it is enough to attach it to the edge of the panel of the first row, trying to make an angle of 45º, after that the panel of the second row falls down until a characteristic click. Each panel is pressed tightly by tapping on the end with a hammer. The four panels in the first two rows form the base.
Step 3. The subsequent rows are laid, focusing on the base. The last panels are fixed with a clamp. It will make the panel motionless. The spacer wedges are not removed until the end of the installation. The gap will also be needed after completion - with its help it will be easier to disassemble the floor if subsequent repairs are necessary.
Step 3. The plinth is selected in the most suitable color. It can be laid immediately, but it is better to pause for a few days. This will allow the laminate to settle a little. It is best to choose a model with a special groove for wires inside.
Step 4. If the laminate is laid in neighboring rooms, the joint is closed with a special strip, the width of which is not more than 3 cm. Aerobatics is considered to be “solid lamination” of the entire area, but this is quite difficult to do. This is partly due to the fact that whether the panels are placed on linoleum or on a concrete floor, they will have to be placed in the same direction, but the windows are located on different walls. Joints can become too noticeable. Yes, and there will be much more waste, and when laying the panels, you will have to cut not only across, but also along.
Step 5. Installing the doors. Door frames are installed only after the installation of the laminate. But if it was mounted earlier, you will have to make a cut at the bottom. It will include a panel. This will help to avoid a rigid abutment of the panels to the door frame, which is fraught with deformation.

Now it becomes clearer whether it is possible to lay a laminate on linoleum and how easy it is to do. It remains only to strictly follow all the recommendations in order to avoid unpleasant “swings” under your feet or an ominous creak. Works performed according to all the rules will give the house beauty and comfort.

When planning home renovations, homeowners often look for ways to save money. To some extent, this article is devoted to this. Can you put laminate on linoleum? To answer the question, you should figure out what consequences will await as a result of laying the laminate on the old linoleum:

how will the old coating behave under the laminate;
how will the old base affect the service life of the lamellas;
whether there will be problems with the locking connections of individual boards.

It must be remembered that linoleum is a rolled material with a synthetic wear-resistant coating and a felt base, which has the function of insulation and sound absorption.

Linoleum does not lose its consumer properties if lamellas are laid on top of it, but unpleasant situations may arise during the operation of such a puff structure. So, for example, given that the vinyl coating of linoleum does not allow moisture to pass through, if water enters the lower part of the “pie”, foci of decay, mold and fungus may appear.

We will analyze situations when it is possible to lay a laminate on linoleum, and when it is impossible.

When can you lay laminate on linoleum?

To determine whether it is possible to put a laminate on linoleum, you need to know the basic requirements for the base device for this type of flooring. In order for the laminate to serve the prescribed period, the following conditions must be observed:

the level of humidity of the base under the laminate should not be higher than 2%;
deviations in the height of the screed should not be more than 2 mm within one square meter. Minor deviations are eliminated by the substrate. If linoleum acts as the basis, its surface must also meet these requirements. In some cases, it is permissible to use a substrate to level the linoleum base, but this method of eliminating height differences is only suitable if the linoleum does not have felt insulation. Otherwise, an excessively soft base will cause the lamella locks to break;
when checking the base for the laminate, the slope of the surface is taken into account. This indicator should not be more than 4 mm for every 2000 mm along the length of the room. To determine whether the base surface meets the stated requirements, a long rule with a horizontal level is used. You need to check even the most even, at first glance, surfaces.

In cases where all of the above requirements are met and no maximum deviations are found, it is possible to lay a laminate on linoleum.

No code

Is it possible to lay laminate on linoleum if the latter is damaged? If these are small holes that do not have a noticeable effect on the height difference of the base, then such damage is not critical. But if through holes, deep cuts, bubbles are found on the surface of the coating, the idea to save on the standard preparation of the base for the laminate will have to be abandoned.

Also, do not use linoleum as a base for a laminate if peeling of the insulating felt is found.

Solution Benefits

Using old linoleum as the basis for lamella flooring has the following advantages:

the terms of repair in the apartment are noticeably reduced. The new floor is laid on the old base, which allows you to bypass the preparatory process of leveling the surface;
the old coating allows you to save on the purchase of a substrate;
the base in the form of old linoleum gives a tangible effect of heat saving in the room. Vinyl flooring with felt insulation is a better barrier to cold air than conventional types of substrates;
one of the disadvantages of the laminate - low sound insulation, is eliminated if old linoleum is used as the basis;
laminate boards that do not tolerate exposure to high humidity receive another layer of waterproofing.

Flaws

The disadvantages of using linoleum as a base for laminate flooring include:

in old apartments, linoleum coating can behave unpredictably (there is no such problem in new buildings). Over time, blisters, waves, and other deformations may appear on the surface of the coating, which leads to breakage of the lamella locks;
if water gets under the linoleum covered with laminate, its evaporation is very slow. On the one hand, this is good in terms of the safety of the boards, but at the same time, pockets of decay begin to appear in the felt insulation of the laminate, mold appears, and a fungus develops. As a result, you have to change the entire floor covering;
according to the reviews of the masters, some types of linoleum quickly lose their original properties under the laminate. The vinyl layer dries out, cracks and breaks, which, again, leads to the need to replace the base under the laminate.

Necessary materials and tools

In order to start self-laying laminate flooring on a linoleum base, you will need to purchase the following materials:

laminate boards (it would be right to immediately buy the entire volume of material from one factory batch so that there are no differences in color tone);
wedges to provide a gap between the wall and the first row of laminate;
cork substrate 2 mm thick, if the linoleum is without insulation.

The master will need the following tools:

measuring tape, at least 5 m long;
mallet or rubber mallet;
pencil;
nail puller. It will help lay the last row of laminate;
horizontal level;
as a rule, at least 2500 mm long;
cutting tool. To cut the lamellas, you need to choose a tool with a fine tooth. A hacksaw is suitable, a regular hacksaw with the smallest tooth, an electric jigsaw. Some craftsmen are accustomed to working with laminate with an angle grinder.

Preparatory work

The convenience of laying lamellas on linoleum lies in the minimum cost of preparing the base. Consider these works step by step:

Furniture is removed from the room, freeing the flooring for inspection.
Skirting boards are dismantled.
The surface is checked for integrity. It is important to identify differences in height that exceed the allowable values. The moisture level on the base is also estimated.
Large dirt and dust are removed with a vacuum cleaner, after which wet cleaning is carried out.

To check the deviations of the surface in height, use a horizontal level. To increase the length of the measurement, it is recommended to set the level on the rule and move them together along the entire length of the room. The results obtained are compared with the maximum possible difference - 2 mm per square meter.

If differences exceeding 2 mm are detected, the linoleum is dismantled, and the screed is leveled with special mixtures. If numerous drops with maximum values \u200b\u200bare found, the linoleum will have to be completely dismantled and the base prepared for the laminate using classical technology.

In addition to height deviations, you need to check the level of the slope of the floor surface. To do this, use a level. If there is no tool, you can use improvised means: a cord is pulled diagonally across the room at the same level from the floor. With the help of the level, the presence of a slope is checked, and its value can be measured with a building square.

To eliminate problems in the further operation of the laminate, the linoleum base should be repaired. Damage can be repaired as follows:

so that the edges of a small incision do not bulge, they are glued with polymer adhesives to the base or attached to double-sided tape;
large pieces of damaged linoleum are cut out, and a patch of the same thickness of material is glued in their place;
large cuts, slots and holes are glued by cold welding. A feature of the vinyl coating is that when exposed to cold welding, it liquefies, after which the polymerization process occurs. As a result, a strong and tight seam is formed in the problem area;
often in the old linoleum coating you can find swollen waves. To get rid of them, you need to cut the problem area at the highest point along the wave, and then glue both edges with polymer glue to the base.

To check the moisture level on the surface of an old floor covering, use a regular plastic sheet. A piece of 1000 by 1000 mm is cut out of the film and glued to the surface of the linoleum with adhesive tape for 24 hours, after which the film is checked. If there is moisture on it, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the room.

When preparing the base for laying laminate, some craftsmen recommend completely gluing the linoleum, but this method is not rational for the following reasons:

the cost of work and materials when gluing linoleum to the base is equal to the cost of the same work on laying a new substrate;
there is no need for a completely static position of linoleum;
when carrying out repair work with flooring, you will have to completely dismantle the linoleum and lay a new substrate, which will affect the overall estimate.

Instructions for self-laying

Consider a step-by-step algorithm for laying a laminate on your own on a linoleum base:

Before starting work, packages with boards are brought into the room, opened and the material is allowed to acclimatize for 24 hours.
Choose the method of laying the boards (along the room, across, herringbone). You can read more about these options.
Based on the laying method, the place of laying the first row is determined. We also offer a separate material on the topic.
Prior to installation, wedges are inserted between the wall and the first row of lamellas, which are designed to provide a temperature gap. Subsequently, such wedges are placed at the end of each row and on the final row along the wall.

Before laying, the spikes are removed from the boards of the first row. It is with this side that the lamellas are laid against the wall. Cross-cut cohesion of the boards is provided with a rubber mallet.
The second row is laid with dressing of seams, as in brickwork, for this, the first board is cut by a third or half. Each next row also comes with dressing of the seams; there should not be a coincidence of the end joints. Boards can only be knocked out with a rubber mallet through a bar with a comb.

The boards of the last row are sawn in width, taking into account the compensation gap from the wall. A nail puller is used to rally the finish boards.

Do you need an underlay

After you have decided in which case it is possible and how to lay the laminate on linoleum with your own hands, you need to clarify the last important point - the need to lay the substrate.

When laying laminate on linoleum, the following rules apply:

If the linoleum has a thick felt base, the substrate is not required. An excessive increase in the soft base under the lamellas causes uneven wear. As a result, the lock connections break, and the floor covering has to be completely changed.
If the linoleum is without soft insulation at the bottom, the substrate will be required. The best option for leveling would be a cork substrate 2 mm thick.

Laying laminate on linoleum can be carried out in various cases. For example, this method is especially relevant for apartments in new buildings or other premises where rolled material is used as a front cover.

If linoleum was laid in your apartment, then most likely the rough base is quite even, which makes it unnecessary to remove the existing cladding.

Advantages and disadvantages of this method

Linoleum in proper condition greatly improves the insulating qualities of the floor

Laying a laminated coating on linoleum is practically no different from traditional technology, when a laminate is laid on a prepared subfloor. In this case, the floor will act as the carrier base, on top of which the rolled material is laid.

This technology has some advantages over the classic laying option, but only if the old base is carefully prepared. The basic requirements for the quality of the base are indicated in the instructions for the laminate or on the packaging with the material.

The main advantages of laying on top of linoleum are:

insulation - this applies to both soundproofing and heat-insulating qualities. The resulting building cake provides greater insulation than standard laminate flooring over underlayment alone;
savings - no time and effort is required to dismantle the old coating. The presence of another technological layer under the laminate will reduce the outflow of heat from the room, which will certainly affect heating costs.

Failure to comply with technological standards and requirements for linoleum in the short term will damage the laminate. This will be seen from the cracks in the face layer and the characteristic fracture along the interlock line.

Surface preparation with linoleum

The technical condition of the old linoleum does not always reflect its appearance. Laying on linoleum can be done even on a torn and peeled off coating, after carrying out the appropriate preparatory work.

The subfloor must not be wet and contain heavily damaged areas.

Old linoleum must meet the following conditions:

the draft floor with the laid linoleum should not have multiple damages in the form of cracks, shells, potholes;
the maximum allowable differences in height relative to the level of the horizon should not be more than 2 mm per 2 m2;
the working base must be dry, clean, intact, free of fungus and mold;
the old coating must be securely fixed to the carrier base. The presence of bulges, bubbles, swellings and other delaminations is not allowed;
linoleum must have sufficient rigidity, since soft types of roll coatings do not have good elasticity.

These are prerequisites that must. Otherwise, the laminated fabric will quickly become unusable due to an uneven base and insufficient damper of the lining layer.

Preparation before laying will include the following actions: dismantling of skirting boards, checking the level of deviations, repairing damaged areas, cleaning the surface, preparing materials and tools for work.

The level of differences can be determined using a building level 1.5-2 m long. The level should be applied to the floor surface every 2 m. It is advisable to do this both along the length and along the room.

If there are significant differences on the surface, then it is impossible to lay the laminate on linoleum in this case. It will be necessary to completely dismantle the coating, level the floor according to the minimum requirements and lay the laminate using standard technology.

By damaged coating, we mean that the linoleum has torn off areas or peeled off seams, corners or other parts. The bare floor under the torn pieces should be cleaned of dust and dirt. Next, the surface is treated with a primer for concrete and puttied according to the current floor level.

Peeled off parts should be glued using building glue or a special composition for fixing linoleum. Wavy parts or bubbles need to be cut off, cleaned under them the floor and glued into place. For fixation, the restored areas should be pressed with something heavy until the adhesive composition gains full strength.

General installation instructions

You can start laying the laminate immediately after completing the preparatory measures and purchasing the right amount of materials. Laminate should be purchased and delivered to the place of work 2-3 days before laying.

For mounting the panels, a mounting kit is used, which includes several wedges for creating a technological gap, a hemming block and a bracket for laying panels in hard-to-reach places.

It is more convenient to take measurements using a tape measure with a stopper, a construction square and a pencil. Trimming laminate is best done with a jigsaw or wood saw with fine teeth.

When laying on top of linoleum, the use of a substrate is mandatory.

Do-it-yourself laying of laminate on linoleum is carried out in the following sequence:

At the final stage, the installation of skirting boards and other decorative finishes is carried out. To install the plinth, mark the wall and install the mounting plate along the length of one wall. Then repeat the steps for all other walls.

After mounting the bar, it is required to lay the necessary communications and set the internal corners. Finally, close the plinth with an outer decorative strip or other decorative element.

Linoleum is quite practical and durable flooring, but sometimes its improper use or incorrect location leads to surface damage and then you have to face the issue of floor repair. There are two ways to solve this problem, the first is to tear off the old linoleum and lay a new one, the second is to lay a new floor covering on top of the old linoleum. The ideal choice in this case would be a laminate, due to its versatile performance characteristics. So, let's figure out whether it is possible to put a laminate on linoleum and how to do it.

Preparatory procedures

In general, laminate flooring can be laid on tiles, concrete, chipboard, wooden floors, and linoleum. In the latter case, additional sound and heat insulation is an integral parameter of the future laminate flooring.

It is better to entrust the flooring of any kind of floors, and especially laminate flooring, to a specialist, but if you are confident in yourself and your abilities, then you should follow some algorithm for solving this problem.

The minimum set of tools for laying laminate

Before laying laminate flooring just delivered from the store, it is necessary to allow it to go through the “acclimatization” process within 3-4 days. Thus, being in the conditions under which it will be further operated, the laminate will acquire the same humidity and temperature as the working room. Also an important point at the initial stage is to inspect the uniformity of the color and pattern of the panels, check the availability of the necessary working tool and additional component materials.

In addition, you need to make sure that the floor is even. Its surface should be smooth, and the irregularities, if any, insignificant, the difference should be within 3 mm. Linoleum on top of which the laminate will be laid must be firmly and efficiently attached to the floor and meet the requirements for the bases. In other words, linoleum under the laminate should be characterized by such parameters as integrity, dryness, cleanliness, humidity should not exceed the humidity of the room. If the linoleum has any damage, they should be repaired in order to avoid future creaking of the laminated coating created.

In addition, it is undesirable to lay a laminate on linoleum of excessive softness, since the already assembled floor may be in danger of subsidence and distortion, which will eventually lead to unplanned repair of the floors.

Attention! If the linoleum coating is very dilapidated, then there is a possibility that in the future it may swell and disrupt not only the aesthetic appearance of the flooring, but also spoil it mechanically. In order to avoid such problems, linoleum should be covered with a layer of a special substrate with a thickness of at least 3 mm. It can be made of expanded polystyrene, foamed polyethylene foam and, which, by the way, is the best option. To increase the waterproofing of the floor, it is worth using composite materials consisting of two layers of sufficiently strong and dense polyethylene, which are laid with a layer of polystyrene. The substrate performs the function of a kind of "shock absorber", the absence of which in a year will lead to the appearance of cracks and pimples on the floor covering.

Rules for laying laminate on the old floor

The installation of laminate on linoleum is carried out according to a special technology, from the correctness and accuracy, the observance of which depends on the duration of the service life of the laminate flooring. It is necessary to produce laminate flooring in such a way that the butt seams are almost invisible. To comply with this condition, laying must begin from the window, and perpendicular to it, that is, as a result, the light from the window will fall along the panels and hide the seams.

The flooring should start with two boards from the first row. To ensure a gap between the wall and the laminate, special spacer wedges should be installed, which will provide a gap of 10 mm. This gap is called deformation and it allows the floor to “walk”, so to speak, that is, expand and narrow with changes in humidity and temperature in the room. The installation of the laminate is carried out with a lock on itself, which will facilitate the adhesion of the panels and speed up the process.

After laying the first row, at the end it is necessary to trim the so-called short panel. If the size of the cut section of the panel exceeds 500 mm, then the second row of decking can be started from it, which will minimize waste as much as possible. But do not forget that the end joints of laminated panels in adjacent rows should be located at a distance of at least 300 mm. Due to this, the pressure that appears during moisture deformation will be evenly distributed over the surface of the floor covering.

If there is a pipe in the way of the flooring, then it is necessary to cut a semicircle between the laminate and the pipe with an electric jigsaw or an electric drill with a special nozzle, and leave a small gap, which in the future can be hidden with a special plastic lining that matches the color as much as possible.

After the first row of flooring is assembled against the wall, the second row should be laid, while the angle of application of the second row of boards to the adjacent panel should be 45 °. They are inserted into the lock and when lowered down they snap into place, which indicates that the rows are fixed to each other. The four connected panels of the first two rows are the base for the upcoming installation. Previously installed expansion wedges should not be removed, as they are still needed to create a deformation gap. Laying the last panel is carried out using the so-called clamp, which will help keep the final panel in a stationary state.

The skirting board for the laminate should be as close as possible in color, or be a tone darker - it depends on your taste preferences.

Laying a laminated coating on linoleum is completed with the most suitable color, they are necessary to prevent moisture and dirt from entering the deformation gap between the laminate and the wall. The most optimal and practical option are skirting boards, which have special channels for hiding electrical wires, telephone wires or television cables in them.

To mask the joints of the laminated coating between rooms, special thresholds with a width of more than 3 mm are usually used. If it is planned to replace the door frame, then it is better to mount it after laying the laminate, but if the hatches were installed before the floor was laid, then at the bottom of the box it is necessary to make a small notch into which the panel will enter. This procedure will avoid rigid fastening of the panels adjacent to the door frame and their further deformation.

As the saying goes, it's better to see once than hear a hundred times:

Advantages of laminate flooring

The price of a laminated panel directly depends on the presence of natural wood in its composition, which makes the laminate not only an aesthetic floor covering, but also environmentally friendly. While most laminate flooring models mimic natural wood, the style can be repurposed so that the new floor is as close to granite or marble tile as possible.

In addition to a wide variety of styles and colors, laminate flooring has a number of other advantages:

Strength. Laminate coatings are excellent at resisting constant and variable high loads and forces.
Wear resistance. Under the influence of direct sunlight, laminated panels do not fade, do not dry out and do not lose their strength, and are not erased during operation.
The simplicity and ease of installation of the laminate allows even independently, without the help of a specialist, to lay out a laminate flooring.
No need for additional grinding and sanding of panels, as well as covering them with a layer of protective varnish.
Eco-friendly, hygienic and clean. All known stubborn stains from ink, wine, nail polish, etc. are easily removed from the laminate surface. These qualities are provided by a special protective layer that does not allow the surface to absorb harmful substances from the environment.

By the way, laying laminate on linoleum is relevant not only in case of damage to linoleum. Some experts specifically lay a layer of linoleum under the laminated floor, which provides additional hydro, sound and heat insulation. But in both cases, it is necessary to follow all the laying rules in order to get a perfectly even and durable floor.

How to use and care for laminate flooring

No matter how well the laminate is laid on the old linoleum, you need to know the basic rules for operation and maintenance that will help keep your floor for many years. First of all, in order for the texture of the pattern not to be disturbed, you should very carefully move furniture and other heavy things along the floor surface.

This rule does not only apply to a sofa, wardrobe or armchair, it also applies to chairs, a coffee table and even a working chair on wheels, all these types of furniture can ruin the surface, which will shorten the life of the flooring. In addition to furniture, one of the worst enemies of all types of laminate flooring is shoes with heels. Walking on the laminate can not only scratch it, but also slip on it yourself, which is fraught with serious injuries. Also, the laminate does not tolerate the fall of piercing, cutting and breaking objects on it, for example, a dropped knife, fork or mug will immediately damage it.

Naturally, when cleaning, it is necessary to use special detergents, and here it is better not to waste time on trifles, since low-quality cheap products will not only not help clean the floor, but, on the contrary, will ruin it irrevocably. When washing the floor, the main thing is not to overdo it with water. It is best to wipe the laminate with a slightly damp cloth - this is quite enough. If you want to achieve perfect cleanliness, clean with a special water washing vacuum cleaner with a soft non-scratch nozzle.

By following these simple rules, you can successfully operate the laminate for many years. But first, it must be correctly and technologically laid on top of linoleum. It is not difficult to do this, because everything ingenious is accessible and simple.