Is it possible to lay linoleum on old linoleum: features and conditions under which it is possible to lay linoleum on top of old

About 30–40 years ago, linoleum was the most popular material among numerous domestic developers. There was only one reason, but a very important one - the lowest cost among all flooring materials. Unfortunately, the quality of the old linoleum did not satisfy even very modest requirements, but this factor did not particularly deter consumers.

Is it possible to lay linoleum on old linoleum?

Linoleum was once the most popular flooring

Features of choosing a new floor covering

Over time, linoleum, due to natural physical aging and mechanical damage, becomes unusable and requires replacement. The choice of method for installing a new coating depends on several factors.

Of all floor coverings, linoleum is the most popular

Condition of old linoleum

Over time, any floor covering becomes damaged, but linoleum has its own aging characteristics.

1. The pattern on the coating wears out only in certain places, all other areas are in good condition. Such situations often occur in kitchens. The wear and tear is greatest around the kitchen stove, where people walk a lot and constantly wash the floor. If you use cheap detergents that contain acids, the external decorative pattern wears off quite quickly, and then the base is damaged.

   If the old linoleum is uneven or has defects, then it is better to dismantle it

2. Through cracks appear on the base, part of the linoleum may come off. Very complex damage causes great difficulties when laying a new coating without dismantling the old one. Professional builders do not recommend laying linoleum over old linoleum in such cases; you must first do the preparatory work. Which ones exactly – we will tell you in this article a little lower.

   Torn linoleum

3. Damage to the coating occurs due to serious problems with the base . The cement screed is uneven, has significant and sharp differences in height, wide cracks, etc. This is the most difficult situation and requires a large amount of construction work.

Changes in the purpose of the room

Sometimes there are cases when it is necessary to change the assignments of rooms. For example, urgently preparing a nursery in connection with the birth of a child or adapting a separate room for elderly parents. And in the old rooms there was linoleum on the floor, it has already lost its original properties, the covering can be changed completely or covered with new linoleum on top. The decision is made taking into account many factors, including the financial capabilities of the apartment owners.

Thanks to the technology of laying new linoleum on the old one, you can reduce labor costs

Carrying out major repairs

Major renovation of interior premises is complex and large-scale construction work. The list includes replacing the finishing of walls and ceilings; this always has a very negative impact on the condition of the floor coverings. Attempts to protect floors by covering them with films or paper do not always help; the surfaces, if not mechanically damaged, are heavily contaminated with construction waste.

Major renovation of the apartment

The fastest and most economical restoration of floor coverings is to cover them with new linoleum, including over the existing one. If the surface of the old floor is within normal limits, then there is no need to do any preparatory measures; laying linoleum is much simpler.

Emergency situations

This means burst heating or water supply pipes, minor fires and other unpleasant situations. None of the owners of houses and apartments prepares for force majeure situations; they always arise unexpectedly. Eliminating them requires a lot of financial resources, and not everyone has them. Covering the floors with linoleum is the most budget-friendly solution . It can be permanent or temporary, it all depends on financial capabilities, the quality of the new linoleum and the personal preferences of the home owners.

Is it possible to lay new linoleum on old

Preparation

The first stage of work is a thorough inspection of the surface of the old material and assessment of the feasibility of laying new material on top of it. It is permissible to install a new coating without removing the old one if the following conditions are met:

• No traces of mold or fungal infections.
• Smooth hard surface. To comply with this condition, it is necessary to eliminate the defects discovered during the inspection: holes, cracks, dents from furniture supports, bulges.

Seal holes, dents and cracks with patches. They are made from pieces of old flooring that remain in the house after renovation. If there is no stock left of scraps of old material, then purchase a small piece, but of the same thickness. Tools required to complete the patch:

• a universal knife for cutting floor coverings (you can use a construction or office knife);
• mastic (glue);
• small spatula;
• cold welding agent (this is an adhesive-like substance, a kind of solvent, which melts the coating when applied and thereby holds the joints together).

Work order:

1. Apply a piece of new material to the damaged area. The patch must be larger than the size of the defect.
2. Using a knife, cut a square in the old covering around the perimeter of the patch.
3. Remove the damaged piece.
4. Cover the floor surface under the future patch with mastic.
5. Place a new piece of material and secure it.
6. The seams are processed by cold welding.
7. Place a weight on top of the patch.

Patch

Before laying linoleum, it is necessary to eliminate any bulges. Insert patches in their place too. Another way: inject a small amount of glue with a syringe and place a weight on top of the bubble. Seal small cracks with silicone sealant.

Before laying new material without removing the old one, it is necessary to prepare the room and materials. For this you will need:

• vacuum cleaner;
• floor cleaner;
• spatula or crowbar for dismantling the baseboard;
• solvent;
• primer;
• bucket and brush for the primer mixture.

The procedure for carrying out preparatory work:

• Remove furniture from the premises.
• Remove trash.
• Wash the floor.
• Remove the plinth (wooden with a crowbar, MDF with a spatula).
• Degrease the surface of the old coating with a solvent.
• Before you start laying linoleum, you need to let it sit for 48 - 72 hours.
• Prepare the primer mixture.
• Use a brush to prime the surface of the floor and the back side of the new coating (if it is intended to be laid using glue).

Under what conditions can you lay new linoleum on old

The final answer depends on the actual condition of the flooring, how it was installed and the characteristics of the subfloor. Although experienced builders do not recommend laying new coatings over old ones, some developers disagree with them and make their own decisions. This is done for several reasons. Some are too lazy to dismantle leaky linoleum, while others think that in this way it will be possible to increase the service life and improve performance characteristics. Still others want to renovate the room as quickly as possible and without any construction debris.

Using old linoleum as a base, you can save about 650 rubles. per 1 m²

You need to know that it is possible to lay new material on the old one only in cases where the following conditions are met.

1. The surface of the old linoleum does not have through gaps. The coating laying technology prohibits fluctuations in the height of the base by more than 1 mm per linear meter. Linoleum is a soft coating that replicates the surface and hardly hides unevenness. If there are such differences in height, then unevenness will certainly appear on the new surface, and this not only worsens the appearance. The fact is that along sharp bend lines wear becomes noticeable very quickly - the decorative pattern wears out, and the likelihood of the formation of through abrasions increases significantly. The explanation is simple. In these places, the loads are point or linear in nature, which greatly increases their value per unit area.

   The surface of the old linoleum must meet all requirements

2. Old linoleum does not bulge . Over time, after prolonged use, swelling sometimes appears on old linoleum for various reasons. Their sizes can be so large that the new coating is not able to correct problem areas; swelling eventually appears on the new linoleum. Before laying, you need to level the bottom layer of linoleum, and this is not easy to do. Sometimes you have to almost completely tear off the old coating; this is the only way to eliminate swelling.
3. The base is level. This refers to a concrete slab or cement-sand screed. As mentioned above, there are strict standards for screed unevenness, which should always be strictly observed. Uneven floors will quickly damage not only the old, but also the new linoleum.

   Checking the quality of the floor screed

4. The wooden elements of the base are not damaged by fungal diseases or mold . There are options when linoleum is laid on OSB boards or plywood. Before laying new material, you should partially remove the old one and carefully check the condition of the wooden structures. If the slightest problems are identified, it is necessary to completely dismantle the old coating and carefully check the technical parameters of OSB boards or plywood. Depending on their condition, a decision is made on repair, drying and re-impregnation with antiseptics, or a complete replacement.

But in any case, it should be borne in mind that under the old coating, over time, not only dust accumulates, but also various microorganisms: bacteria and mites. They can cause allergic reactions or more severe negative consequences.

Table. Main types of linoleum.

Prices for Tarkett linoleum

linoleum tarkett

If possible, it is better to purchase commercial linoleum, as it is of the highest quality.

General tips for laying new linoleum on old

If the linoleum is not glued, then it is quite easy to remove it. But dismantling is recommended only when there is critical damage to the surface, which will certainly appear on the new coating over time. The second reason for removing the old one is noticeable unevenness in the base. They are easy to detect without dismantling the old linoleum; over time, all problem areas on its surface will be clearly visible.

Old linoleum needs to be removed

Glued linoleum should only be torn off if the old coating is going to be thrown away. The fact is that even theoretically it is impossible to maintain the integrity of the old coating. The use of special construction hair dryers will not help either; when heated, linoleum loses its physical strength much faster than glue that has long hardened. The applied tearing forces cause great damage.

Dismantling old linoleum

What should be an approximate algorithm of actions for those who still decide to lay new linoleum on the old one?

1. Carefully inspect the surface, make an audit of its actual standing . If the material has retained its integrity, and only the drawings on the surface have become unusable, then there are no obstacles to continuing the repair work.
2. Find out the reason for the appearance of damage on old linoleum. Tears can appear due to the natural physical aging of polymers; they lose their plasticity and crack. Such damage is not considered critical and does not prevent the laying of new linoleum on the old one. In cases where the damage is caused by unevenness of the base, concrete slabs, cement-sand screed or OSB slabs must be repaired before laying. It is impossible to do this without completely dismantling the old coating. The decision to reuse it should be made by the craftsman on site, taking into account the actual condition of the linoleum. The fact is that quite often dismantling causes critical damage to the coating, which makes it impossible to reuse it.

   How to eliminate bubbles on linoleum

3. Solve the problem with furniture . As the new coating is laid, it can be moved from place to place, raised a little or not touched at all. The first option is considered the most optimal, as it will cover the entire area of ​​the room. But rearranging furniture requires a lot of effort and time; not every apartment owner wants to do such work. As for the second and third options, it is much easier to do this, but it is extremely undesirable. The fact is that situations often arise when, over time, it is necessary to completely replace the furniture. And then big problems arise, because there is no new coating underneath. Another case - the apartment is for sale. If the buyer sees that not the entire area of ​​​​the room has a new coating, then the price will decrease significantly.
4. Remove skirting boards . You need to be prepared for the fact that some of the baseboards will be damaged. In this regard, professional builders recommend immediately purchasing a set of new ones, otherwise you will have to stop work later. An increase in repair time always causes unpleasant situations. It is necessary to anticipate all possible problems and take timely measures to prevent them.

If, after a careful analysis of all the initial data, a decision was made to lay new linoleum over the old one, then the existing requirements of building codes and regulations should be met.

Before installing a new coating, you must stock up on all the necessary tools.

If installed relatively recently

The picture is completely different in the case of a relatively new topcoat with a well-leveled base - there is no such need, it does not need to be removed. Moreover, you can significantly save labor and time on preparation for installation, and since the new flooring may not have a dense base, so will your finances.

The old coating must first be inspected for defects and repaired if necessary. For example, to repair a crack,

• 
  you can cut it from both ends in the transverse direction like the letter “H”;

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• the edges must be bent;
• apply special mastic to the substrate and base;
• Press the material tightly to the floor, it is advisable to place a weight on this place until the glue sets well.

As for the holes found, the easiest way to patch them is if you still have unused pieces from the old coating. You can also ask for unwanted scraps at the store. To ensure a smooth surface after repair, the patch must have a similar backing of the same density.

How to properly design joints?

Cold welding for linoleum (special glue)

Step 1. Spread two pieces of linoleum with an overlap of 3–5 cm. Make sure that the material lies flat without tension or folds.

Pieces of linoleum are laid with overlap

Step 2. Place a metal ruler in the middle of the overlap and carefully cut through the material with a sharp knife. You should cut two layers at once; to do this, the tip must be pressed quite firmly. Keep in mind that you can only cut with a working tool, otherwise the edges will not be smooth, and it is almost impossible to correct the defect.

Cutting linoleum

Step 3. Remove the top and bottom sections. Place a strip of double-sided tape on the old linoleum; it should secure the two edges of the new one. The gluing technology is the same as that usually used during the installation of soft floor coverings.

Removing sections of linoleum

Gluing double-sided tape

Step 4. Place the linoleum in place and press firmly. Place masking tape on top of the cut line. Make sure that all air pockets are removed and the tape fits snugly around the edges. It is recommended to press it down with a special roller, otherwise the glue will get onto the front surface of the linoleum and leave marks on it. It is sometimes impossible to remove such stripes; it all depends on the chemical composition of the active substance and the technical characteristics of linoleum.

Masking tape is rolled with a roller

Step 5. Using the sharp end of a knife, carefully cut the masking tape along the line where the two pieces of coating meet. Work slowly, maintain the cutting direction, and do not go beyond the abutment lines.

Masking tape is cut along the joint line

Step 6. Place the tip on the tube, first make a hole in the sealed stopper. Insert the thin tip into the gap between the pieces of linoleum. Smoothly and evenly move the glue along the joint line, gradually squeeze out the liquid. Make sure that there are no gaps and that the glue does not get beyond the masking tape. The composition must penetrate the entire thickness of the material.

Squeezing out glue

Depending on the drying time recommended by the manufacturer, a strip of tape is removed; in most cases, 8–10 minutes is enough. The linoleum is completely welded on the second day; only after this time has passed, you can walk or install furniture at the joint.

Masking tape is removed

The seam is almost invisible

We described the simplest, so-called cold seam sealing technology. There is also a hot one, but to use it you need to have special expensive tools. In addition, it is not applicable to all types of linoleum, but cold is considered universal.

Types of welding

At the last stage, the baseboards are screwed on. You can use cheap plastic or expensive natural wooden ones. If the design of the skirting boards allows, then it is recommended to simultaneously fix linoleum to the floor; this will greatly increase the strength of the installation of the coating.

Installation of skirting boards

Installation technology

Before installation, the roll should be spread on the floor and the ends should be pressed so that the material straightens . This can be done in another room while the base is cleaned of dust, primed and drying.

Installation order:

1. Measure out the required piece of linoleum. Make a margin of 1.5 - 2 cm around the edges.
2. Visually divide it into 2 parts. Bend one and coat the floor underneath with glue. To improve adhesion, also spread on linoleum.
3. Place the material and press down with a roller to smooth it out.
4. Wait 20 minutes (during this time the linoleum sticks) and do the same with the second half.
5. The edges are glued at the end, after the middle is firmly fixed.

After installation, you should wait a day, after which you can put furniture on the linoleum, as well as install baseboards.

Advantages of laying new linoleum over old

There are such advantages, although they are very conditional.

1. The performance characteristics of floor coverings are improved . The values ​​of thermal conductivity, tightness and noise absorption almost double. Specific values ​​depend on the condition of the coating and the technical parameters of the new one.
2. The volume of work is reduced and the speed of work is increased . There are several reasons - the base is not leveled, there is no need to buy or make cement-sand mortar yourself.
3. Much less construction waste . In some cities there are big problems with its disposal. It is prohibited to throw old linoleum into an ordinary trash bin, and it is not always possible to take it to specialized landfills.

One of the main advantages of laying new linoleum on old is saving time during installation

The decision on the method of laying new linoleum should be made slowly, carefully analyzing all the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods.

Video - Tips for laying linoleum

Video - Is it possible to put new linoleum on top of the old one?