Linoleum in modern modifications is less and less like budget coverage of previous years, which formed technical rooms, corridors and hallways. Today, this material can also be used when laying in the living room - it remains only to correctly perform the installation with the formation of smooth joints. The fact is that welding seams of linoleum is not just an operation of decorative value. The durability of the flooring depends on the quality of its implementation.
General information on linoleum welding technologies
There are two types of linoleum on the market, to which different welding techniques are applied . These are classic household and commercial flooring models. Materials differ in their structure. Commercial or industrial models have a more wear-resistant and rigid base, which requires intensive thermal and mechanical impact. Standard coating versions are characterized by a soft base and elastic construction.
What technology is used for household linoleum? Cold welding of seams is safe for polyvinyl chloride, of which such floorings mainly consist. This method is most safe for PVC coatings, since during the installation process, the effect is pointwise on the joining line. Hot welding, in turn, provides for thermal melting, which rarely allows you to keep the whole structure of polyvinyl chloride around the weld.
If we talk about welding technologies applied to hard commercial linoleum, both cold and hot welding are allowed. This is due not only to the structure of the coating, but also to the characteristics of the materials used in its manufacture. Along with PVC, natural components are used, including jute, chalk, oils and resins. This combination allows you to apply in the installation and thermal effects. On average, welding of commercial linoleum joints is carried out at a temperature of 350-400 ° C. But do not consider this technique as more acceptable. Nevertheless, cold welds are used to perform neat curly seams and applications.
Soldering stations for welding linoleum
For the implementation of hot welding, special equipment is used in the form of welding or soldering stations. They are based on a rigid frame with a generator set and accessories that directly direct hot air. The standard device also provides a drum for wrapping the suture bar, which will be used to close the seam. As for the working qualities, the apparatus average for welding linoleum joints works at temperatures up to 600-700 ° . The connection is usually made to a single-phase 220 V network. The choice should also take into account the performance of the equipment and the torsion speed of the pinch roller. It is determined by the power of the generator and indicates the maximum possible pace of work. For example, a power potential of 3400 W provides a speed mode of about 12 m / min. These are average indicators of semi-professional equipment.
Hair dryers for welding linoleum joints
A functional component of a soldering station for working with plastic and polymer alloys, the parameters of which also determine the welding capabilities. This is a kind of welding gun-hair dryer, available on the market in the form of manual and automatic models. In the context of supplementing the soldering station with a hair dryer, it is important to note the difference in functional tasks. If the main base technically organizes the conditions for the formation of hot flows in a certain range, the welding gun directly adjusts the parameters of the thermal air stream, directs it and allows you to adjust the temperature regime. So, when hot welding linoleum seams with a hairdryer, average heating modes in the ranges from 350 to 400 ° C are used.
Cold welding tool
In this case, exclusively mechanical processing means are used, the main of which will be an assembly knife. It should have good sharpening and preferably several interchangeable blades of various sizes. A marking tool is also being prepared in the form of a ruler, level and pencil. The key technological operation when performing cold welding of linoleum joints is the supply of adhesive. For the convenience of its implementation, an assembly gun is used. With its help, through a nozzle of a suitable format, it will be possible to pinch glue pointwise onto the connection line of pieces of linoleum. Consumables will require masking tape.
Preparation for work
The work site is completely freed from garbage, currently unnecessary materials, furniture and equipment. In the accessibility zone, tools and working fragments of linoleum should remain. In advance, in accordance with the planned laying configuration, parts of the coating must be cut. Before installation and welding of joints, linoleum is cleaned and dried. Regardless of the welding technology used, the material must be free from the smallest foreign particles on the surface, as well as oil and grease stains. It will not be out of place to check the integrity of the material, since flooring often gets damaged during delivery and primary processing. Also, parts of linoleum that are unnecessary for laying for test equipment testing are being prepared. In particular, a suitable temperature condition of the soldering station with a hairdryer is checked on the waste material.
How to choose a cord for welding?
A cord or fusible cable is a necessary consumable when performing hot welding. It is just loaded into the pinch roller with the drum of the soldering station, and during operation, the system directs it to the bonding line through manual feeding or in automatic mode. When choosing a fusible cable, the operating conditions of the coating and size requirements should be considered. Linoleum joints are usually welded with a cord 4–5 mm thick. As for the conditions of use, today there are special modifications of the cord, designed for installation in rooms with an aggressive environment. For example, it may be articles of a low-melting polymer, suitable for use on a moisture-sensitive basis. High-strength models are resistant to the negative effects of wet cleaning. The optimal approach in choosing a fusible cord for operational properties involves focusing on the quality of linoleum itself. Commercial coatings have protective properties that are always indicated on the label.
The nuances of selecting glue for welding linoleum
Adhesive formulations determine the characteristics of the connection of two coating fragments. Cold welding uses one of three types of glue:
- Type A. Solutions with a liquid consistency, so they are used only for joining linoleum with narrow seams. For large gaps, this composition is not suitable. But, despite this limitation, A-group adhesive products for cold welding are characterized by strength, invisibility after hardening and high penetration.
- Type C. In a sense, the opposite of the previous composition. Such glue is characterized by a thick consistency and is more often used in the sealing of large joints. Moreover, manufacturers of C-glue for welding linoleum joints recommend using it for old and damaged coatings with defects. It effectively closes wide cracks and small chips, restoring the structure of the material.
- Type T. High-quality composition designed for felt and polyester linoleum. However, it also performs well when connecting canvases with a thick and multi-layer structure.
Varieties of glue for linoleum in composition
The recipes are different, but acrylic or polyurethane is often used as the basis. In structural and technical terms, polyurethane is more advantageous, since its adhesion ability allows laying and joining linoleum on almost any surface. They also perform repair operations in relation to synthetic floor coverings. As for acrylic compounds, they cannot boast of equally high adhesion ability, but they benefit from environmental safety.
Instructions for performing hot welding of linoleum
Having determined the appropriate parameters of the equipment, you can begin installation activities. The fusible cord is inserted into the drum of the station, after which the heating process starts. From this moment, the operator needs to maintain a sufficient pace of action, otherwise, if the cord is melted delayed, it will start right in the loading block, which will stop the whole process. Actually, the contractor only needs to exert pressure on the hair dryer so that the melt of the cord evenly fits into the contour of the junction line. If a soft cord is used to weld polyvinylchloride linoleum joints, it is more likely that excess will protrude above the surface of the coating under heating. This is a normal technological reaction, the consequences of which are eliminated in the next step. As soon as the soldering is completed, the hairdryer should be turned off immediately and wait for it to cool completely. A delay with a late shutdown of the gun may cause the nozzle to overheat.
Cord Trimming Technique
Removing excess weld cord is done with a special sickle-shaped knife. It is advisable to do this procedure no later than 15 minutes after welding at a specific site. Otherwise, the seam will simply cool down and lose its ductility, due to which the cut can be done neatly and cleanly. The first cut approach is done so that approximately 1/32 inch of the seam remains above the surface. The second approach is done at an angle - so that the cutting edge of the tool along the entire cutting line occupies an inclined position. Such laying of linoleum with welding of seams will provide the effect of a concave gap. After the procedure is completed, polishing is carried out with special mastic for linoleum. It will identify possible flaws in the completed seam, making its texture clearer.
Instructions for performing cold welding of linoleum
The method is implemented in several steps. At the first, the edges of two linoleum fragments should be protected from contamination with glue. To do this, use masking tape, with which the line of the joint is pasted strictly in the center.
The main part of the work consists in laying the adhesive composition. The mounting gun is refilled with a prepared compound or equipped with a tube of glue. Techniques for applying the composition may be different. Some experts recommend gluing alternately both sides of the linoleum, and after laying them, apply the mass in the center of the seam. Another popular option involves the initial pasting of only one side, which is also fixed to the floor. After that, another fragment of the coating is already processed along with the junction line. Both methods will provide a reliable connection of linoleum, but welding of large-sized joints is still best done with double-sided gluing and fixing to the floor. Especially when it comes to thick commercial linoleum. At the end of the work, you should wait for the period of glue polymerization, and then proceed to cleaning the joint with soft abrasives. Masking tape is removed last when the surface of the seam is completely leveled.
Conclusion
Both gluing methods in practice are effective and efficient if you follow the instructions for their implementation. At the same time, do not forget about the configuration of the material laying, which will also affect the performance of the coating. There is a well-known rule that the junction lines should be oriented parallel to the fall of the sun's rays in the room, but, as experts say, this does not apply to welding linoleum joints and laying its fragments on glue. But an important role is played by mechanical influences at the joints. Therefore, it is not recommended to place heavy furniture or equipment directly at the seams. At least, if commercial linoleum was not used for coating.