Linoleum has not occupied a leading position in the market for a long time as a floor covering, but in some application conditions it remains indispensable. This is a practical, easy-to-care material that is not afraid of moisture and is rich in textures. Laying should also be attributed to the advantages of this flooring - it does not cause any particular problems, and if you use the technique of seamless joining of paintings, then you can even get a solid coating with optimal sealing. It remains only to understand the question of how to weld linoleum, so that high-quality seams with a minimum content of defects are obtained. The task is technologically simple, but delicate and responsible. And you can solve it in different ways, which will be discussed below.
Features of welding linoleum
The basis of the material in most cases is formed by synthetic mixtures like polyvinyl chloride and other plastics. Natural oils are less commonly used - jute, flax and all kinds of wood resins. The problem of welding in both cases is that the adhesive effect differently affects different layers of the coating, of which there may be several. Therefore, at the initial stage, in principle, the number of joints should be minimized. But even in a geometrically correct room, you can not do without seams if continuous laying is required.
How to cook linoleum at home? In general, there can be two approaches - by the glue method or by thermal exposure. Accordingly, in the first case, a foreign binder composition is used, and in the second, the melt of linoleum itself. In choosing a specific method, the specificity of the specific structure of the material, its technical characteristics (density, rigidity) and the requirements for the final result (degree of tightness, moisture resistance, etc.) are taken into account.
Preparation of material for work
Mechanical and thermal operations with linoleum should be performed only if it is cleaned and well washed. The presence of dirt, dust and grease stains on the surface can cause poor-quality penetration with defects that will lead to ruptures in the future. How to cook linoleum in order to eliminate the risks of the formation of internal voids? This is an important nuance, since purified material can also get poor penetration. This usually happens with canvases in which the internal structure has discontinuities or delaminations. Such defects are checked at the edges and trimmed if necessary. Also, all kinds of damage on the outer and back sides must be eliminated, avoiding curvilinear cutouts. Adhesion should be made only in a straight line, which in the future will positively affect the strength of the joint.
Cold welding technology
Consider the adhesive method of forming a seam, the main advantage of which is the elimination of high-temperature electrical appliances. This is important both in terms of security and in terms of simplifying organizational procedures. How to weld linoleum in this way?
To begin with, you should prepare the following tool with supplies:
- Knife for cutting the blade.
- Marking devices.
- A sheet of plywood on which to cut linoleum.
- Construction tape.
- Special glue for PVC products.
What is the principle of such welding? Two pieces of linoleum prepared for laying are brought together and fixed with glue. The latter causes a chemical reaction in which the edges soften and turn into a melt. Further, the resulting adhesive mass with particles of polyvinyl chloride forms a single structure.
The choice of glue for cold welding
Previously, experts recommended that cold welding be used only for homogeneous webs - that is, with one layer of PVC. But with the increasing complexity of adhesives, the scope of technology has expanded. How to weld a linoleum seam with glue to make a reliable and durable connection? The key to success will be just the use of a suitable composition for the chemical bond of the two edges of linoleum. At the moment, there are the following brands of adhesive mixtures for synthetic coatings:
- Composition type A. Glue with a liquid consistency and a high content of solvents. This option is suitable for thin, neatly trimmed paintings, the joints between which do not exceed 2 mm. The result is a smooth and almost invisible seam.
- Composition type C. A thicker and more saturated mixture, which can fill a large gap. Suitable for thick commercial linoleum, but it will not be possible to completely hide the joints.
- Composition type T. More often used by specialists who lay coatings in large industrial premises. Ideal for multi-layer fabrics made of polyvinyl chloride and polyester. The seam will turn out reliable and durable, but also noticeable.
How to weld linoleum by cold welding?
The technology is being implemented in stages in the following sequence:
- The canvases are brought together in positions that correspond to the future position after installation.
- To ensure reliability at the joint, a strip of adhesive tape is applied. It is important that the tape brings the edges as tight as possible.
- Next, a seam connection is made. How to weld linoleum by cold welding? This is done with a tube of glue and a nozzle-needle. A sting pierces a strip of scotch tape strictly in the place where the contour of the joint passes.
- The seam is filled with glue along the entire length, during which the glued tape is also cut.
- About 15-20 minutes should wait until the applied adhesive mass has dried, and then peel off the adhesive tape.
Hot welding technology
There are several approaches to the implementation of this method. The classic and most common is hot air commissure. This is an intermediate technology for joining linoleum paintings from the point of view of applicability to different types of coating. In this way, you can work with household single-layer coatings, and with thick multilayer sheets intended for commercial use. How to cook linoleum using this technique?
To work, you need a special apparatus that has a thermal effect on the edges of the workpieces. As already noted, in contrast to cold welding, in this case, the role of the binder is played directly by the melt from linoleum plastics. The master’s task will be to form it correctly under the influence of hot air currents. In this regard, it is worth considering a tool for providing thermal exposure.
The principle of operation of the hot welding gun
Also, such devices are called building hair dryers. They are used to heat certain solutions or materials in order to give them a certain state or to perform welding, as in this case. The most common are electrical thermoguns, the function of the heating element in which is performed by a metal spiral directly connected to an electric current source. An integrated fan through the nozzle directs hot energy with a temperature of about 650 ° C.
How to cook linoleum with a hair dryer? The device is held by the handle and sent to the target area by the nozzle. It is desirable to determine in advance the optimum heating mode suitable for a particular material. To obtain a high-quality result, the option with smooth power adjustment will be more advantageous. A device with step-by-step adjustment will not allow achieving the required accuracy of the thermal effect.
How to weld linoleum joints with a thermogun?
The features of this method include the nuances of preparing the linoleum itself. It should be cut so that small grooves remain in the edges - along the core, into which the melt will be further laid. The optimum melting point of a commercial thick polyvinyl chloride web is 350-450 ° C. It is worth starting with a minimum level of heating, increasing the temperature if necessary. By the time the thermal effect begins, the pieces of the coating should not only be laid, but securely fixed. Moreover, experts advise sticking them to the screed.
Next - how to cook linoleum? A nozzle with a diameter of about 5 mm is directed to the edges at the joints and is slowly driven along the entire seam line. It is important to perform the operation in one step, but with normal heating of the edges until the melt appears. Hardening in one section and deformation in the adjacent one will inevitably lead to a distortion of the appearance of the seam. After warming up, the joint under soft pressure is pressed to the floor base and held for 10-15 minutes.
Cord welding
A variation of the technology described above, but with the addition of a fusible cord made of the same polyvinyl chloride. Some models of thermoguns provide a nozzle in the design for supplying a heated cord. In the process of melting, it goes into the seam ditch and connects the two edges of linoleum in the same place. That is, there is no need to purposefully process the edges of the coating - it is enough to place a sealing material between them, which under high temperature will organically bring together two parts of the material.
General tips for gluing linoleum
In addition to the considered methods for designing linoleum joints, SUVs also give the following recommendations on the progress of work:
- When buying linoleum, you should expect that at least 2 cm at the edges can be spent on a technological seam due to the melt.
- Regardless of the bonding technology, it is important to remove excess dirt in a timely manner. How to cook linoleum at home so that there are no obvious signs of contamination and deformation? Both in chemical gluing and in the hot welding method, immediately after the operation, it is necessary to cut off the remnants of glue, PVC melt or fusible protruding above the surface with a sharp sickle-shaped knife.
- It is advisable to select all foreign embedment materials for the linoleum texture. It will not be possible to completely eliminate the discrepancy in the shades, but it will be possible to minimize the contrast with the contours of the seam.
Welding Safety
From the point of view of threats, the most dangerous is the hot method of welding material, which is why manufacturers of thermoguns issue special instructions for their use. How to weld linoleum seam without the risk of fire and injury? To begin with, you should limit the working area as much as possible, excluding flammable objects from it. It is important to keep in mind that hot currents affect objects invisibly to the eye, which distinguishes them from conventional gas burners. But the danger of thermal damage remains the same. It is advisable to work with refractory gloves and glasses, without touching the linoleum and the functional part of the gun. Just in case, you should have a bucket of water at hand to fill the fire in a timely manner.
Conclusion
Welding linoleum as an operation of decorating and sealing the flooring is very useful and effective. It allows you to create a continuous coating without the slightest joints, forming a complete aesthetic appearance on the floor surface. How to weld linoleum in a home environment is a significant issue, since the quality of laying the material depends on it. If we are talking about a utility room or a recreation area with little wear, then it is entirely possible to limit ourselves to cold sealing using adhesive. As for the hot method of joining two linoleum paintings, this method is suitable in situations where it is planned to lay the coating in places with increased requirements for the design image. This method allows you to get not just better, but less noticeable seams while maintaining the durability of their structure.