Despite the development of technologies and materials, linoleum has been and remains the most popular flooring. Over the years, this material has established itself as an excellent floor covering for commercial premises and offices, as well as ordinary apartments or houses.
This material can be quickly and accurately laid, capturing a large area in a minimum amount of time. If the room is being repaired, linoleum is also quickly removed. This coating is easy to clean, withstands heavy wear and does not lose its beautiful appearance. Today you can buy types of linoleums that mimic different textures. A wide range of colors is also offered.
In the days of the Soviet Union, this material was produced in fixed sizes with a width of 1.5 m. Today there is more choice of measurements - you can purchase a coating with a width of 3 or even 5 meters. Despite this, it is often necessary to glue two pieces of material. Many would like to learn how to glue linoleum end-to-end at home. Consider a few technologies.
Why, when and why is it necessary to glue the joints of linoleum?
This flooring is very hygienic and quite mobile in terms of replacement. Often it is used for finishing floors in kitchens and corridors - these are places where it is especially often necessary to clean. Also, these rooms are places with high humidity and are characterized by sharp changes in temperature. The interiors of apartments in old buildings and the layout of the rooms makes gluing the joints of linoleum.
You can’t do without gluing when finishing floors in various offices and other similar objects. In addition, domestic manufacturers still supply flooring with a width of 1.5 m to the construction market. For small corridors this is a normal size, but for large rooms this is not the best choice. Therefore, in the process of laying the strip must be glued to each other.
Bonding Technologies for Linoleums
There are two options. So, you can use cold welding, which is applied using special adhesives, or a hot option - here a special cord with a hairdryer solders the joints between each other. Additionally, there are still subspecies. For example, there is nothing easier than gluing linoleum on the floor with double-sided tape.
They are also connected by joints. Sills made of rubber or metal, which are recommended for
laying linoleums on other materials, can be used.
Hot way
Using this technology, linoleum joints are glued in commercial premises. It requires special equipment for welding. You also need a special cord. Instead of welding equipment, a hot air gun can be used.
So, in the place of the joints they lay the cord. Laying width should be 2-3 mm. Then, using a hairdryer, which was previously heated to 500 degrees, the wires are simply soldered to the surface of linoleum. It should be borne in mind that one cord should be no longer than half of the soldered part. The second piece of the cord is placed on a soldered wire with a small margin of 2-3 cm.
High temperatures make it possible to solder the cord material into linoleum in the highest quality and sealed manner. To remove it, experts prefer to use a special tool for gluing linoleum.
This option is highly practical and even more reliable, however, it is more suitable for more rigid flooring. Unfortunately, for apartments and houses, manufacturers offer softer materials that do not withstand such high temperatures. And so you need to know other options, how to glue linoleum butt at home.
Cold welding
This is a great way to perform the operation of gluing joints with your own hands. Cold welding is often used in everyday life and is considered very popular for such tasks. Why is the process called cold welding? It is carried out by gluing the floor covering with inexpensive glue for linoleum without the need for “violence” over the material at high temperatures.
How to glue butt linoleum cold welding
Its edges should be cut as accurately and evenly as possible. Then they are laid on top of each other so that one joint covers the other by about 3 cm. It is important that they are clean and dry. Before gluing linoleum on the floor, you need to apply paper tape on the material - it will reliably protect the decorative surface from the aggressive effects of glue. It also acts as a label for the bonding zone. Adhesive tape is applied not only to the upper, but also to the lower part.
Then, the lower and upper strip of floor material is simultaneously cut off. The remaining trim should be removed. Then both are rolled together using a special roller at the junction so as to align in one level.
The glue is applied to the seam area and dosed to the entire length. After smearing it on the surface of linoleum should be only a thin strip. It is necessary to ensure that the glue does not fall on the surface of the coating. Unfortunately, it is impossible to withdraw it.
After performing these operations, the glue is allowed to dry for ten minutes. Then the tape can be removed. Here's how to glue linoleum butt at home - there is nothing complicated about it. The advantage of this method is the invisibility of the seams, and they themselves can even be curly.
Cons of cold welding
Cold welding is a very effective adhesive, but you should not use it on linoleums that have a soft base or insulation. In this case, the glue will not help to achieve the most accurate joining. The seams will be very noticeable, and their appearance will become unaesthetic.
Glue selection
In the process of using cold welding, it all depends on the materials that stick together. There are several types for different situations:
- Glue "A" has a liquid form and is suitable for working with hard linoleums.
- Glue "C". It creates a special layer on the seam surface and is used for gluing joints up to 4 mm thick.
- Glue "T" can glue polyester materials.
Necessary tools
Let's look at what tools you might need. Selection is based on the type of linoleum. For working on hot technology, you will need scissors and an edge cutter for even cuts. Next, to apply the material, it is worth preparing a spatula, brush or roller.
For pressing use rubber hammers. For hot bonding you need a hot air gun and a cord. If cold welding is performed, then you need glue, a fairly sharp knife, a lot of rags and tape (paper and double-sided will do).
Advised by professionals
The needle from the container with glue during cold welding should be fed as deep as possible into the seam.
This is necessary to get the right amount of glue. A rag will help to quickly remove glue drops from the surface. It is more convenient to work with the tube with two hands at once. The glue consists of very aggressive substances, so you need to work with it very carefully. After finishing work, it is recommended to ventilate the room. Now you know how to glue linoleum end-to-end at home.
As you can see, the procedure is simple and affordable for everyone. As a result, the flooring will take on a beautiful aesthetic appearance. There is nothing better than a well-laid linoleum. Bonding the joints will give the flooring an even more aesthetic appearance.