How to smooth linoleum on the wave floor

Many people mistakenly consider linoleum to be very easy to use, with which usually there are no problems. But at the same time, problems often arise with him - a consequence of improper installation and non-compliance with technologies. The most common mistake is improper fixing of the floor covering.

And if you do not follow the rules of operation, then you can not only stretch the coating to bubbles, but also tear with heavy objects during furniture relocation. How to prevent the appearance of waves on linoleum or correct the situation when the material became wavy? It is possible to straighten or straighten a long lying linoleum and remove creases!

Material Features

Linoleum is a polymer material that can often be found on the floor of many apartments. This coating is produced in rolls, which is very convenient when buying and transporting. Manufacturers offer a large assortment of linoleum of various sizes and parameters. This is a budget type of coating that can be equipped in any room without joints.

Advantages of the material weight:

• simplicity in leaving;
• not afraid of moisture and dirt;
• with proper installation is not deformed;
• scratch resistance;
• you can mount the coating yourself, for this you do not need to hire specialists and receive special knowledge;
• on the surface of the coating there are no traces of wet feet, as happens when the floor is covered with a laminate;
• it is an excellent heat and sound insulating material that can get rid of extraneous noise from neighbors from below. This type of coating is especially relevant in old-built apartments, since the floors in them are very thin;
• long service life, which can reach more than 10 years (depending on the type of coating);
• customers are offered a huge selection of this material - it differs in colors, the thickness of the protective layer. There is linoleum, which imitates expensive natural materials such as stone, wood, tile and parquet.

Of course, this coating also has drawbacks - unnaturalness, not the ability to pass air. But science and technology do not stand still and today some manufacturers are starting to produce linoleum analogues using natural fibers.

There are currently four types of coatings:

• household linoleum - the material is inexpensive, but also not strong enough, so it is used in the arrangement of rooms with minimal loads;
• reinforced household - with a large protective layer, can be both with insulation on the back side, and without it. It is used in passable rooms, bedrooms, can withstand a greater load than ordinary household material;
• semi-commercial material - strong and durable, able to withstand small loads. Ideal for halls, corridors and walkable rooms;
• commercial - made from durable, abrasion-resistant material. It is used even in public organizations and institutions.

How do waves arise

Many home craftsmen, when laying linoleum, faced such a problem as waves on the surface of the floor covering. This may be due to the following points:

• saving on transportation, for example, when the buyer tries to deliver large-volume linoleum independently in the trunk of a passenger car. As a result, an inflection appears, which is very difficult to smooth out - a wave is formed on the coating;
• long-term storage on a roll, when the material takes and retains its shape, so it needs to lie down for a certain time to smooth out;
• if the material was bedded without fixation, then when the furniture is rearranged, a wave may appear on it. If it is not evened out on time, it will turn into a persistent defect;

Interesting fact! Bubbles and waves can also appear on old material, if the technology was violated during installation. If you do not notice them in time, the floor covering may break or bend - a defect that is almost impossible to eliminate without a trace.

Often the cause of severe unrest of linoleum on the floor is the non-observance of technological gaps between the wall and the canvas - it should be at least 1 cm.

In fact, modern material does not shrink and does not stretch, so after the coating is laid down on the floor, the right amount of time must be cut in accordance with the requirements.

How to smooth the waves: ways

There are many ways to rid linoleum of waves and air swellings, for example:

• a simple way is to leave it on the ground, and the bumps will go away naturally;
• align with mechanical influences;
• set the load to the surface;
• warm the material with a building hairdryer;
• iron with an iron through a thick foil - if the place of the swelling is not large.

Experts identify several methods to fix a coating with irregularities:

• if you just bought the material, then roll it up on the surface of the front side and leave it for a few days - all the bumps will smooth out by themselves;
• there are waves - try to put a press. To do this, a heavy object is installed in the place of swelling. But at the same time, it is desirable to put a sheet of thick plywood on the material, and then make it heavier. You can put a stack of books or buckets of water;
• no time to wait - twist the roll with the front side inward and leave it for 24 hours, the bumps will disappear. In this case, the main thing is time, if the material lies in a twisted state for a long time, then the waves will appear again.

Interesting! The construction crews do not allow linoleum to lie down, they level it mechanically. To do this, press one end of the material with the baseboard, and with the help of the rule, smooth the surface and fix the loan from the opposite side. Then the process is repeated, but from other walls.

If there are constant temperature changes in the room, then the flooring can either stretch or sit down during operation, therefore, when cutting material between the flooring and the wall, a little space is left

How to smooth out waves with a done repair

If during operation there are bumps on the floor, then the removal depends on how the material was installed earlier.

If the flooring was made without the use of glue, then proceed as follows:

• dismantle the door sill and baseboards;
• straighten the material with any improvised level object;
• if as a result of this process the canvas began to go on the walls, it is cut;
• maintain the flooring under weight and put all the elements in place.

In order not to repeat this situation, it is better to sizing linoleum.

Often, when installing the material on glue, technology is violated. As a result, in some places the flooring moves away from the base, and air bubbles appear, which can be tried to remove without dismantling:

• pierce the bubble with an awl or a thick shoe needle;
• let out air and smooth the plane;
• insert a syringe with glue into the hole and squeeze the right amount of adhesive;
• press the area to the floor, put a piece of plywood on it and put a bucket of water on it - leave it to dry completely.

The old coating, which eventually hardened to level out without the help of using hot air, will not work. In order for the process to succeed, it is better to use a building hair dryer, with which the material is heated until completely level.

Often during prolonged use, dents from heavy furniture appear on the surface of the material, which become noticeable when moving it to another place. An ordinary iron may help in this situation. But it is impossible to iron linoleum without a protective coating, therefore, before carrying out the process, a piece of foil is laid at the processing site, through which the material is heated. from high temperature, the polymer coating is compressed and expanded.

Finally

Of course, in order for the result to be positive, and the laid floor covering lasts a long time, it is necessary to strictly observe the installation technology. In addition, linoleum itself must be of high quality, and the room in which it will be laid warm and dry. But if the trouble in the form of irregularities still happened, then it is advisable to know in advance how to deal with this so as not to waste time and money on the purchase and installation of new linoleum. Using the advice of specialists, which were described above, you can cope with both the waves on the floor, and with the swelling of the material.