Linoleum

 

Linoleum

Question:
What is the best way for laying new linoleum, and taking up the old?
Answer:

Unless you have several layers of old linoleum, most installers would put down a layer of luan to prepare the surface for the new vinyl. This will give you a far better result than trying to tear out an old floor. You may find a worse initial surface to deal with than going the luan route. If you have never laid vinyl sheet goods, I don't recommend you try. It requires several specialty tools, knowledge of proper trimming, and experience in laying out the pattern.

Question:
I want to replace the linoleum floor in my kitchen. There is one layer of regular linoleum and one layer of the 12" place & press tiles already there. I have tried to get some of this stuff up and it is really stuck!! Do I have to get the old stuff up before putting the new stuff down, or can I put the new stuff down on top of the old?
Answer:

You can lay luan sheeting down to make a smooth surface and then install vinyl over the top. It may require repositioning any quarter round trim that may be down and cutting the bottoms of door casing. But this is usually the recommended way. The alternative is to pry all of the old flooring up and installing new subfloor prior to laying the vinyl.

Question:
We need to remove the linoleum in our basement (concrete floor) as flood water got under the flooring in spots. What is the best way to do so? Is there a chemical that will loosen the linoleum? What has to be done to prepare the floor if we wanted to put laminate down?
Answer:

Unfortunately there are no magical solutions for this other than a lot of hard work with a floor scraper (shaped similar to a hoe). Make certain that the old lino does not contain asbestos as it is hazardous. Once you get the lino up, you may be left with some glue residue which can be removed with a lacquer thinner or acetone. You absolutely must turn off all pilot lights and work in a well ventilated area.

Question:
We have an older linoleum floor in the kitchen which we're not yet ready to replace. It has a 5" slit (we think along the seam) that has spread a little - about 1/8" at the widest point. Is there any way to repair this?
Answer:

You could try this: Clean the area as much as possible - underneath the slit as well, since it is likely that some dirt has gotten in there. Heat the area up with a hair dryer to give the lino some flex. Using a dull knife, push the slit down and together to see if it will fit tightly back in place. Providing it does fit, heat the area again, open the slit back up and apply some quick dry glue. Using the dull knife, push the slit back together. Apply some masking tape to hold it while the glue sets up. Once the glue is dry, remove the tape and seal the seam (follow the directions on the seam sealer kit).

Question:
I just purchased a new place with the original lino in the kitchen. I want to take it out and make it look trendy and modern. What is the best way to do that. Lino or tile? Cost benefits?
Answer:

Today's lino floors have come a long way in terms of pattern, color and finish options. It is possible to update to a more trendy look with either option (tile or lino). Cost of lino could start at a lower budget price - traditionally the prep required for a lino-to-lino installation would be less (although this is very case specific and would require an estimator to physically see the space to ascertain). However, some higher end lino floors can be very equivalent in price to a tile floor. Something to think about is resale - hard surface flooring (i.e. - tile, hardwood, etc) will add more to the value of your home than soft surfaces (i.e. - lino, carpet, etc). When renovating certain areas of the home, I would say that you should be concerned with working with the existing colors - not necessarily "matching", but coordinating with these colors.

Question:
By my back door, the floor must have gotten wet, because the floor is spongy under the lino. The house was built 13 years ago and this area is in a bay off the kitchen. How can I lift the lino without ruining it to see what I have to replace underneath.
Answer:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't lift the lino from the subfloor without damaging the lino. Do you have any remnants of the lino available? If so, you would be able to cut out the damaged area, install new subfloor and a lino patch.

Question:
I have lino in my kitchen and I wanted to pull it up and reuse it in my bathroom. Is this possible, and if so, how would i go about doing that?
Answer:

If it is glued down it is very hard to reuse it. Most likely it will chip and year when you pull it up.

Question:
Can you lay linoleum on top of carpet?
Answer:

No. Linoleum requires a firm substrate (i.e. - concrete or K3).

Question:
Some seams on my lino floor are "lifting" and separating. How can I re-glue them down again? Also by the heat registers, the lino is curling up. How can I reseal them?
Answer:

You can try a latex contact cement (low odor) however the lino has usually seen better days if it is curling badly and you may want to consider replacing it.

Question:
At the seam of 2 pieces of linoleum in our kitchen, the edge of both pieces has lifted slightly and now curls upwards. What product should I use to glue it down?
Answer:

Any over the counter, quick dry glue can work - providing the area in question is small (i.e. - under 12 inches). Please note: this fix would be classified as temporary and will not be as clean looking of a seam as the original. For larger seams, I would have a lino repair person address the problem. The following sequence can help if you are attempting to do this repair yourself: Clean the area as much as possible - underneath the slit as well, since it is likely that some dirt has gotten in there. Heat the area up with a hair dryer to give the lino some flex. Using a dull knife, push the slit down and together to see if it will fit tightly back in place. Providing it does fit, heat the area again, open the slit back up and apply some quick dry glue. Using the dull knife, push the slit back together. Apply some masking tape to hold it while the glue sets up. Once the glue is dry, remove the tape and seal the seam (follow the directions on the seam sealer kit).