Step-by-step instructions: how to lay linoleum on a concrete floor?

Replacing your concrete floor with linoleum is an economical and useful way to improve your home’s flooring. When remodeling a kitchen, bathroom, or any other space, linoleum provides long-lasting wear and minimal upkeep. You can achieve a polished finish by following this step-by-step guide to prepare the concrete surface and install linoleum.

Assemble your supplies and tools before you start. Linoleum flooring, adhesive suitable for both concrete and linoleum, a roller for pressing the linoleum, a tape measure, a utility knife, a straightedge, and safety equipment like gloves and knee pads are required. Make sure there is no debris or old flooring material on the dry, clean concrete surface. For an installation to go smoothly, preparation is essential.

To start, measure the room’s dimensions to estimate the amount of linoleum you’ll need. It is a good idea to allow a few extra inches for any measurements taken during installation in case any cuts or adjustments are required. In the room where the linoleum will be installed, roll it out and give it at least a day to get used to the humidity and temperature of the area.

Next, get the concrete’s surface ready. As directed by the manufacturer, use a suitable filler to seal any gaps or cracks and let it dry completely. After that, smooth out any elevated or uneven areas of the concrete with sandpaper to make a level, smooth surface. To guarantee a clean surface for the adhesive, sweep and vacuum the floor to get rid of any dust.

Using a notched trowel to spread it evenly, apply the adhesive to the concrete floor in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Before you lay the linoleum, work in small sections to keep the adhesive from drying out. Press the first piece of linoleum firmly into the adhesive by positioning it carefully. To guarantee a solid connection between the concrete and linoleum, use a roller to eliminate any air bubbles.

Continue to install the linoleum in sections, making sure that each one fits tightly against the one before it. With a precision straightedge and a sharp utility knife, trim the edges and around any obstacles. After the linoleum is fully installed, walk on the freshly laid floor or place furniture on it only after the adhesive has had time to cure, as advised by the manufacturer.

Lastly, remove any protective coverings from the linoleum and clean up any adhesive that might have gotten in between the seams. To ensure that the adhesive fully sets, make sure you don’t move the freshly installed flooring for at least 24 hours. Your home’s linoleum floor can provide years of beautiful, long-lasting flooring if installed and maintained properly.

Step 1: Prepare the Concrete Floor	Clean the concrete thoroughly to remove any dust, debris, or grease that could affect adhesion.
Step 2: Measure and Cut the Linoleum	Measure the floor dimensions and cut the linoleum accordingly, leaving a few inches extra along the edges.

We will take you step-by-step through the process of installing linoleum on a concrete floor in this in-depth guide. We will cover every detail to guarantee a seamless and long-lasting installation, from surface preparation to adhesive selection. Whether you’re remodeling a bathroom, kitchen, or any other space, following our instructions will enable you to do it yourself and still get professional-quality results. Use these simple, doable steps to add linoleum to your concrete floor and improve its look as well as functionality.

Surface preparation

There is a lot of "demanding" work surface material here. The linoleum will replicate the floor’s relief, including any pits or tubercles, regardless of how thick or backed it is. Furthermore When installing this flooring, it’s crucial to remember that:

• the floor did not have a surface slope of more than 2 mm for every m2;
• there were no chips or cracks in the screed;
• the concrete surface is completely dry;
• there were no rough edges;
• no voids were formed in the screed during pouring of the solution;
• the surface was clean.

It is necessary to examine the concrete floor’s condition both visually and with the aid of specialized equipment.

Preparations for work

You must get ready for the material’s installation in order to make it easy to work with. To carry out this, you ought to:

• remove all debris from the working surface, and if necessary, even wash it;
• unroll the linoleum roll and leave it to “settle” for several days at a temperature not lower than +18 ° C and a humidity not higher than 60%;
• if the new material has waves or creases, then it needs to be stretched so that the surface is completely leveled.
• think about the laying of linoleum in advance: will it lie as a single piece or will it have to be cut, in the latter case you need to take into account the pattern on the surface and be sure to add +10 cm of margin on each side;
• you should also choose the direction: if the floor covering will be laid in parts, then you need to lay them in the direction of daylight so that the joining seams are less noticeable;
• before fixing the material, you need to lay it out in the rough, see if there are extra centimeters and cut them off, leaving a maximum of 2-3 cm, which after finishing the work will “hide” under the baseboards.

You must compute the floor covering’s quantity ahead of time and consider its color or pattern to determine where to begin laying in order to avoid making mistakes with its specifications.

How to measure and calculate yourself?

Prior to making this flooring purchase, consider the following features:

• multilayer varieties of this material shrink, so you need to take it with a reserve;
• also decide whether there will be connecting seams, if so, then you also need to leave a few centimeters for them;
• more material is consumed with a pattern than without it; It’s better to buy more linoleum than there won’t be enough for installation; the leftovers can be used as underlays for furniture legs so that there are no traces left if you have to rearrange them.

The following is how the material is calculated:

• first measure the floor area. To do this, you need to measure it with a tape measure from all sides, and add an additional 7 cm to the largest indicator;
• if the floor has a complex shape, for example, with a curve, or there is a niche in the room, then they are all measured separately, but an allowance must also be made;
• measurements should be taken not only from wall to wall, but also from the door: from its outer side to the opposite wall;
• if the linoleum has a pattern, you will also have to add 7 cm on each side.

Making a sketch of this material’s installation beforehand, taking into consideration the obtained parameters, will make working with it easier.

Next, you must compare the size and arrangement of the floor to the linoleum roll’s measurements. It has a fixed width and is sold in linear meters; the client specifies the length.

It will be necessary to convert them to linear if the coating is sold in meters squared.

This is accomplished by multiplying the product’s width by the needed length, as in the following example:

1. The first indicator is 4 m, and the second is 5 m, which means a piece of linoleum has an area of ​​20 m (4 m x 5 m).
2. If the area of ​​the room is up to 18 m2, then you can lay it in one piece, and if it is more than 20 m2, then you should either buy several rolls at once, or look for material of a different width.

A simpler method to solve this problem is to divide the width of the floor by the width of the roll, round the resultant number to the nearest whole number, and then multiply the result by the room’s length. You can calculate how many linear meters of flooring you will need to purchase in this manner.

Measuring and marking the floor

Work with the floor in a similar manner, that is, measure its parameters and compare them to the roll’s width. Because you will have to cut off a lot of excess material, it is actually easier to lay two rolls across the width of the room than to use one and a half rolls along the length.

Required tools for installation

Before working with this material, you must get ready:

• knife for cutting linoleum;
• ruler;
• roulette;
• notched spatula;
• adhesive – double-sided tape or glue;
• roller for applying glue;
• a brush for leveling the glued canvas;
• means for sealing joint seams.

Small rooms (9–12 m2) can be laid with linoleum, with baseboards grabbing its sides and a threshold near the door; furniture can then be placed. Double-sided tape can be used to secure flooring in rooms smaller than 15 m³ but with little foot traffic. You will need to place it on an adhesive base if traffic volume is significant.

How to lay it yourself correctly?

Linoleum can be installed on a concrete floor in a variety of ways. Among the group.

No-glue technology

This technique works well in small spaces that aren’t very busy or overly furnished. phases of the project:

• if necessary, the screed is leveled;
• cleared;
• measurements are taken;
• a roll of material is rolled out along the length or width of the room;
• linoleum settles for a day;
• the cut sheet is straightened, a load is placed on it to hold it in the desired position;
• plinths are attached on top of the canvas at the junction with the walls;
• after installation, furniture is brought into the room and arranged.

The linoleum may move in waves when the furniture is moved, making this method inconvenient. It is used when laying temporary floor coverings that will either be permanently fixed or replaced with another in the future.

Glue-on installation

Although it takes longer, this method is dependable. You can use double-sided tape to glue things together. First, attach it in small pieces to the screed. Next, apply a piece of linoleum around the perimeter of the entire floor.

Important: To ensure that there are no bubbles or waves, it is safer to attach the tape around the edge of the fabric first, and then the final piece to the screed.

Double-sided tape must also be used to glue the joints in an installation consisting of two sheets. This is accomplished by lifting a portion of the canvas, adhering the tape to the screed, and then laying linoleum over it. Broken seams can be fixed with the same technique.

Using mastic or adhesive is an additional technique for joining. Although this method requires more time and money, the linoleum won’t corrode and will last for many years. The methods for installing linoleum, along with their benefits and drawbacks, are listed below:

Possible difficulties and errors

Having trouble with flooring could be caused by:

• the screed was not prepared for covering with linoleum: it was not completely dry or not cleaned;
• the calculations were made incorrectly, which is why there was not enough canvas;
• when laying several canvases, they are positioned incorrectly, so the joints between them become visible;
• the floor level was not checked: if the discrepancy is more than 2 mm per m2, then the sheets will not match at the joints, and if a solid piece is laid, then over time it will go in waves.

How to lay on an uneven screed?

A backing under linoleum can be used if the screed is uneven and adjustments cannot be made in time. It can have a foam lining, cork, linen, or jute construction. Any of them can create a horizontal floor level while also insulating the floor from heat and sound. The following video will teach you more about laying linoleum on an uneven floor:

Average prices for installation

Even though this flooring is thought to be reasonably priced and simple to install, if you don’t have experience, you run the risk of laying it incorrectly and "throwing away" money on the material as well as time. It is preferable to leave the installation of linoleum to professionals because it is harder to undo the effects of subpar work than to start over.

Although regional differences exist in average prices, even in major cities, they won’t break the bank. For instance, laying one square meter costs, on average, 300–500 rubles in Moscow.

It is best to check the price directly with experts as it may differ.

Linoleum installation on a concrete floor is an easy DIY project that can dramatically improve the appearance and use of your room. You can quickly and easily achieve a professional-looking result by following these step-by-step instructions.

First things first, make sure your concrete floor is clear of debris, dry, and clean. Use a vacuum and a thorough sweeper to get rid of all the dust and debris. Cracks and flaws should be filled in with an appropriate filler, leveled, and given time to fully dry.

Next, take precise measurements of your space to estimate the quantity of linoleum you’ll need. If the linoleum design has any patterns or directionality, don’t forget to take that into consideration. Before installing, give the linoleum at least a day to get used to room temperature.

When the linoleum is ready, start rolling it out on the floor and let it settle and level out on its own. Place it in accordance with your measurements, making sure that extra material extends to the walls and edges for future trimming.

Apply the adhesive evenly to the concrete floor with a trowel, working in small sections at a time, using the recommended adhesive. Pay attention to the adhesive application and drying time recommendations provided by the manufacturer.

Starting in the middle and working your way out to the edges, gently press the linoleum into the adhesive. To guarantee a strong bond and eliminate wrinkles or air bubbles, use a roller. Using a sharp utility knife, trim off any extra linoleum around obstacles and along edges.

Finally, before moving any large furniture or stepping on the recently laid linoleum, let the adhesive cure in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Your linoleum floor will look better and last longer with regular care, like sweeping and sometimes damp mopping.

You can successfully install linoleum on a concrete floor and take pleasure in a long-lasting, eye-catching flooring solution by following these easy steps.

Video on the topic

How to prepare the floor for laying linoleum in a simple and cheap way.

How to lay linoleum yourself

How to lay linoleum alone

HOW TO CORRECTLY LAY LINOLEUM ON A CONCRETE FLOOR instructions from Linoleum-Krasnoyarsk.ru

Laying linoleum with on a concrete floor Tarkett Prestige 3-room apartment