Types of underlays for linoleum on concrete floors, installation instructions

Selecting the appropriate underlay for linoleum on concrete floors is essential to guarantee comfort and longevity in your house. Underlays perform multiple functions, including insulating, cushioning against impacts, and producing a smooth surface on which linoleum can stick.

Foam is a popular kind of underlay that helps to level small concrete imperfections and provides good sound insulation. Foam underlays offer a cushioned, cozy feel underfoot and are simple to install.

Because of its natural insulating qualities and environmentally friendly composition, cork underlay is another well-liked choice. Additionally providing thermal insulation, cork underlays are perfect for spaces where temperature regulation is crucial.

Another option is felt underlays, which are highly regarded for their capacity to offer a robust barrier against sound and moisture. They guarantee a stable foundation for the linoleum because they are long-lasting and aid in removing imperfections in the concrete substrate.

The first step in installing linoleum underlayment on concrete floors is to give the surface a thorough cleaning and drying. As you install the underlay, make sure all adhesive strips are properly fastened and that seams are butted together tightly, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Before laying the linoleum, give the underlay at least 24 hours to adjust to the humidity and temperature of the room. This lessens the chance of the flooring shifting or buckling in the future. Finally, to ensure a professional finish that improves longevity and appearance, adhere to the installation instructions specifically designed for your linoleum flooring.

Types of underlays Installation instructions
Foam underlay 1. Clean and dry the concrete floor thoroughly.
2. Roll out the foam underlay, ensuring edges are tightly butted together.
3. Trim excess underlay around the edges of the room.
4. Tape seams securely with adhesive tape.
5. Install linoleum flooring over the underlay.
Felt underlay 1. Prepare the concrete floor by cleaning and leveling it.
2. Lay down the felt underlay, ensuring it covers the entire floor area.
3. Secure the underlay by stapling or taping it to the floor.
4. Trim any excess underlay around obstacles or edges.
5. Proceed to install the linoleum flooring on top of the underlay.

Do you need a lining??

To allow linoleum to be installed on a concrete floor without the need for a backing, the floor must be flawlessly level and smooth. Even in this situation, you should keep in mind that the screed is a great sound conductor and that a thin layer won’t be able to reflect sound coming up from below. You can forget about protecting your personal privacy because the latter will hear everything that occurs above their heads.

When choosing how to install carpet in a private home or on the ground floor of a tall structure, thermal insulation is an important consideration. In both cases, laying the substrate will take care of any issues with cold and get rid of noise.

Thus, it is preferable to use extra material beneath linoleum on a concrete floor, with the exception of the following situations:

  • the floor covering itself has a base;
  • a “warm floor” system is being installed;
  • sound and heat insulation is ensured by using other materials when pouring the screed;
  • you have to put new linoleum on the old one.

It is advisable to lay the underlay on a concrete floor if there are no such obstacles.

Finding the ideal underlay for concrete floors under linoleum is essential to maintaining comfort and longevity in your area. This article examines several underlay types designed specifically for this use, outlining their advantages and how each improves the functionality of your linoleum flooring. We’ll walk you through the selection process, pointing out important installation tips to produce a seamless and long-lasting finish, and offering options ranging from foam to cork and rubber. Knowing your options for underlay will help you maximize your flooring project, whether you’re remodeling a kitchen, bathroom, or any other space.

Functions and purpose

You should be aware of the purposes of the screed before deciding whether to lay flooring on top of it. She’s going to become:

  • Leveling layer between rough and finished floors. Even minor roughness or cracks in a concrete floor that are invisible at first glance can deform over time under the linoleum due to the loads placed on it. In this case, the floor covering will “sag” or move in waves, but the underlay will not allow this, acting as a buffer between it and the screed and preventing damage to the latter.
  • Thermal insulator. Regardless of the material from which the substrate is made and its thickness, it will become a layer that retains heat in an apartment or house. It is especially important to use it on the first floors of high-rise buildings and in private houses on pile foundations or with floors on the ground.
  • Soundproofer. Even the thinnest material laid on a concrete floor under linoleum will be able to block sounds coming from below or coming from the apartment. For the sake of peace and quiet, it is better not to ignore the layer between the rough and finished floors.

As a kind of moisture barrier, the backing also allows air to pass between the screed and the linoleum.

General requirements

Prior to selecting the finishing material, you should choose the following criteria:

  • Room type. Linoleum for public places, for example, shops, clinics, offices, for production or warehouses, has different properties from what is installed in residential premises. This also affects the substrate, because the loads on the finished floor also vary.
  • Humidity. If it is elevated, then there are materials that are not suitable as a substrate.
  • Performance properties. Inexpensive artificial materials are not resistant to external pressure, and therefore quickly become compressed and change their thickness due to loads on them. They will last for several years, and then sag if you put them under linoleum in places with high traffic. They can be used as a substrate when laying on a concrete floor in an apartment or private house.

Thus, the laying material needs to be suitable for the environment in which it will be used. For instance, if linoleum is installed for an extended period of time, natural or combined materials that retain their qualities even after 20 to 30 years of use should be preferred.

Supporting must also include:

  • Strong enough to support the weight of people, equipment or furniture. The fragile material will crumble during use, and the linoleum in these places will sag or wrinkle.
  • Strong enough so that the floor covering does not spring underfoot or become deformed.
  • Moisture-resistant so as not to allow moisture to pass through to the screed, otherwise the latter may gradually become damp and become unusable.

What is better to put: types

Under this coating, all materials used to lay on a concrete floor are separated into three categories: natural, synthetic, and mixed.

Natural

Natural raw materials are used to make these substrates. There are the following options on the market.

Linen

Linen fabrics are used to cover the screed; these fabrics are impregnated with compounds that provide resistance against pathogenic microorganisms, insects, and rot, in addition to fire retardants that help the materials resist fire. Qualities:

  • withstand any load;
  • durable, do not allow moisture to accumulate between the rough and finishing coatings;
  • create ventilation between them.

Advantages

  • environmental friendliness;
  • long service life;
  • does not bend under the influence of weights;
  • do not change their properties, good heat and sound insulation.

The rolls of this underlay are 1 meter wide. It usually costs between 80 and 100 rubles. per square meter.

Cork

Bark is used to make this material; no artificial impregnations are used. Qualities:

  1. the substrate is moisture resistant;
  2. not “afraid” of mold, insects and pathogens.

Advantages:

  • environmental friendliness;
  • high level of heat and sound insulation;
  • hides any unevenness on the screed.

Cons:

  1. cost;
  2. this material has another significant drawback – weak resistance to pressure, that is, under the weight of furniture or equipment, this underlay will sag, forming dents that will be visible on the linoleum;

A roll of cork underlay measuring 1 m in width and 2 mm in height will set you back 220-250 rubles per square meter.

Coniferous

Made by pressing, evaporating moisture, grinding, and joining coniferous tree wood and needles into a single layer with resin; Qualities:

  • this type of underlay levels out any unevenness of the concrete floor;
  • is elastic, environmentally friendly, durable, has low thermal conductivity, and an average degree of sound insulation.

Advantages:

  1. service life up to 20 years, high density ensures a perfectly smooth coating even on floors with height differences of up to 3 mm/m2;
  2. elasticity prevents the material from sagging under the weight of equipment or furniture;
  3. fire resistance.

Cost:

  • ability to absorb moisture, so it is not suitable for installation in bathrooms or kitchens, it is difficult to cut, and compressed needles in a humid environment become a breeding ground for mold and mildew.
  • the average cost depends on the thickness of the material. So, 4 mm – from 119 rubles./m 2 ; 5.5 mm – from 145 rub./m 2 ; 7 mm – from 175 rub./m 2 .

Jute

Produced by cleaning and pressing jute fibers at a high temperature. This results in fabrics that are stiff and dense, and they also give them moisture resistance and fire resistance when they are treated with a fire retardant.

Qualities:

  1. the material is not subject to rotting, fireproof, moisture resistant;
  2. “not afraid” of rodents and insects;
  3. durable (up to 75 years).

Advantages

  • environmental friendliness;
  • does not cause allergies;
  • is able to absorb moisture and then release it if the air in the room becomes dry, normalizing the microclimate;
  • has high rates of heat and sound insulation, hygroscopicity.

This material can distort under extended pressure, but only if it has been supported by furniture or equipment for a considerable amount of time;

An average roll (1 x 10m 10 m 2 weight 5 kg) costs 1184 rubles.

Artificial

Synthetic fiber-based equivalents have taken the place of natural raw materials. They each have advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before selecting a substrate for a linoleum screed.

Polyethylene

This film is translucent or transparent.

Qualities:

  • plastic material;
  • does not allow moisture to pass through;
  • chemically resistant.

Advantages: affordable. Minuses:

  1. wears out quickly, so after a couple of years the substrate will have to be replaced;
  2. suitable as a covering under linoleum only when the installation is temporary.

Average price per square meter is 50 rubles.

Foam materials

2–5 mm thick foamed polyethylene.

Qualities:

  • high levels of noise and moisture insulation;
  • has shock-absorbing properties.

Advantages

  1. moisture resistance;
  2. dampens noise;
  3. resistant to chemicals;
  4. ultraviolet radiation, fungi and mold;
  5. long service life.

Cons: after extended use, lose shape.

The price per square meter is on average 33 rubles.

Fiberglass

Made without the use of glue or chemicals from fiberglass. robust material that insulates well from heat and sound.

Advantages

  1. inexpensive;
  2. environmentally friendly;
  3. lasting;

Minuses:

  • deformed under the influence of weight;
  • not suitable for high traffic areas.

51 rub./P. m. was the average cost.

Combined materials

They create new properties by combining different kinds of components. Particle boards that work well as a substrate for concrete floors:

  • use fiberboard or OSB sheets;
  • properties: fiberboard is 2 mm thick, so it cannot be laid on a screed with height differences. OSB has a thickness of 3-12 mm, and therefore is able to hide the flaws of the concrete floor;
  • pros: fiberboard is more suitable as a substrate, as it can withstand heavy loads well, and OSB has high thermal and sound insulation;
  • cons: OSB boards quickly deform under the weight of furniture or equipment, which affects the condition of the linoleum, and on fiberboard it is necessary to additionally lay a layer of thermal and sound insulation.
  • the average cost of chipboard from 117 rubles./m2, and OSB – from 420 rubles./sheet.

How to make the right choice?

When selecting a concrete floor coating, keep the following things in mind:

  • the quality of the screed;
  • the presence of unevenness or differences in height;
  • the need for thermal and sound insulation;
  • material safety;
  • wear resistance;
  • durability;
  • strength;
  • absence/tendency to deformation under the pressure of the load;
  • moisture resistance;
  • fire resistance;
  • traffic in the room;
  • humidity level.

Selecting the appropriate underlay for the screed beneath the linoleum will be simple once the material’s desired qualities have been determined.

Tools for work

You only need a few tools to correctly lay the underlay:

  • tape measure for measuring pieces of material;
  • knife or scissors for cutting it;
  • construction tape or glue for fixing to the subfloor.

Step-by-step installation instructions

There is little variation in the steps involved in applying any coating to a screed. The order is as follows:

  • the rough surface is prepared: debris is removed, if necessary, the floor is washed;
  • the location of the substrate is marked on the floor;
  • the material is cut according to the markings;
  • if it is rolled, then you can use either glue or double-sided construction tape for fastening; for slabs, laying with glue is more reliable;
  • apply adhesive or distribute tape along the marks on the floor and gradually apply the covering material on them – slabs butt up to each other, and roll backings overlap up to 10-15 cm.

The tile underlay should be pressed into place to secure it to the floor, and the roll materials should be straightened to prevent waves.

Pros and cons of using

Although everyone has an opinion about how their floors should look, professionals recommend laying the underlay because it has the following advantages:

  • insulates the floor;
  • creates sound insulation;
  • provides a smooth surface;
  • protects the screed from moisture;
  • creates the necessary ventilation between linoleum and concrete floor.

However, there are a number of drawbacks to using this method for installing linoleum:

  • it is necessary to make material calculations;
  • these are unnecessary costs;
  • the substrate must meet the requirements of the room.

The layer of material sandwiched between the rough and final coatings enhances the former’s characteristics and the latter’s resistance to wear.

Reviews

So many opinions, how many customers? What they write about a few species’ substrates is as follows:

  • OSB is cool, chipboard cannot even be compared with it.
  • Cork backing is an environmentally friendly material, but difficult to install.

Reviews can be found here and here.

Useful video

Regarding the underlay in the video beneath the linoleum:

Selecting the appropriate underlay for linoleum on concrete floors is essential to guarantee comfort and longevity in your house. Different needs and preferences are catered to by the distinct benefits that each type of underlay offers.

Felt underlays are perfect for places where noise reduction is a priority, like apartments or multi-story homes, because they offer superior insulation and soundproofing. In order to ensure a smoother linoleum installation, they also aid in smoothing out small imperfections in the concrete subfloor.

Conversely, foam underlays are renowned for being cushioning and lightweight. They can lessen weariness from prolonged floor walking and provide decent thermal insulation. Foam underlays make installation simpler because they are simple to install and frequently don’t require adhesives.

Rubber underlays are highly valued for their toughness and longevity. Their superior underfoot support and ability to absorb impact make them appropriate for high-traffic areas such as hallways and kitchens. Rubber underlays are also resistant to moisture, which is advantageous in moist areas.

Make sure your concrete floor is clear of debris, dry, and clean before adding any underlay. It takes this preparation step to achieve a linoleum floor that is durable and silky. To guarantee the best performance and longest lifespan of the linoleum flooring and the underlay, adhere to the installation instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Video on the topic

Laying a roll underlay

What factor is most important for you when choosing materials for building a house??
Share to friends
Timur Kiselev

Professional builder with 15 years of experience. I know everything about the construction of houses, cottages, bathhouses and other buildings. I will be happy to share my knowledge and experience with you.

Rate author
StroyArsenal62.com
Add a comment