How to Lay Linoleum in a Room With Existing Linoleum

Linoleum floors are low-maintenance and come in a wide variety of styles.

Linoleum flooring is most commonly installed over plywood or concrete subflooring, but some manufacturers design their linoleum so that you can simply cover up your old linoleum flooring without having to remove it. If you use this type of linoleum flooring, you will save a lot of time on your preparation work, since you can simply clean and level the old linoleum before laying out the new flooring to revamp the room.

Things You'll Need

• Mop or rags
• Mineral spirits
• Scraper
• Course-grit sandpaper
• Leveling compound
• Underlayment
• ¼-inch galvanized staples and staple gun
• Measuring tape
• Utility knife
• Masking tape
• Adhesive
• Trowel
• 100-pound floor roller

Instructions

1. Mop or wipe down your old linoleum floor with mineral spirits or a similar solvent cleaner to remove dirt, dust, oil and grease from the surface. Allow the floor to dry.

2. Inspect the floor surface for any bumps or dips. The old linoleum flooring must be completely flat to support the new linoleum. Scrape or sand down high spots with coarse-grit sandpaper, and use leveling compound to fill any dips. Allow the filler to dry.

3. Install an underlayment across your old linoleum if the manufacturer of your new linoleum directs you to. Staple the sheet to the old floor with ¼-inch galvanized staples every 4 inches along the edges of the sheet. If you have to use multiple sheets of underlayment, leave a 1/16-inch gap between sheets.

4. Fill in any gaps between the underlayment sheets with leveling compound. When the compound dries, sand it so that it sits level with the underlayment. Allow the underlayment to settle for 24 hours.

5. Measure the four sides of your room and add 3 inches to each measurement. Unroll your new linoleum sheet and cut your it to match the amended measurements, using a sharp utility knife.

6. Roll the cut linoleum onto the old floor. Use the utility knife to trim where needed to get around obstacles, such as vents in the floor. For outside corners, cut straight down from the edge of the linoleum until it fits in the corner. For inside corners, cut a V-shaped piece out of the linoleum so that it fits.

7. Fold half of the linoleum back against the other half, exposing the old floor. Tape the folded edge to the floor or wall on the other side so that it does not roll back on you while you work.

8. Spread manufacturer-provided or approved adhesive onto the bare section of the floor, working from the far wall to the center fold. Use a mason's trowel or notched trowel, as directed by your linoleum's manufacturer, to cover the whole floor area with adhesive. If the adhesive instructions require, allow the adhesive to settle and grow tacky before continuing.

9. Remove all tape and flop the linoleum down into the adhesive. Walk or crawl along the entire length of the floor, applying pressure starting at the folded point and moving toward the wall. The extra pressure will bond the linoleum to the adhesive.

10. Repeat the folding and gluing process on the other half of the floor. When you have applied pressure to each side, roll the floor with a 100-pound floor roller to ensure a secure bond.

11. Trim any excess flooring from around the walls with your utility knife.

Tips & Warnings

• Store your linoleum in the installation room for 48 hours before installing to allow the material to adjust to the temperature and humidity. Despite this acclimation, the flooring may still expand or contract, so you may need to leave a slight gap between the floor and the walls. Follow your specific product's instructions.

• If you have to use multiple rows of linoleum in a single room, overlap the seams by 1 inch and seal them with masking tape. Use your utility knife to cut the mounded area out and secure the cut area with masking tape. This will prevent a seamed, disjointed look on your floor.

References

• Find Any Floor: Install Linoleum Flooring