How to Install Linoleum
Linoleum tiles are one of the easiest tiles to install and maintain. They’re also very practical because they are easy to clean and durable. Interested in adding linoleum tiles in your home? Here’s how.
Materials
Pneumatic stapler
Joint filler
Tape measure
Chalk
1/4 inch plywood
Linoleum tile adhesive
Respirator
Protective gear
Exacto knife
Caulking (optional)
Procedure
Remove previous flooring, nails, staples and anything that’s in the way from starting with a blank slate. Once you’ve removed everything, clean up the dust and debris. Remove the thresholds. The subfloor must be smooth and clean after all of this is done.
If the subfloor is not smooth and clean, make it so by laying down quarter-inch on the uneven areas. The joints should be light, staggered and attached using pneumatic staplers. Attach every three inches around the joints and eight inches in the middle. You can also fill the joints with joint filler to help retain the plywood’s shape, because plywood can warp over time and weather changes.
Find the center of the area and delineate using a tape measure and chalk. One straight line should run parallel to the width while the other parallel to the length. The lines should intersect and form 90-degree angles between each other.
You can start laying out your tiles to see how they should be distributed and laid out. Full tiles must occupy the center of the floor area, and the cut tiles at the edges must be of equal measurements. If the tiles do not fit this, rearrange them accordingly.
Once you’ve figured out the measurements for the edge tiles, cut them out using an Exacto knife.
Put on your respirator and protective gear before starting.
Apply the linoleum tile adhesive on the subfloor and attach the tiles with strong movements. Don’t attempt to walk over the tiles until you’ve given the adhesive enough time to hold onto the tiles.
Linoleum tiles don’t make use of grout, so place them as close together as possible. and use caulking if gaps turn up later on.
Start from the middle and work your way outwards to the edges. Make sure that you attach one at a time, in all areas equally. Ony attach the tiles in the area within your reach from a kneeling position.
Linoleum tiles are the best for rooms that are simple, straightforward and square. Elaborate corners and edges should go to tiles that are more flexible and up to the challenge.