Complex-shaped linoleum flooring

Rolled linoleum, with the same richness of colors as polymer tiles, compares favorably with them in that it provides almost complete waterproofness of the surface due to the absence of joints. In large rooms, linoleum unfolds, cut to the shape of the room and glued with mastic. In small rooms, such as the one shown in these figures, to speed up the work of cutting out a whole piece of linoleum, you can make a pattern from thick paper. Then this pattern is laid on the spread linoleum and cut to fit the floor.

Lines on paper and sheet linoleum can be drawn using a compass, measuring compass, or a plumbing tool called a caliper; it can be purchased from a tool store. The caliper resembles an ordinary compass, in which a second needle is installed instead of a pencil; it also has a knurled nut that locks the calipers to any specified size. To draw lines on very elastic linoleum, where the lines from the needles may not be visible, you can attach a felt-tip pen to one end of the calipers. First, cut a piece of heavy paper and lay it on the floor of the room. Then slide one end of the calipers along the wall and scratch the paper with the other. As a result, the outline of the wall will appear on the paper. Spread linoleum in another room for at least 24 hours to straighten it and keep it at room temperature.

Then put the pattern on the linoleum and in the same way as described above, transfer the pattern from it to the linoleum. Now the outlines of the walls of the room will appear on the linoleum. Cut the linoleum along the line and put it back. Fold the linoleum halfway towards you and coat the floor with a non-flammable, water-based acrylic mastic. The type of mastic is indicated in the instructions for use of linoleum. Glue the linoleum to the floor and do the same for the other half of the piece. In some hard-to-reach areas, you can glue the linoleum to the floor with double-sided tape..

Linoleum rolls are available in widths up to 4 meters, so you may be able to lay it without seams, except where there are round objects that need to be worked around. In such cases, cut the linoleum where the pipe or riser goes and cut a hole. When laying linoleum, cover the joints with sealant, which can be purchased at a building materials store. Thus, you will make the joints completely invisible..

1. Making a pattern from thick paper. Unroll the roll of paper along a long wall, using a linoleum knife to cut strips approximately 25 mm wide along walls, near stairs, in doorways and around all ledges. Attach one end of a strip of paper to the floor with full width buttons.

Then flatten the entire length of the paper with both hands so that it lies flat on the floor; fasten it with the buttons to the floor with an interval of about 600 mm between the buttons. In the same way, spread with an overlap of about 150 mm, cut and pin the sheets of paper that will cover the whole room with buttons.

2. Combining sheets. Every 600mm along the overlapping edges of the paper, make a 200mm alignment cut through the edge of the paper, through both sheets. Make additional cuts from the ends of the alignment notches to the edge of the paper, and remove the rectangular pieces of paper that you cut out. Cut or tear off the same rectangular piece from the bottom sheet of paper. The sheets will now dock along the notch line. Mark both sheets with a line that you draw perpendicular to the notch. Make some more of these cuts. In other places, the shape of the edge of the sheets of paper does not matter.

3. Drawing a pattern. Install the calipers so that there is about 50 mm between the needles, and, holding it so that the imaginary line passing through the needles is always perpendicular to the walls, thresholds of stairs and other architectural details of the room, move one needle of the calipers around the perimeter of the room. This will cause the other needle to scratch a line on the paper..

The distance between the needles should not change during operation. To check this distance, draw a portion of a circle on paper (box) and periodically check the installation of the calipers against it. Remove the buttons and take the paper to the room where the linoleum is laid.

4. Placing a pattern on linoleum. Lay the pattern sheets on the linoleum, aligning them along the prepared cuts and lines drawn perpendicular to the cuts. Place the patterns so that the pattern line corresponding to the long wall is along the roll.

Use a caliper to check the distance from the pattern to the edge of the roll. (Remember that you must cut the linoleum at a distance from the scratched lines, which is equal to the distance between the needles of the calipers.) Attach the pattern to the linoleum with buttons, traces of which will not be visible after laying it.

5. Cutting linoleum. Holding the calipers in the same way as in step 3, transfer the line scratched on the paper to the linoleum. In this case, one end of the calipers will move along the paper, and the other will scratch the linoleum. If the lines from the needles are not visible, attach a felt-tip pen to one end of the calipers and adjust the opening of the calipers to the portion of the circle you drew on the paper. Use a linoleum knife to cut the linoleum along the drawn line. A straight-bladed knife is also suitable for this purpose, but many professionals use a hook-blade knife available at a tool store..

Lay the linoleum on the floor in the area where the floor is to be laid. Fold the linoleum halfway towards you and apply some mastic to the floor. Glue the linoleum to the floor and remove air bubbles with a heavy-duty rental linoleum roller or a light roller. Do the same for the second half of the piece. And finally, fix the open ends of the linoleum with special clamping strips, for example, in doorways.