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How to remove air bubbles from linoleum. How to remove swelling of linoleum? If the linoleum is on the floor

Swollen linoleum On incorrectly laid linoleum, when it is saturated, after a certain period of time, air bubbles appear, which become larger in size over time.

At the same time, the floor covering acquires an ugly, flabby appearance and loses a large number of own past advantages. Also, bubbles on linoleum are also dangerous because the material in these places wears out much faster than in other areas.

Before removing bubbles on linoleum, it is necessary to establish exactly whether it was glued to the floor surface during installation or simply laid on it. This circumstance will determine the selection possible way bubble escape.

Free laid linoleum option

For linoleum not planted on the adhesive mixture, the following alignment variations are possible:

  • removing bubbles by squeezing them out;
  • heating of the places where bubbles appear;
  • trimming (fitting) linoleum sheets.

Let's consider any of these options in more detail.

It is well known that every PVC material (and linoleum in particular) shrinks with intense heat. With this in mind, some experts advise using a grandmother's remedy called a "water bath" and consisting in applying a rag bag of salt and sand directly to the bubble. This method can "work" in soft (domestic) linoleum leveling options and is not always effective. Actually, therefore, in everyday life, attempts are very often made to displace the bubbles that have arisen on the sides. To materialize this technique, it is recommended to do the following:

  • loosen the fasteners of the skirting boards (or remove them altogether);
  • with a board with perfect edges or a rule, try to "drive" the bubbles to the surface of the wall;
  • carry out this operation a couple of times, since in one pass it is usually not possible to fully remove the bubbles.

Often bubbles appear due to the fact that the linoleum has not served its own period required for alignment. In this option, you just need to cut one edge of the linoleum panel, so that the distance between its edge and the wall is about 0.5-1 cm.

In the case when bubbles appear at the baseboards, the following variations are possible:

  • With a very strong pressing of the skirting board to the floor surface, dents appear on the linoleum, and even under the skirting board. To eliminate them, you need to make the plinth fastening weaker to the minimum expected.
  • There are irregularities on the floor as a ledge or indentation. To eliminate them, you need to remove the plinth, and then bend linoleum and close the recess with mortar (the protrusion can be knocked down with a chisel).

Irregularities can appear due to the reason for the constant movement of furniture, which leads to stretching of the material and the appearance of bulges. Under these circumstances, the damaged area of ​​​​the coating can be fixed with a special glue.

Glued linoleum option

Linoleum planted on adhesive mixture

As put away bubbles on linoleum in this embodiment can only be achieved by changing areas with irregularities - a similar repair must be approached with the following material and tools in service.

Linoleum is the most common budget option floor finishing, which is often used in the repair of premises of any type. It suits well different styles and color solutions, has a lot of advantages over other floor coverings, but requires correct installation. Otherwise, already during operation, a situation may arise when the material is swollen, and the person does not know what to do with it.

Linoleum is swollen, what to do about it

Many people flooring attracts with its low cost, texture and various colors. It is easy to install and further care. But this does not guarantee the absence of problems with him. If the floor covering is used incorrectly or there were violations during installation, linoleum can form bubbles that are unpleasant to the eye, which are difficult to eliminate.

A similar situation may arise under force majeure circumstances if the coating was poorly fixed initially. The main thing, when choosing linoleum as a material for finishing a room, is to study its features and find out in advance information on how to deal with such problems.

Causes

There are several main reasons why bubbles can form on the surface:

  • force majeure (floods, earthquakes, flooding by neighbors or other similar problems lead to damage to the flooring);
  • negligent attitude during installation (violation of a clearly regulated laying technology often leads to such problems);
  • lack of proper preparation (if the surface of the subfloor was not sufficiently leveled and subsequently laid on it roll material, linoleum will repeat all the existing irregularities).

In addition, the quality of the material itself, insufficient or overuse of the adhesive composition, the wrong choice of adhesive for a particular type of linoleum, and sudden temperature changes can affect the quality of the finish coating. All this will undoubtedly affect the evenness of the linoleum laid in the room.

Important! Before laying linoleum, you should carefully study the basic installation rules, as well as choose quality materials. Including glue for coating.

Ways to eliminate swelling

If the linoleum is not glued to the floor, but simply laid on the surface of the draft, care should be taken to heat the swollen piece. To do this, you can use a rubber heating pad, which is pre-poured hot water. It is laid on the place of swelling and the place is allowed to warm up a little before the sheets of material are leveled.

Instead of a heating pad, if one is not available, you can use a heated iron. But it cannot be used directly, you can lay a place of swelling with paper or foil, through which the effect of the electrical appliance will be carried out.

Heating

Heating can also be used in the case of a glued linoleum sheet, using similar devices. However, this is a very time consuming and lengthy process that will require a fair amount of patience.

It is necessary to pierce the resulting swelling and heat the surface of the linoleum to such a state that subsequently stretch the formed bubble without damaging the coating in other places. After heating, the bubble will become pliable and quickly squeeze out from under the floor covering.

Important! For better fixation, an adhesive composition is introduced into the puncture and a load is placed on the place of material discharge, which is aged for two days.

perforation, glue

For blisters of a small area, a puncture can be used. To do this, you need to have a sharp awl and an adhesive composition at hand, with which the lagging linoleum will be glued. The bubble is pierced, air is removed from it, and then glue is injected using a syringe. After that, it remains only to lay plywood in place of swelling and install the load. As a heavy object, a weight or a bag of sand is suitable.

notches

If the swelling is of an impressive diameter, the incision method is used. With a sharp knife, one or two (crosswise) cuts are made in linoleum and all excess air is released from under the coating. A small amount of glue is distributed along the edges of the incision and a sinker is placed on it for complete adhesion to the subfloor.

Other improvised means

As a heating element for small bubbles, you can use a heated table salt. It is heated in a frying pan, and then placed in a dense canvas bag and placed on the site of swelling. It is also recommended to install the load and wait for the surface to be leveled.

If the number of blisters is too large and it is impossible to eliminate them using the usual methods, you will have to completely dismantle the linoleum, remove all glue and mastics, let the material lie down and proceed with a new installation.

What swellings cannot be removed, why?

It will not be possible to correct some flaws, even when using such tricks, if the installation and preparation were initially carried out incorrectly:

  • if the subfloor is not leveled enough (if the surface of the subfloor is uneven, bubbles will form again and again, requiring constant repair);
  • if moisture gets on the substrate (in this case, before repairing the canvas, it is necessary to thoroughly dry not only the laid linoleum, but also the substrate, this may require a professional tool);
  • with poor-quality material (purchasing defective or low-quality linoleum can result in similar problems, in which case it is better to contact the supplier and exchange the goods).

Repairing linoleum that is swollen after installation is quite simple, but it is recommended to do this very carefully so as not to damage the surface. Still, it is better to initially follow the installation technology so as not to experience similar problems in the future.



Swollen linoleum

On improperly laid linoleum, with intensive use, after a certain period of time, air bubbles may appear, which increase in size over time. At the same time, the floor covering acquires an unsightly, flabby appearance and loses most of its former advantages. In addition, bubbles on linoleum are also dangerous because the material in these places wears out noticeably faster than in other areas.

Before removing bubbles on linoleum, it is necessary to establish exactly whether it was glued to the floor during installation or simply laid on it. This circumstance will determine the choice of a suitable method of getting rid of bubbles.

Free laid linoleum option


Loose styling

For non-adhesive linoleum, the following alignment options are possible:

removal of bubbles by squeezing them out;
heating of places where bubbles form;
trimming (fitting) linoleum sheets.
Let's consider each of these options in more detail.


Trimming linoleum

It is well known that any PVC material (and linoleum in particular) shrinks with intense heat. With this in mind, some experts recommend using folk remedy, called a "water bath" and consisting in applying a rag bag with salt and sand directly to the bubble. This method can "work" in cases of leveling soft (household) linoleum and is not always effective. That is why in domestic conditions, attempts are most often made to squeeze the bubbles that have arisen to the sides. To implement this technique, it is recommended to do the following:

loosen the fasteners of the skirting boards (or remove them altogether);
with a board with even edges or a rule, try to “drive away” the bubbles to the wall;
carry out this operation several times, since it is usually not possible to completely eliminate bubbles in one pass.

Note! Often bubbles occur due to the fact that the linoleum has not served its time required for alignment. In this case, you just need to cut one edge of the linoleum sheet, so that the distance between its edge and the wall is about 0.5-1 cm.


Skirting board fixing adjustment

In cases where bubbles form at the baseboards, the following options are possible:
With a very strong pressing of the skirting board to the floor, dents form on the linoleum, as well as under the skirting board. To eliminate them, it is necessary to loosen the plinth fastening to the minimum possible.

There are irregularities on the floor in the form of a ledge or recess. To eliminate them, it is necessary to remove the plinth, and then bend the linoleum and seal the recess with mortar (the protrusion can be knocked down with a chisel).

Note! Irregularities can occur due to the frequent movement of furniture, which leads to stretching of the material and the formation of bulges. Under these circumstances, the damaged area of ​​the coating can be fixed with a special adhesive.

Glued linoleum option


Linoleum planted with glue

Since in this case it is possible to remove bubbles on linoleum only by updating areas with irregularities - such repairs should be approached with the following tools and material in service:


Removing bubbles on glued linoleum

Special adhesive composition.

Mounting knife.

Small spatula.

Board for pressing linoleum on the restored area and a heavy load.

You need to start by carefully cutting the bubble into four parts (crosswise), after which you should attach the pieces to the floor and trim their edges so that their articulation is perfect. Then, using a spatula, scrape off the old adhesive and apply a thick layer of the new adhesive. Now you need to press the pieces of linoleum to the floor and remove excess glue with a damp cloth. After that, put a board in place of gluing and press it on top with something heavy.

Video

How to properly care for the floor, including linoleum, see below:


With improper installation or active operation, and usually with a combination of these factors, air bubbles or even whole bumps appear on linoleum. With a small size, they are almost invisible, except if you look at the ebb of linoleum in the sun. Over time, they begin to grow, linoleum looks flabby and uneven, the floor begins to “play” underfoot. Bubbles are dangerous that linoleum on them and next to them wears out faster than in other places.

You need to eliminate bubbles based on whether the linoleum was glued to the floor during installation, if so, then you have only one repair scenario, it will be described at the end of the article. If the linoleum was not glued, then there are several options. Let's start with universal tools.

Let's make the bubble on the linoleum retract

Any PVC and linoleum in particular shrinks when heated. You can heat in a water bath a rag bag of salt or sand, and put on the bubble. This method is effective mainly for household soft linoleum, I would classify it as traditional medicine, because the effect of it may not be, or maybe deplorable, use it at one's own risk. The main thing is to start with low temperatures.

If the linoleum is NOT glued

At the beginning, before other repair work you should try "kick out" the bubble to the walls. To do this, loosen the fastening of the skirting boards or remove them altogether and drive the bubble to the nearest wall with a long rule or board. After that, the bump can appear 1-2 more times, also “kick out” him and only for the third time proceed to other options.

Very often bubbles on non-glued linoleum arise due to the fact that the linoleum did not lie down for the right time. To eliminate, open the plinth on the two walls closest to the bubble, the distance between the linoleum and the wall should be 0.5-1 mm, if this is not the case, cut the linoleum. I also advise you to read the material about.

If the bubbles are located along skirting boards, there are 2 options:

  • Skirting too firmly pressed to the floor if so, then on the linoleum, under the plinth, dents are very often formed. It is necessary to rearrange the plinth a little higher or even with a small gap.
  • Next to the wall irregularity on the floor, usually a recess. It is necessary to remove the plinth, unscrew the linoleum and putty or fill the recess with a solution, the bump can be knocked down with a chisel. Then wait for the solution to dry completely, further level this place with sandpaper. If the recess is small and located along the wall, you can fill it mounting foam and then cut off the excess with a knife.

Bubbles may occur due to furniture that often moves, we are talking not about rearrangement in the room, but about small shifts that occur, for example, when you lay out a sofa or chair-bed, exercise on an exercise bike. A hillock on linoleum arises from its stretching, in this case, you need to glue the linoleum to the floor, or at least that part of it that is under the furniture, if you glue only the place of the bubble, it can form nearby after a while.

If linoleum is glued to the floor

In this case, poor styling or moisture under the linoleum is to blame (which, by the way, is also part of poor styling). It is possible to eliminate these violations, but only by re-laying the linoleum again. And here get rid of the annoying bubble is possible without extra spending time and finance.

Will be required tools and materials:

  • glue for gluing linoleum to the floor,
  • construction or clerical knife,
  • small spatula,
  • gloves,
  • hardboard sheet or board (something flat to cover the bubble),
  • something heavy.

Eliminate a bubble on linoleum step by step:

  1. Cut the bubble from one edge to the other into 2 halves or crosswise.
  2. Fold the pieces of linoleum back and press them to the floor, if they overlap, cut them off. To do this, lay 2 pieces of linoleum on top of each other and run a knife along the edge of the top, while cutting through the bottom layer.
  3. Use a spatula to carefully scrape off the old adhesive under the bubble.
  4. Put on rubber gloves and apply a thick layer of new glue under the bubble.
  5. Firmly press the pieces of linoleum to the floor. Wipe off excess adhesive that has come out through the incision with a damp cloth.
  6. Place a clean cloth, board, and something heavy on the glued area.
  7. Wait for the glue to dry, disassemble the structure and carefully inspect it. If the edges of the linoleum go butt to butt, then you can further strengthen the structure with cold welding. If they parted, then the instructions for repairing cuts on linoleum will help you.

If bubbles on glued linoleum appear often makes sense to buy special syringe for applying glue, without cutting linoleum. It leaves behind a small puncture that can be repaired

Linoleum is a floor covering that has gained popularity in our country due to its attractive performance, ease of installation and, of course, low cost. But there are situations that swellings appear on the linoleum - the so-called bubbles. First of all, it spoils appearance the entire room, and, secondly, in these places linoleum is wiped and worn out faster. There can be many reasons for the appearance of bubbles.

Why bubbles appear on linoleum

To begin with, this coating is installed in two ways:

  • ordinary flooring, followed by pressing the edges with skirting boards;
  • glue installation.

Depending on this and the causes of swelling are different.

Low quality linoleum

The lower the price of linoleum, the more likely it will warp, swell and crack. The fact is that cheap linoleums do not have a base, or it is, but of insufficient thickness. Therefore, during operation, after a while such material expands in some places, contracts in others, and bubbles and folds appear on the border of these zones.

uneven floor

It is impossible to lay any floor covering without preliminary preparation of the base, and even more so, such soft material like linoleum. Any depression and elevation, even the garbage left behind, will very soon appear, as they say, “obvious”.

The best option when laying linoleum on concrete is to level it with mortar and sand it. The easiest way is to make a self-leveling floor - perfect smoothness and horizontality are guaranteed. If the floor is already covered, the same old linoleum, then we advise you to simply lay a ready-made even base on top: plywood, fiberboard (chipboard) or some kind of synthetic substrate.

Installation errors

Despite the apparent simplicity, this work has several specific nuances, the non-observance of which leads to undesirable consequences. Therefore, do not trust the laying of linoleum to dubious hacks, albeit very cheap ones. And if you take it yourself, study what is called materiel.

Laying errors also include such a factor as improper installation of skirting boards.

Even if the coating itself is laid perfectly, and the skirting boards are pressed to the surface under force, swelling will appear along them soon enough, in a month or two. The solution is simple - reinstall the plinth above.

Moisture

If the coating is installed on glue, there are two reasons for the appearance of bubbles: again, illiterate installation, when the material is skewed, or moisture ingress during work. The second reason is the most common.

Furniture

Another common cause of blisters on any styling – improper use of furniture. If you constantly move it along the floor, then sooner or later the coating will lag behind in these places.

Do not be lazy to pick up the chair each time and shift it to the right place. You don't drag it along expensive parquet, do you?

What to do?

Places of bubbles become noticeable not immediately. Initially, when oblique sunlight hits the floor, it seems that a dark spot has appeared on the floor. In fact, this is already a noticeable shadow from a small elevation. And then, every day this elevation increases and turns into such an undesirable bubble.

The problem is that at the initial stage it is rarely possible to identify the beginning of the process, and even eliminate bubbling if the reason for their appearance is not clear. After all, it depends on the way in which you can do it.

How to remove bubbles on linoleum if it is not glued

Method 1. Linoleum is an artificial material made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and, like all such products, shrinks from heating. There is a big BUT! Just guess the temperature - and that's it. Instead of a not very noticeable bubble, a very noticeable melted spot will appear. But if you still want to try - follow our advice. Put a bag of salt or sand in an empty saucepan and put it in a water bath. Heat to a warm state, but so that the hand does not burn. Spread a rag on the bubble itself and put the bag on top for 5-10 minutes. Check - and if the bubble has shrunk, but not all, repeat the manipulation. You can take a heating pad with water, the temperature is about 38 degrees. Another option is a regular hair dryer. Just do not blow hot air on the coating itself, but spread any dense fabric. In addition, it is allowed to stroke the swollen place through the fabric in several layers, and the iron must be turned on at the lowest power.

Heating is effective only if the material is stretched. It won't help with air bubbles.

Method 2. We will expel it by extrusion. Choose the direction in which it is easiest to do this - where it is closer to the wall and there is no overall furniture. Find a board about 1 meter long, wrap it with rags and drive this harmful bubble to the wall. Simple and effective. It remains only to attach the plinth.

Method 3 is the most time consuming. It is recommended to use it when there are several bubbles. Demands to free the room from furniture as much as possible. Linoleum just needs to be re-layed, after removing at least 3 skirting boards. And in places where there were bubbles, we recommend using glue mastic.

By the way, the coating canvas should not touch the walls closely - it is imperative to leave a gap of up to 1-1.5 cm. It will be hidden under the plinth. But this will allow the material to expand and shrink from temperature influences. Otherwise, the formation of bubbles cannot be avoided. Therefore, when removing swelling - cut off the edges of the linoleum.

Removing bubbles on glued linoleum

If the reason is improper laying or water ingress, and you do not want to cut it (more on this below), then there is only one option: remove and lay again. This is not easy to do, but you may need helpers, preferably two, and a building hair dryer.

The work algorithm is as follows:

  • remove 3 skirting boards and slightly heat the linoleum against the wall from the central side;
  • then two take it by the edges and lift it up, and the third softens the mastic with a hairdryer from below;
  • having reached the places of bubbling, it is necessary to raise the coating another 15-20 cm further, and then lay it again - 15-20 cm each, carefully smoothing.

The method of squeezing the air bubble through the incision is used if it is not possible to re-lay the coating.

For work you will need such tools and materials:

  • sharp clerical knife or construction cutter;
  • small spatula;
  • glue for laying linoleum;
  • plywood sheet, chipboard or wide short board;
  • cargo, preferably soft, such as a sandbag. You can use a large pot of water. You can not take a load with sharp edges: a bucket (it always has an edge at the bottom, or a stone with a rough surface) - they can leave dents on the coating;
  • gloves, clean rags.

Remove the bubble like this:

  • cut the linoleum crosswise in the middle of the bubble (the length of the cut depends on the size of the swelling - it should be approximately 2/3);
  • carefully open the incision by cutting the adhesive base and remove its remnants from the floor and the bottom of the linoleum with a spatula;
  • apply new glue both on the floor and on the wrong side;
  • press the cut pieces to the floor - excess glue will come out through the joints. Remove them first with a damp sponge, and then wipe dry;
  • spread a clean cloth over this place and place the load. It is best to put another sheet of plywood on the fabric and already load on it. This will help distribute the load evenly.

After the glue has hardened (the time is indicated in the instructions for it), remove everything. And the seam can be easily eliminated by cold welding.

Cold welding is performed as follows: buy a tube of special glue in a hardware store and use a needle (it comes with the kit) to carefully apply it to the seam. A chemical reaction takes place there, as a result of which the seam blurs and becomes invisible. All the details are in the instructions for the glue.

Another way to remove flat bubbles on glued linoleum is to make a puncture in the center with a thick needle and squeeze out the air. And then, with a syringe, inject glue into the same puncture, squeeze out its excess from the edges of the bubble to the puncture, wipe it and press it with a load until the glue hardens.