Linoleum, or lino as it’s often called is a type of flooring that’s been in and out of vogue since the mid 1800’s. Now often confused with vinyl flooring, lino flooring (linoleum) is actually an extremely durable, renewable flooring solution. In their day, laid almost in parquet style designs, linoleum floors where highly stylish and sought after. It was only really during the 1950’s that linoleum started to be replaced by a cheaper, more mass-produced option that it started its dip into a less desirable flooring solution. Invented by Englishman Frederick Walton, Linoleum is now a flooring option that most people are seeking to hide or get rid of rather than introduce!
The good news is, if you’re seeking to install solid wood flooring, linoleum should provide the ideal base for your new floor if it is in good, clean condition and is securely glued over a suitable subfloor. If the linoleum is not in good condition however and shows any sign of mold, it’s best that you remove it. That said, if the linoleum is clean and dry, as well as being securely glued to a suitable subfloor, there is no reason why you shouldn’t use it as the base for your new floor. You should choose your fitting method according to the subfloor. The over-riding thing you must remember when making this important decision is that the stability of your new floor will only ever be as good as the stability of your subfloor, so it’s well worth not compromising your whole project for the sake of a few pounds here and there.
In order to establish the subfloor your linoleum has been fixed to, you’ll need to remove a portion of the linoleum in order to be certain. At this point, it is important to establish that the subfloor is continuous across the whole area of your room. You should be able to tell by walking on the floor if there are any areas in your room where the subfloor changes. If you are in any doubt about your subfloor, don’t take chances; always seek professional advice before laying a new floor over an uncertain base.
It is worth bearing in mind when dealing with what you may classify as linoleum, you could well be dealing with an asbestos based vinyl flooring, in which case it’s removal needs special treatment. In fact, in the case of asbestos based vinyl, leaving it in place is normally the preferred option as it poses less of an environmental risk than lifting it.
Once you’ve established that your linoleum is clean, dry and well glued as well as fitted over a suitable subfloor, there are a few more things you need to check before starting to lay your new floor. At this point, check for protruding nails or staples as well as dips and bumps. If you discover stray nails or staples, make sure you remove them. When it comes to dips in the floor, they should be filled and sanded smooth and any bumps should be sanded away so your floor is being laid on a level surface.
While not a major issue, it’s also worth checking that your new, finished floor height will not pose transition problems with the flooring in neighbouring rooms. If you do find that leaving the linoleum in situ causes a height problem you can always use a reducer to help disguise the difference.
