Fitting guide · dctuk.com · 0345 222 1544 · Flooring that ain’t boring
DIY fitting guide
How to fit linoleum
Real linoleum is made from linseed oil, wood flour and jute — it's been around since 1863 and it's still one of the toughest, most natural floors you can buy. How hard it is to fit depends entirely on which format you pick.
- Difficulty
- Sheet: professional. Tiles: moderate. Click: easy
- Time
- A day for a 20m² room in tile format
- People
- 1–2 people
- Skill level
- Depends on format
What you’ll need
- Sharp knife with straight and hooked blades
- Metal straight edge and tape measure
- Chalk line
- Linoleum adhesive and a notched trowel (tiles and sheet)
- Heavy floor roller
- Card for templates
Before you start
Pick the right format first
Linoleum sheet needs scribing, templating and hot welding — that's a trained fitter's job. Linoleum tiles and planks are glued down and are very doable. Click linoleum floats like click vinyl and is the easiest of the lot.
Don't panic about the colour
Lino often arrives with a slight yellow tint from the drying process. It's completely normal, it's not a fault, and it fades away in daylight — often within a couple of days. Don't judge it the day it's delivered.
Warm and settle it
At least 24 hours in the room at 18°C or more, with the adhesive kept in the same room.
Get the floor smooth
Lino is unforgiving of lumps. Smooth and level first.
How to fit linoleum, step by step
Set out from the centre
Chalk a cross through the middle of the room and check it's square. Dry-lay a run to each wall and shift the lines if the edge cuts come out too small.
Check the layout
Square lino tiles are usually laid with each tile turned 90° to its neighbour. Rectangles can go any way you like. Lay a few loose and look at it before you commit.
Spread the adhesive
Use a proper linoleum adhesive — it's not the same as vinyl adhesive. Notched trowel, even ridges, only as much as you can cover in time.
Lay from the centre out
Place each tile down rather than sliding it, and butt it tight to its neighbour.
Cut the edges
Score with a straight blade first, then cut through with a hooked blade held at a slight angle so the edge tucks in neatly.
Roll the whole floor
Both directions with a heavy roller, and a hand roller round the edges.
Leave it be
No washing for 48 hours, and keep heavy or wheeled traffic off it for 72 hours while the adhesive properly sets.
Watch it being done
Installing Marmoleum modular tiles and planks — Forbo's guide to the tile format — the DIY-friendly version of lino.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying sheet lino for a DIY job. Sheet needs scribing and hot welding — pick tiles or click instead.
- Using vinyl adhesive. Linoleum needs its own adhesive.
- Panicking about the yellow tint and sending it back. It fades in daylight.
- Leaving protective sheeting down for weeks, which keeps the tint from fading.
- Washing it too soon and lifting the edges.
Frequently asked questions
Is linoleum the same as vinyl?
No. Vinyl is a plastic; linoleum is made from natural materials — linseed oil, wood flour, pine resin and jute. People often call vinyl 'lino', but they're completely different products with different adhesives.
Can I fit linoleum myself?
Tiles and planks, yes. Click linoleum, definitely. Sheet linoleum, no — it needs templating and hot welded seams and it's genuinely a specialist job.
Why has my new lino gone yellow?
It's called drying room yellowing and it's a natural part of how lino is made. It fades in daylight, usually within a few days. It's not a defect.
Can linoleum go in a bathroom?
Sheet linoleum with welded seams, yes. Glued tiles are less ideal in a very wet room because of the joints. In a family bathroom, sheet vinyl is usually a better bet.
Can you use linoleum with underfloor heating?
Yes, as long as the floor surface stays below 27°C and you turn the heating off before and after fitting.
Rather someone else did it?
If it's a big room, an awkward shape, or you just fancy a Saturday off, our own fitting teams cover the whole of the UK. Free site survey, tidy job, no dramas.
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