How to Color Match and Patch Linoleum Tears and Holes
Linoleum flooring is very durable and made of all natural materials, such as linseed oil, cork dust and limestone. It comes in a wide variety of styles and colors to match most any decor. In spite of its durability, over time your linoleum floors can suffer damage, often caused by . sliding furniture across the floor or moisture. The repairs are usually simple enough to fix yourself and will save you the cost of total floor repairs.
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Measure the size of the patch that you will need to patch up your floor. Check with your local home improvement store to see if it has your flooring; contact the manufacturer for a small repair patch. Many times if you explain the situation the manufacturer will send you a small patch. Cut a small swatch out of a closet corner or under your fridge, using a utility knife, to get the perfect match.
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Mark a square around the damaged area, using a square and a ruler. Cut out the damaged area, using a utility knife. Pull the damaged section off the floor, or use a chisel to lift the flooring up. Cut out along lines and designs in linoleum to better hide the patch.
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Soak a rag in mineral spirits and use this to clean your floor. Rub the sticky glue areas of th bare subfloor until all traces of past flooring are gone. Allow the floor to dry completely before you begin the repair. For best results, allow it to sit overnight.
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Trace the cut-out section with tracing paper to get a pattern. Cut out the pattern and place it on your patch material. Match the design on the patch as closely as possible to the design on the piece of damaged linoluem. Trace around the pattern, and then cut out your patch.
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Spread vinyl floor adhesive along the exposed area of flooring and along the outside area of the patch, using a small paintbrush.
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Turn the patch over and place it onto the floor. Sand away any overlapping edges to get it to fit properly.
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Wipe off excess adhesive, using a damp sponge.
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Apply a small amount of seam sealer to the edges of the patch. The seam sealer comes in a kit with a dowel pin. Rub the dowel pin over the edges where you applied the sealer to prevent moisture from seeping under the edges.
References
Writer Bio
Based in Atlanta, Melody Dawn has been writing business articles and blogs since 2004. Her work has appeared in the "Gainesville Times," "Player's Press" and "USA Today." She is also skilled in writing product descriptions and marketing materials. Dawn holds a Master of Business from Brenau University.
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