Repairing Curling Vinyl or Linoleum Flooring

By Mark J. Donovan

Repairing curling vinyl flooring or linoleum flooring is something a homeowner can do with a few basic tools and some vinyl flooring adhesive.

If your vinyl flooring or linoleum flooring is still in good shape, however it is curling along the edges or seams here are a few techniques you can do to repair it.

Repairing Curling Vinyl Flooring and Linoleum Flooring along Wall Edges

If your Vinyl or Linoleum flooring is curling along the edges of your walls, you have two repair alternatives.

First, the easiest and best solution is to simply install baseboard moulding around the perimeter of the room. The baseboard moulding rests over the vinyl flooring and holds it down flush with the floor. If the vinyl or linoleum flooring was installed after the baseboard moulding was installed, you can alternatively use a narrow piece of quarter-round trim moulding that rests on the vinyl floor and up against the main baseboard moulding. The quarter-round can be secured with 4 penny finished nails to the main baseboard moulding.

The second repair alternative is to gently heat the curled up vinyl or linoleum flooring, using a hair dryer, and apply some flooring adhesive on the backside of the flooring material. Use a putty knife to apply the flooring adhesive. Caution: Make sure you do not overheat the curled vinyl flooring as it could blister and discolor the surface.

After applying the flooring adhesive use a roller (e.g. a pizza roller type device) to press and work the vinyl flooring flat. After pressing it flat, wipe away the flooring surface and lay a 2”x4” board on top of it. Rest on top of the 2”x4” some additional weight to hold the vinyl flooring down while the adhesive sets up.

Repairing Curling Vinyl Flooring and Linoleum Flooring along Bath or Shower Edges

To repair curling vinyl flooring or linoleum flooring around your bathtub or shower unit, apply the second method described above. Gently heat the curled up vinyl or linoleum flooring, using a hair dryer, and apply some flooring adhesive to the backside of the flooring material. Use a putty knife to apply the flooring adhesive. Caution: Make sure you do not overheat the curled vinyl flooring as it could blister and discolor the surface.

After applying the flooring adhesive use a roller (e.g. a pizza roller type device) to press and work the vinyl flooring flat. After pressing it flat, wipe away the flooring surface and lay a 2”x4” board on top of it. Apply some additional weight on top of the 2”x4” to hold the vinyl flooring down while the adhesive sets up. Finally, apply a bead of silicone caulk over the seam and against the tub/shower enclosure to ensure water does not work its way underneath the vinyl/linoleum flooring.

Another alternative for repairing curling vinyl flooring around a bathtub or shower unit is to simply apply a metal threshold around the edge of the bathtub or shower enclosure. Secure the metal threshold with screws; however first apply a bead of silicone caulk underneath it to ensure no water seepage. Again, you may want to slightly warm the vinyl flooring with a hair dryer gun to flatten out the flooring while you install the threshold.

Repairing Curling Vinyl Flooring and Linoleum Flooring along Seams

To repair curling vinyl flooring near seams, gently heat the curled up vinyl or linoleum flooring, using a hair dryer, and apply some flooring adhesive on the backside of the flooring material. Use a putty knife to apply the flooring adhesive. Again caution, make sure you do not overheat the curled vinyl flooring as it could blister and discolor the surface.

After applying the flooring adhesive use a roller (e.g. a pizza roller type device) to press and work the vinyl flooring flat. Push the roller on a 45o angle towards the seam, and on both sides of the seams to compress and blend the seam together. If done correctly the seam should almost vanish.

After pressing the seam flat with the roller, wipe the vinyl flooring surface and lay a 2”x4” board on each side of the seam. Apply additional weight on top of the 2”x4”s to hold the vinyl flooring down while the adhesive sets up.