Cutting Linoleum

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Manalto
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Cutting Linoleum

Post by Manalto »

I've been shopping linoleum (Marmoleum) tile as a possible flooring for my kitchen, and today I called the local flooring place to see about buying from them. The salesman told me that the tiles are 20" square, understandable because linoleum is mostly used in industrial and commercial applications, but for a wee kitchen the scale would be wrong. I asked him if there is a good way to cut the tiles into four, so that the floor would have 10" squares. He made the valid point that the factory has precision equipment and cutting the tiles in an inferior way would make the seams crude. Has anyone cut linoleum tiles or do you have a suggestion for a way to make the cuts clean and precise so assembly of the floor (a simple checkerboard pattern) will be neat and clean?

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Willa
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Willa »

There is sheet linoleum, which is probably a better choice for a small room like a kitchen. Marmoleum of this type is best installed by a professional as there are some finicky issues with it, including temperature and curling from being on a roll. The last time I looked Marmoleum also had solid color contrasting narrow borders, which are sort of heat set during installation ?

Commercial VC tiles are 12 x 12 and come in many, many colors. From reading on contractor forums (when I was hot on the trail of VC Tile) the Armstrong tiles were said to be the best as they were predictably cut very cleanly and truly square v.s. other brands that could be a little off. For a large commercial application a few mm off per every 3rd tile could add up to a visible distortion of the grid.

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Manalto
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Manalto »

I wonder if perhaps a bandsaw might be able to make an acceptably clean slice through the linoleum.

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Mick_VT
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Mick_VT »

Manalto wrote:I wonder if perhaps a bandsaw might be able to make an acceptably clean slice through the linoleum.

only if you want an irregular seam
Mick...

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Manalto
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Manalto »

But I don't. Why would I want that? I'm not sure what I'm not making clear. Tiles are available in 20" squares. Those are too big for the room. I would like to cut them in half twice to make four 10 squares. How can i do that so the cuts are clean and square?

ETA: The salesperson is looking into the possible availability of smaller sizes, so this question may be moot.
Last edited by Manalto on Tue Aug 15, 2017 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Mick_VT
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Mick_VT »

Manalto wrote:But I don't. Why would I want that? I'm not sure what I'm not making clear. Tiles are available in 20" squares. Those are too big for the room. I would like to cut them in half twice to make four 10 squares. How can i do that so the cuts are clean and square?

I think the only way you would do it is with some kind of professional guillotine cutter. Your other option might be to lay them as 20" then score a fake join line with a craft knife and a steel rule after they are laid
Mick...

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Manalto
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Manalto »

But they'd be the same color on both sides of the join line. I'm trying to lay a checkerboard pattern.

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Willa
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by Willa »

Because linoleum is somewhat malleable, making a precise cut without the material dragging during the cut is easier said than done.You need precise 90 degree corners to lay it out as you want. Precise 90 degree cuts without any angle to the cut through the thickness of the material = challenging for most people. (Last time I cut linoleum was during printmaking classes).

VC Tiles are available as samples that are smaller than 12 x12" (I think 7 x 7" ?). Ask your Marmoleum distributor to inquire whether they offer smaller pieces as sample packs, or can make square tiles to your spec for extra $$$ ?

You could also ask the Marmoleum dealer to put you in touch with a local floorlayer with loads of experience with the stuff.

If you want to live "dangerously" keep your eye on Ebay for vintage sample packages of asbestos VC Tile which have an array of colors/patterns and are I think 7 x 7". As far as I have read the asbestos poses little threat unless you were sand it. There was as amazing Moderne house in Baltimore for sale with outstanding colors and kitschy decor who used it for a backsplash:

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* No clue why I am getting duplicate images I can't undo ?*
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phil
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by phil »

if you want accuracy just take the time to be precision. mark each cut on both ends accurately with a knife not a pencil. you could use a piee of stiff card or alunimum sheet which you can cut with a utility knife to use as a ruler cut it to the length of your cuts and check it's accuracy then set it on top of the tile and measure from one end of it to the other and mark it's length with a little knife cut. when you cut clamp down your straight edge so it can't shift and pay attention to the fact that the knife is square not leanine , use even pressure and speed and make several score marks until you are through.

Or as mentioned a Guillotine
Not like this one :
https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/H-2 ... lsrc=aw.ds

but like this one
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zzTbPngmTiM/hqdefault.jpg

I used to work in printing so I am familiar with them. I was even a serviceman. it will cut squarely and with precision accuracy. the issue will be to find a print shop that would want to cut lino on it. It wouldn't really hurt the machine but a blade change means sharpening and an hour or so of downtime and they dont' want any nicks in the blade so I think they will refuse unless you find some guy with a back alley shop that might be willing to make a few bucks.

Here is a similar shear, I also fix these things..
this is a metal shear. it will cut through metal plate like 4x8 sheets of 3/4" steel. it would also cut the tile with accuracy and the blades are more robust.
yup it'll slice 3/4" steel plate like butter. .. pretty amazing actually.
https://www.wotol.com/images/thumbs/800 ... 0d74af.jpg

the printing one cuts with a beveled blade against a replaceable plastic strip. The metal shear has two blades which pass like scissors. again it wouldn't be likely to damage the machine but the owner may not be crazy about cutting weird things with it. you'd have to ask and it would be a little favor, they might be cooperative , or not. you'd find one of these in a steel fab shop.

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awomanwithahammer
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Re: Cutting Linoleum

Post by awomanwithahammer »

I have Marmoleum in my home kitchen, and I love it! It is pretty pricey, but my kitchen is relatively small. I used the sheet goods and had it professionally installed. I don't know if there is any difference in the thickness of the sheet goods as opposed to the tiles, but I wonder if it would be easier to cut the sheet. If you got two sheets in the colors you wanted, maybe you could cut out the size you need without having to worry about pre-existing measurements. I do know that a plastic or vinyl (or something) rod is used to join seams with a special iron, and you might need to do that in order to make the seams leakproof. I don't even know if it would work, but it's just an idea.
Bonnie

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