Choosing linoleum

Each person seeks to make his home as comfortable, cozy and beautiful as possible, and the flooring plays an important role in this matter. Today there is a huge choice of various finishing materials for a floor. You can lay luxurious parquet, modern laminate or practical tile in your house, but linoleum has been the most popular among buyers for many years.

The overwhelming majority of people associate linoleum with an inexpensive coating of average quality, which is chosen by those who do not have enough money for parquet. However, this is a completely wrong opinion, because today linoleum is one of the most affordable, very durable and durable types of materials. It is easy to lay, it does not even need the help of professionals. A variety of colors and design options of this material will satisfy the tastes of even the most demanding customers.

What is most interesting is that, contrary to popular belief, linoleum is not a cheap artificial material. Initially, only natural, environmentally friendly raw materials were used for the manufacture of such a floor covering. Moreover, even the term "linoleum" in translation from Latin means "flaxseed" and "oil". The natural linoleum consisted of wood resin and flour, flax seed oil, jute, calcareous and cork powder.

Natural materials are completely safe for human health and the environment. Moreover, due to flaxseed oil in the composition, the material has bactericidal properties and has a light, unobtrusive aroma of natural oil. Such linoleum is absolutely not fire-hazardous, unpretentious in care, and also has a long shelf life. The cost of such a flooring is not small, which is why natural linoleum is not widely used, and it was replaced by an analogue of synthetic materials.

Modern artificial linoleum, though different from natural, nevertheless, has many advantages. Most often, such a coating is made of polyvinyl chloride, but there are also alkyd, rubber, as well as colloxylin variants. They are sold either in roll or (less commonly) in the form of elastic tiles. This flooring is also practical, durable and beautiful.

There are several types of linoleum, which differ in several parameters. Depending on its purpose, coverage is of the following types.

• Domestic. This type of coverage is the most common and affordable. As a rule, it is a rather thin material that is intended for use in residential buildings and apartments. It is distinguished by a large variety of colors, which means that every buyer will easily select a material that is ideal for the interior. It is easy to care for household linoleum, it is inexpensive, but this material is not designed for too high loads, and the service life of the coating is no more than 3-5 years.Therefore, clearly correlate the objectives and features of operation, before making a purchase.

• Semi-commercial. This version of linoleum is much more durable than the previous one. It is ideal for office space, as well as corridors, kitchens or bathrooms in residential apartments. In short, commercial linoleum is designed for spaces with an average degree of patency. It has a thicker structure and diverse design. The shelf life of such a coating is about ten years, it all depends on the characteristics and intensity of use.
• Commercial. It is this type of coating that is laid in shops, hospitals, schools, kindergartens, or any other premises in which many people live every day. Commercial linoleum is incredibly strong and durable, it is not afraid of excessive loads. The service life of this flooring is tens of years.

By its very nature, linoleum is also divided into several types.

• Without foundation. This option is ideal for use in rooms with a fairly high degree of humidity, for example in the bathroom and in the toilet.It can be put solely on a perfectly smooth and even surface, so if your floor is made of wooden planks, without additional coating of fiberboard sheets, linoleum without a substrate will definitely not work for it.
• On the foam basis. This coating is the most common. It has a fairly long shelf life and is durable. The special structure allows using this coating to eliminate small defects and irregularities on the floor. Linoleum is also sold on a polyester base with a nap.
• On a thick base. This kind of material is not intended for use in rooms with a high level of humidity, but the material will become simply indispensable for living rooms or bedrooms, since such linoleum retains heat and absorbs noise perfectly. In addition, walking on such a floor is quite nice.

Also, by their structure, artificial coverings are divided into two types: homo-and heterogeneous. The first version of linoleum single layer. Its thickness ranges from 1.5 to 3 millimeters. The second type of coating is thicker - from two to seven millimeters, while its structure consists of three layers: the substrate, fiberglass and the outer coating. In addition, most manufacturers indicate linoleum strength indicators.Abrasion resistance is denoted by the letters T, P, M, F, where T is the most and F is the least stable type. The level of resistance to wear is usually shown in figures 1 and 2.

As mentioned above, there are two types of materials for the manufacture of linoleum: natural and synthetic. You already know about the first coverage option. Now it is necessary to dwell in more detail on artificial varieties of linoleum.

• PVC. Floor PVC coating is by far the most sought after. Despite the fact that the material is of artificial origin, it is absolutely safe for human health. In the production process, linoleum undergoes strict quality control. This type of coverage is characterized by democratic value and a large variety of model range. Pick up the product under any interior is not difficult, but it is worth noting that PVC linoleum is completely unstable to sudden changes in temperature.
• Alkyd. Differently, this type of linoleum is called glyphthalic. Usually the coating is produced on a substrate of fabric. Due to this, the material retains heat and is characterized by excellent sound insulation qualities.Often, among the disadvantages of alkyd linoleum is its pronounced tendency to form creases.

• Kolloksilinovy. This material is made on the basis of a special raw material - nitrocellulose. The coating will have excellent exterior characteristics, attractive gloss, variety of design. Like other types of linoleum, it is not resistant to temperature extremes and can be deformed for various reasons.
• Rubber. This is the most moisture resistant type of flooring, as well as incredibly elastic and durable. It includes bitumen and relin (rubber) - a product of recycling, therefore, due to sanitary rules, this type of coating is not used in residential premises. However, it is simply indispensable in industry.

To get the most complete picture of the size of linoleum, you need to take into account three basic parameters.

• Length. Usually linoleum is sold in a roll and only very rarely in the form of a tile, so its length is measured in linear meters. Today, in the assortment of modern shops you will find floor coverings up to 45 meters long. Of course, to choose the length of linoleum is, above all, based on the size of the room, because the whole canvas will look on the floor much better and more attractive.

• Width. Most often, the size of the narrowest coating ranges from 1.5 to 2 m, with the widest linoleum being no more than 5 m. You can choose any variations of linoleum: 4 * 5, 2 * 3, 3 * 3 m and so on. The possibility of an exact choice will allow you to choose a coating that clearly corresponds to the dimensions of the space.
• Thickness. This is a very important parameter, because it depends on it how strong and resistant to intensive use the material will be, as well as its sound insulation properties and the ability to preserve the appearance. As a rule, the standard models, not equipped with an additional substrate, have a thickness of from 0.7 to 4.5 mm. For use in everyday life the best option is linoleum with a thickness of about 3 mm, if you plan to lay the floor in rooms with high traffic, it is better to look at the thicker options.

So, it became clear to you that linoleum is a practical, inexpensive and durable material. However, the advantages of this flooring do not end there. One of the important advantages of linoleum is a variety of color performance. In the catalogs of modern stores you will find a wide range of products, the appearance of which will satisfy anyone, even the most demanding customer, and therefore, the process of choosing the right material for the interior will be absolutely no difficulty.

Monophonic (beige, brown, blue), black and white (“chessboard”) and color models are on sale. Coatings with all sorts of patterns, patterns and ornaments, as well as imitations for parquet, stone, tile, bleached oak, engravings, are very popular with customers. Thanks to the latest technology, the coating accurately replicates not only the design and color of natural materials, but also their 3D relief.

The wear resistance of the material is denoted by classes from 21 to 44. The higher this indicator, the higher the density, weight and durability of linoleum. Thus, class 21 flooring is suitable for residential premises, while discharge material 44 is intended for industrial workshops and production premises.

Also, the buyer should certainly pay attention to a number of other characteristics, for example, whether the material has anti-slip treatment. This factor is extremely important because linoleum is very slippery, especially if it gets water. One awkward movement can lead to bruises and injuries. The presence of antibacterial impregnation will not be superfluous, then you can safely lay it even in the children's room and bedroom.

In addition, be sure to take care of fire safety. Some varieties of linoleum are incredibly susceptible to burning, and even a fallen match can cause serious damage to the coating.

Now you know almost everything about linoleum, which means that the choice of such material is absolutely no difficulty. Nevertheless, it is necessary to clarify once again which parameters need to be paid attention to when purchasing coverage.

• Type of room. In most cases, this criterion is of decisive importance, because it is precisely this that determines the choice of a particular type of material. First of all, it should be remembered that for household and commercial premises there are coatings with different characteristics, and household linoleum is also divided into several types depending on the room in the house for which it is intended.

For example, in the hall, the coating is usually not very thick, but always beautiful and warm, so that it is pleasant to walk on it. Linoleum for the kitchen, bathroom and corridor should be as resistant to wear as possible, since these rooms are quite intensively used, and hence its structure must be more dense and elastic. It is also extremely important that the flooring does not deteriorate due to high humidity, because the floor in such rooms must be washed frequently.In addition, make sure that the linoleum is treated with a special tool that does not allow strong slipping.

• The size of the material. It is not necessary to get a cloth of material of too small size. It is best to buy a coating that will clearly correspond to the area of ​​the room. So linoleum will look much more aesthetic.
• A variation of the substrate. If you want the warmest floor possible, which will hide the small unevenness of the floor and will not spoil from the furniture standing on it, give preference to linoleum on the basis of felt. This option is not worse than carpet. When you need stronger sound insulation, stop the selection on the foam backing.

It is important that the floor covering complements and decorates the overall style of the interior, rather than contradicts it, so pay special attention to the choice of material design. Remember that lighter shades visually expand the space, while darker colors conceal it. If you choose monochromatic linoleum or with a pattern, it is important that the shades of the coating are combined with the wall covering and furniture in the room.

So, for a classic style more suitable elite designer models of linoleum with a seamless texture. They can be either monophonic or with diamonds or “under the tile”. For more modern styles of finishing, you can choose unusual options, self-adhesive or traditional linoleum. They can be with any patterns and ornaments.

To date, there is a wide range of varieties of linoleum, and uniquely determine which one is better, will not work. It all depends on your goals and type of room. However, a few points still stand out.

For example, if the material has a glossy finish, it will be much easier to wash it. Also, non-slip material is much better, unlike slippery. Hard type linoleum is more prone to the appearance of creases and cracks, rather than soft. It is also worth noting that it is best to purchase material that will be resistant to mechanical loads and will not deteriorate if furniture is on it for a long time.

Now it is necessary to consider in more detail all the advantages and disadvantages of modern linoleum. The following indicators can be considered as pluses.

• Affordable cost. This is the most obvious advantage of this material. Regardless of the size of your budget, you can easily find the right linoleum, while the quality of the flooring will be quite good. Because of this, this material has become so popular among buyers.
• Long service life. The average shelf life of natural linoleum is more than 20 years, but even household coating will not lose its original qualities for at least three or even five years. If you compare these figures with the cost of coverage, it becomes obvious that the purchase is very, very profitable.

• Wide range. Modern technologies allow you to choose almost any design of the coating, whether it is an imitation of natural stone or a bright solid color. Everyone can easily find a suitable option.
• Easy installation. In order to put the linoleum does not require the help of professionals, you can easily cope with this task on their own.The main thing is to remember that the material should rest a bit at a stable room temperature. From temperature fluctuations, it can swell and stick to the legs, as well as dents may appear on it, which will not be easy to remove. And yet, first you need to glue the wallpaper, only then lay linoleum.

Despite the abundance of advantages, linoleum coating has minuses .:

• Ecological. Most manufacturers produce safe coatings for humans, but they do not decompose at all. Therefore, you can not just throw the material in a landfill. It must be handed over to a special disposal center.
• Flammability Most types of linoleum spoil even from minimal exposure to the flame, so you need to be very careful and avoid sparks on the floor.

Every buyer wants to find an exceptionally high-quality, durable, safe and beautiful floor covering. In the search for such material is very important to pay attention to the study of manufacturers. To date, the most popular varieties of linoleum are produced in Russia, Europe, Belgium, while products of Belgian companies are not worsethan domestic. If you want to know the specific brands, then you should pay attention to the goods Tarkett, Juteks, IVC. The linoleum of these brands is characterized by excellent quality and excellent external characteristics.

Do not forget that in the modern market there are many fakes. Therefore, do not forget to always ask the sellers for a license and quality certificates for the goods. If the supplier is reliable, then he will not refuse your request, and then you will be sure that you are purchasing truly first-class linoleum.

Your attention is invited to a selection of the most successful options for linoleum in the interior for the apartment. This will help you to better understand what type of material will fit into the bedroom, nursery or hallway.

• Light linoleum, imitating laminate, perfectly complements the overall style of the room, combined with furniture.
• This is an interesting variant of the pattern on the floor covering. Linoleum bed in the commercial premises and profitably divides it into zones.

• Another example of a classic flooring model. Reserved design and unobtrusive color create an atmosphere of harmony and tranquility in the house.
• Solid, durable and beautiful linoleum perfectly fit into the interior of commercial space. He became his bright color accent.

• This type of flooring emphasizes the style of modern interior, but it does not attract too much attention to itself.

Even more useful tips on choosing the right linoleum, you will learn from the following video.