What is better: laminate or linoleum?

When finishing the apartment special attention is paid to the flooring. It is important that it be strong, durable and wear-resistant, and also had a beautiful appearance that will emphasize the uniqueness of the interior and create a feeling of coziness and comfort. Not everyone can afford to lay expensive parquet. Therefore, the most popular options with respect to the budget cover are linoleum and laminate. These materials have approximately the same cost and are similar in their characteristics, so many buyers are lost when choosing the best flooring option.

Next, we analyze in detail the main differences between laminate and linoleum, list their main advantages and disadvantages, consider the features of each material.

To understand what material is ideal for your apartment, you need to carefully study the characteristics of both options.

First, we list the features that distinguish both linoleum and parquet:

• relatively low cost;
• resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
• attractive appearance;
• unpretentious care;
• ease of installation;
• relative durability.

Today, the term "linoleum" most imagines a synthetic floor covering. But few people know that initially this material was completely natural, and it was invented more than a century and a half ago. The initial composition of the material was completely natural, and it included linseed oil, jute, lime, wood tar and flour. So it turned out durable, completely environmentally friendly and safe flooring. However, this option was not for everyone. In addition, natural linoleum is not accessible. Therefore, a synthetic PVC alternative has come to replace this invention. It is about this linoleum and will be discussed further.

Synthetic linoleum is divided into three types depending on the purpose. It happens:

• Household. This variant of the coating has a small thickness, it is about four centimeters. The material is very soft, comfortable and pleasant to walk on. However, the wear resistance and durability of household linoleum is very small.
• Semi-commercial. In most cases, the thickness of such a coating is at least 7 millimeters. Linoleum has a thick protective layer, which makes it much more durable than the household option.
• Commercial. This type of flooring is the most resistant to wear. That it is used for decoration of premises with a very large cross (schools, hospitals, kindergartens and other institutions). The size of the protective layer of commercial linoleum is the largest among all the listed options. From above, the material is treated with a special composition, which makes it non-slip, and therefore safer to use.

All of the listed options for linoleum have a large selection of various colors.

We list the main advantages of polyvinyl chloride linoleum:

• Ease of installation. Due to this factor, linoleum has become so popular. In order to smoothly and beautifully lay the floor covering in your apartment, it is not at all necessary to resort to the help of professionals. You can easily cope with this task yourself. In this case, you do not need special tools or any special skills.
• Durability. The material is resistant to decomposition. According to statistics, the average service life of linoleum is about thirty years. Few synthetic coatings can boast such a long operation.

• Large assortment of colors. In modern stores you will find a huge variety of different models of PVC flooring. Models that mimic the design and texture of real wood, marble, and natural stone are very popular. Color solutions and design options of the coating are limited only by your imagination. You can easily select a model that fits perfectly into the interior of your home.
• Security. In most cases, such floor coverings are treated with anti-skid materials.Therefore, you do not have to worry that it is easy to slip and fall on such a coating. This parameter is especially important when there are young children and elderly people in the house.
• Good heat and noise insulation. Polyvinyl chloride conducts heat rather poorly, guaranteeing minimal heat loss. So, the floor will not freeze at any time of the year.

With all the advantages available, this coating also has certain disadvantages, namely:

• Ecological. Like many other synthetic materials, polyvinyl chloride cannot be completely safe for the environment. However, for those who care about health and nature, modern developers have come up with the latest environmental models. Be sure to check with the sellers, whether the store presents similar products.
• Low density material. If you put something heavy on linoleum, for example, furniture, then dents will certainly remain on the floor. In this case, they are not always able to straighten.
• Instability to high temperatures. Such a material quickly melts when heated excessively. And some low-quality coatings are deformed at low temperatures.

Now let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of vinyl laminate. This material is an artificial floor covering, which consists of several layers: a substrate, an inner layer, a decorative outer coating, and a protective polymer layer. In addition to these layers, for the manufacture of laminate sometimes use additional external processing. For example, a special coating to increase the sound insulation performance of the material.

Like linoleum, laminate is divided into several types depending on the purpose of the room in which it will be placed. These varieties are designated by the term "class". There are classes under the numbers 21, 22, 23 and 31, 32, 33, 34. The larger the number, the higher the wear resistance and durability of the coating. For example, class 21 laminate is great for ordinary residential apartments. A class 34 is already more durable and durable, so it is best suited for shopping centers and other commercial premises. Also available are some particularly durable models for dance halls and moisture-proof options for kitchens.

We list the main advantages of such a flooring:

• Environmental friendliness. In the manufacture of laminate used natural wood that provides good quality coating and safety for the environment and humans.
• The wealth of textures and colors. In the catalogs of modern stores you can easily find laminate, which is almost impossible to distinguish from a real tree either in color or in texture. At the same time the cost of such a floor will be quite affordable.

Also, the laminate is very easy to install yourself at the expense of a special design.

Disadvantages of this material:

• Instability to moisture. If you decide to lay a laminate in your apartment, then you should not do wet cleaning too often, because if a large amount of water gets in, the material may swell and deteriorate.
• Relative fragility. In the absence of special protective impregnations, such a coating will last no more than five years. In addition, often the material is completely unstable to external damage and chips and scratches can quickly appear on it.

Also, when installing a laminate that is sealed with locks, cracks may form at the joints. In the future, this is hello to the accumulation of dust and moisture in the gaps,which also adversely affect the duration of the floor covering.

So, we have analyzed in detail the basic properties of laminate and linoleum, both materials have distinctive and similar features. Now we will conduct a comparative analysis of these two floor coverings in order to get a more complete picture of the characteristics of these two materials.

Both materials are not natural, so they can not be called completely environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that in the manufacture of linoleum is used a lot more synthetic substances, rather than in the process of producing laminate. In addition, linoleum will not be able to just throw it in a landfill, because the material does not decompose and is dangerous to the environment. It is also worth noting that polyvinyl chloride causes allergic reactions much more often than laminate.

Both laminate and linoleum are very easy to lay. However, the installation of laminate flooring will take a little longer, since the coating will consist of many individual planks.At the same time, this is what makes laminate more profitable during operation. After all, if necessary, you can easily replace any element of the structure, while if the linoleum is damaged, you will have to replace the entire canvas. The same applies to scratches: it is easy to repair cracks on laminate flooring with the help of special substances, which is not the case with polyvinyl chloride.

As for durability, the service life of linoleum is up to thirty years, while the laminate flooring rarely lasts more than ten years.

Linoleum with a thick substrate perfectly absorbs all sounds. In this case, the laminate can not boast the same properties. Thus, according to this criterion, the laminate is inferior to the coating of polyvinyl chloride.

Modern models of linoleum successfully imitate any natural coating, whether stone or natural wood. However, no matter how bright and beautiful the drawing of this material is, the laminate flooring in most cases looks more solid and attractive, since the laminate is much more like a real tree and also has a pleasant texture.However, the choice of outdoor material on the external characteristics of a purely individual character. The decision depends on your personal preferences, as well as the design and characteristics of the premises for which the material is selected.

Definitely answer this question is quite difficult. Laminate is more resistant to scratches and mechanical damage than linoleum. At the same time, linoleum will not lose its properties or the original appearance from the ingress of large amounts of water, which is not the case with laminate flooring. This means that if the room is flooded, then most likely, the coating will have to be completely replaced. Also, he and other materials are not resistant to fire, but at the same time linoleum is considered much more flammable. However, it should be noted that with fairly similar operational and external characteristics, PVC coating will cost you much less.

Laminate colder than linoleum. PVC coating practically does not conduct heat, moreover, it is equipped with a thick substrate. So, in the cold season to walk on linoleum will be much more pleasant than on the floor of the laminate.

The cost of a particular material depends on many different factors. Matters the country of origin of the flooring, as well as its quality and thickness. Even with the purchase is to take into account the size of the area for which the purchased material. Only having estimated all factors, it will be possible to say exactly which coverage is more profitable. On average, prices for linoleum are significantly lower than for laminate flooring. If you multiply this indicator with a long service life of PVC material, then the purchase seems very reasonable. But do not forget about the features of the operation of both materials and their external characteristics.

We have already noted earlier that linoleum is more toxic than laminate. This is particularly evident in the process of disposal of this material, since during combustion, polyvinyl chloride emits a very sharp chemical smell and soot. Also, do not forget that for the manufacture of linoleum uses more chemicals than laminate, so the second type of flooring is considered safer for health. But in general, and he and the other option will not cause harm to man.The main thing is to correctly select the manufacturer and check the quality certificates for the products.

Cleaning any kind of flooring is not difficult. However, linoleum can safely be washed frequently with plenty of water and detergents, while with wet cleaning of the laminate you need to be more careful not to let the material get too wet.

In order to understand what kind of coverage is suitable for your apartment, you should take into account the characteristics of different rooms. So, in the bedroom, dining room or living room is best to lay a laminate. It looks more stylish, modern and attractive. This will emphasize the design and originality of your interior. If you need to put something on the kitchen floor or pick up the material in the nursery, it is better to opt for linoleum, because this material is more practical. It will be much easier to use it in such premises.

For a wooden private house (cottage) or on the balcony, you should also look at the laminate flooring, since the linoleum flooring is not resistant to temperature changes and can quickly deteriorate. However, for a cold balcony and giving linoleum will be warmer than the laminate.This also should not be forgotten with the final choice of coverage.

So, we have analyzed in detail all the advantages and disadvantages of two budget floor coverings, as well as their operational properties. Both materials have fundamental similarities and differences. In addition, they differ significantly in appearance, so the choice of one or another option depends solely on your preferences, budget and purpose of the room for which the floor material is selected.

There are many options for flooring, in addition to the already considered laminate and linoleum. Consider a few of them.

This material is simply indispensable for the decoration of rooms with high humidity and flotation, such as bathrooms, kitchens and corridors. This coating can withstand almost any load. It is incredibly strong and durable. At the same time, a variety of colors and tile design allows you to choose it for any interior and even create interesting and unusual compositions on the floor. However, walking on such a coating barefoot will not work, because the material is very cold.Also worth noting is the difficulty of installing tiles. However, if you hire an experienced professional for styling, you will get excellent results.

This natural material is the most common option for covering the floor, because it has been used for many centuries. Environmental friendliness and safety for human health and the environment are considered indisputable advantages of natural wood. Also, this material has a very beautiful appearance, giving coziness and comfort to any room. The wooden floor has a low thermal conductivity, which means that it will be warm and pleasant to walk on. Such coverage will serve you for more than a dozen years. But the cost of such coverage is quite high.

This is another fairly common type of flooring. Natural material is one hundred percent eco-friendly and safe. Cork has a very pleasant and unusual texture. Walking on this floor is very good for health. In the process of walking, you get a micro-massage of the feet, which has a positive effect on the work of the musculoskeletal system and the whole organism. Cork floors are very strong and durable, however, they do not differ in a variety of colors.It is also worth noting that this material has excellent thermal and sound insulation characteristics. And more such coverage for the full is very unpretentious in the care.

What to lay - laminate or linoleum, you will learn from the video below.