The choice of flooring is simply huge right now. And when it is necessary to choose material for the floor, eyes run up from the many samples presented on the window of a construction store. And attempts to evaluate the technical parameters, to understand the pros and cons of a particular option only finally enter into a buyer's stupor. He is lost, not knowing how to choose linoleum.
In recent years, the construction market has been flooded with new flooring and materials. But despite this, linoleum that has already become a classic is not inferior to its niche. Its cost, in comparison with other materials, is much lower. At the same time, it is practical, serves for a long time, does not require special care. This led to the great popularity of linoleum.
Why should linoleum be preferred?
Linoleum is well known to everyone since the days of the Soviet Union. And this material has proved itself to be simply excellent: it is quite durable and difficult to damage (even with such intent), tolerates moisture well and does not deteriorate, provides a huge selection of colors. Linoleum is plastic and does not create difficulties for installation.
In order to lay linoleum, special preparation is not required. This task is within the power of any man who is not afraid of physical labor.
Characteristics and differences of types of linoleum
The nomenclature of linoleum produced is very large. But all materials can be combined into groups (types) on a common basis. Thus, several types of linoleum are distinguished, differing in some signs.
Linoleum based on natural ingredients
The basis is fabric cord. In most cases, jute fabric is used in factories . Oil (linseed), wood or cork flour, and lime are mixed in a certain proportion. Color is set by natural dyes.
Thanks to this composition, this material is absolutely harmless to human health and therefore can lie in all rooms without exception (even in a children's room). Such linoleum will not cause an allergic reaction and will not provoke an asthma attack.
Natural linoleum has quite good characteristics: it is wear-resistant, does not lose and does not change color throughout the entire period of operation, does not ignite and does not burn. It should also be said that it has bactericidal properties. Care for such linoleum is carried out elementarily.
But there is one drawback - materials of this type are not recommended for use in rooms with a high level of humidity.
PVC linoleum
Polyvinyl chloride is a universal material. It is also used for the production of linoleum. PVC materials are good dielectrics, do not conduct heat (have good thermal insulation properties), are safe for health. The material is not afraid of moisture and does not rot; it is easy to install and maintain.
But PVC linoleum is extremely painful for temperature changes (with decreasing temperature, the operational properties drop sharply). Contact with alkalis, other aggressive environments and substances is inadmissible.
Classification of linoleum by appointment
Commercial - mainly used in offices. Differs in the increased durability and wear resistance. Serves for a long time (at least 20 years). High quality affects the cost of linoleum - it is rather big.
Semi-commercial - it is used both in office and in residential premises. Serves no more than 7 years. Therefore, this material is advisable to use as flooring in rooms with a small cross.
Household - linoleum thickness does not exceed a few millimeters. Scope - exclusively residential premises with low traffic. The service life is on average 5 years. Sold by rolls. Household linoleum has the worst range of performance properties.
Other varieties of linoleum
Glyphthalic linoleum consists of an alkyd resin applied to a strong fabric. Such a composition at times complicates the work of laying the material on the floor, but it's worth it: the sound insulation and sound insulation are improved.
Colloxylin linoleum has a number of important positive properties: the material is elastic, resistant to moisture, does not ignite on contact with open fire.
Relin is a two-layer composite material. The first layer is a mixture of bitumen and crushed rubber. The second layer is rubber, pigment, as well as a special filler. Such linoleum is not afraid of moisture, elastic.
The structure of the layers of linoleum
The structure of linoleum can be homogeneous or heterogeneous. How to choose linoleum correctly so as not to regret it later? When making a decision, it is necessary to take into account the features, advantages and disadvantages of each type.
The thickness of the linoleum of the first group is 1.5-2 millimeters. The drawing is applied according to the so-called end-to-end technology, due to which the material has a presentable appearance throughout the entire life cycle. That is why experienced specialists recommend this class of linoleum for the kitchen and hallway. These rooms have the largest cross.
Heterogeneous class linoleum thickness reaches 6 mm. It is composite and consists of a PVC substrate reinforcing fiberglass fabric, a decorative layer of PVC with an image applied to it, and a bactericidal outer coating.
Heterogeneous linoleum is recommended to be laid in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the hallway.
You can see on sale linoleum mixed type. The basis of such a floor material is a homogeneous layer, but at the same time there is a PVC layer, fiberglass and a protective film.
But which linoleum is better? There is no clear answer to this question. The choice of a specific type of coating is due to many factors.
How to choose linoleum for an apartment
To make the right choice, taking into account all the subtleties and requirements, you need to know the universal marking. All premises in accordance with international standards can be divided into residential, office and industrial (industrial). The main criterion by which the room is classified as one or another type is the intensity of the load on the floor surface. The image of the house and the accompanying figure 2 indicate that linoleum is intended exclusively for residential premises. Material intended for use in harsh office conditions is marked with the number 3 and the image of a multi-story building. The number 4 and the schematic image of the factory indicate that the material is intended for use in workshops and other industrial premises.
To determine such an important characteristic as abrasion, control samples of linoleum are tested. How to choose a test method? And he should not be chosen. It is strictly regulated by EU standards and GOST. The bottom line is as follows: rotation of the felt circle of a certain diameter is given, then the circle is brought to the test specimen and pressed with the necessary force, after a specified time, the amount of wear is measured. Based on the experimentally obtained data, a particular degree of attrition is assigned to the linoleum sample. Beech "T" is marked material with a degree of abrasion up to 0.08 mm. "P" corresponds to wear to 0.15 mm. "M" - up to 0.3 mm. Finally, “F” is abrasion up to and including 0.6 millimeters. It should be noted that sometimes the degree of abrasion is marked with pictograms of men. In this case, the more figures, the higher the degree of wear resistance of the material.
The drawing room or hall, as a rule, are rooms with average passability. Therefore, it is recommended to use linoleum with a thickness of 1.5 millimeters in these rooms. The best choice is inexpensive household PVC linoleum. It is desirable that the coating is resistant to moisture, does not absorb dirt, and does not lose color as a result of exposure to sunlight. It is best that the material be reinforced with either jute or felt mesh fiber (this will give elasticity, a certain softness, enhance the pleasant effect with tactile interaction).
The flooring in the children's room should not contain any harmful substances. It is best to use linoleum made from natural materials. Yes, in this case, the coverage will serve much less, but you should never risk the health of children.
The kitchen cover is steadily experiencing significant loads due to high traffic. In addition, the kitchen is almost constantly humid, the floors of the kitchen are often washed using fairly aggressive detergents. Ideally suited linoleum stacked squares, a thickness of not more than three millimeters.
The choice of material for the bedroom will depend on the patency of the room. As a rule, the load on the floor in the bedroom is negligible. Therefore, in most cases, linoleum on a foamed PVC base of small thickness (from 1.2 mm) is suitable.
The entrance hall is the most visited room in the apartment. Therefore, the flooring is under heavy load. All family members come from the street and step onto the linoleum with a solid sole on the hallway, which sometimes has abrasive elements, stones, glass fragments, etc. A semi-commercial class of linoleum with a thickness of 3 millimeters or more is recommended for use.
Design and style issues
How to choose linoleum for an apartment in which a good repair has already been made? If you have good taste, certain ideas about the desired result, then you can rely on your own opinion. However, there are a number of general recommendations, rules and regulations that will help make the room more aesthetic and stylish:
- cold tones visually make the room more spacious, while warm tones have the exact opposite effect;
- beige color is associated with the warmth of the hearth, with comfort, red color - tension, aggressiveness, blue - sets to rest, gray color sets to work;
- the ornament on the floor has a great influence on the perception of space, you can significantly expand a narrow room visually through the use of linoleum with the image of a parquet board;
- the size of the elements of decorative tiles on linoleum should be proportional to the size of the room.
Buying linoleum
In specialized stores, the choice of linoleum is so huge that, without exaggeration, you can get confused and acquire, to put it mildly, material with not the best characteristics.
So, how to choose a coating? Based on many years of experience, the masters give some tips on choosing linoleum for an apartment. However, these recommendations are also relevant when buying floor material for an office or other premises. Key points to pay attention to:
- If linoleum emits a very sharp, unpleasant odor, then most likely it contains harmful substances. Such material should not be taken.
- The surface should not shine very much, the pattern should be clear, without defects.
- Be sure to ask the seller-consultant if he can provide all the necessary certificates confirming the quality and safety for the health of the products sold.
- Ensure the presence of an external protective coating (it significantly extends the life of the coating).
- Of course, a macroanalysis should be carried out, so to speak, and make sure that there are no significant damages, foreign inclusions, heterogeneities in composition, etc. on the surface of linoleum.
- The width of the roll should correspond to the overall width of the room in order to avoid joints that spoil the appearance and introduce dissonance into the interior.
- In advance, you should plan a way to transport the roll and find a machine with suitable cargo compartment dimensions.
- When purchasing material, you should take it with a margin (you may have to combine a drawing, cover thresholds and hard-to-reach spots).
If you pay attention to the above criteria for choosing linoleum, then problems with the acquisition, installation and further operation of the flooring can be avoided.
In no case should not chase a low price. As a rule, a too low price is set for low-quality linoleum with the goal of getting rid of it as soon as possible.
Linoleum manufacturers
In the building materials market, in particular in the linoleum market, both domestic and imported products are presented (mainly Europe). It is absolutely safe to say that the domestic manufacturer offers competitive products that are no worse, and in some respects even superior to their foreign counterparts.
The most famous domestic linoleum producer is the Tarkett brand. Of the imported products, the highest-quality products are offered by the Hungarian brand Grabo, Forbo (Switzerland), Juteks (Slovenian company, there is a plant in Russia) and Gerflor (France).
Grabo specializes in the design and manufacture of fiberglass reinforced coatings. Such a solution gives the material incredible strength and wear resistance. Materials from this manufacturer are also distinguished by good noise and heat insulation properties, ease of installation work. In general, the material from the company "Grabo" is a worthy option. In addition, the cost of linoleum is quite attractive.
Forbo brand linoleum is one of the best synthetic and natural floor coverings in the market segment. The manufacturer positions itself as an innovative enterprise, constantly modernizing the technological process and the material base of the equipment. Only high quality components and raw materials are used. Linoleum has good adhesive and frictional properties (does not slip), is moisture resistant, and is a bactericidal material.
The company "Utex" has Slovenian roots. Although at present in many countries there are factories that produce products under this brand under license. 70 years is a considerable period. And if during this time the company not only did not go bankrupt, but also increases capacity annually, then this indicates the quality of the products. The main "feature", or feature, of linoleum is the presence of a special protective layer. This outer dense film provides reliable protection against grease, dirt, and intense mechanical stress on the material. The products are certainly certified according to international quality standards.
How can you characterize linoleum from the French company "Gerflor"? First of all, these are original style decisions that will not leave indifferent even the most sophisticated interior designer. Patterns and colors of linoleum always correspond to fashion trends and trends. Well, of course, the coating is not inferior to competitors in other parameters: resistance, resistance to moisture, solar radiation, etc.
Which manufacturer to trust? Which linoleum is better? Alas, there is no universal answer. It is necessary to take into account operating conditions, the allocated budget. One thing is for sure - when choosing products of a well-known brand, the risk of acquiring low-quality goods is much lower. And domestic products are not always obviously worse than foreign ones, sometimes even better.