What is the best linoleum for home? How to choose for house and apartment? Review + Video

Linoleum for the home is a fairly democratic, publicly available material. It has been used as a practical floor covering for over a century. What explains its continuing popularity? It has a relatively low price, is easy to install, and comes in many options. In addition, it is comfortable to use: soft and springy underfoot. In this case, the coating has the necessary strength - it does not tear, does not crack, does not swell from water, like a laminate.

The modern consumer has a wide choice from the many types of linoleum on the market. A competent choice of good linoleum will be the key to its successful and long service. So how to choose and lay linoleum at home correctly, what should you pay attention to in order for linoleum to serve faithfully for the prescribed period? Let's figure it out together.

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Historical excursion

Most consider linoleum to be a modern achievement of the chemical industry. However, the very name of this material contains the truth about its origin.

The word denoting it consists of two Latin ones: oleum means oil, linum is linen or flax. The patent for this invention was obtained by the Englishman Walton back in 1860.

At that time, a woven base of jute or linen served as the basis of the product, and already it was coated with a mixture of cork flour with oxidized vegetable oil.

Time passed, technologies improved, the material acquired a pattern that the manufacturer learned to apply on it. And by the beginning of the twentieth century, various types of linoleum had become the most popular materials.

Since raw materials of plant origin are not cheap, and the actively developing chemical synthesis offered all new solutions, in the 60s of the last century, the production of synthetic roll coatings began. The old name remained, although now it was actually called a different material. But after a couple of decades, they remembered about traditional natural linoleum, and began to gradually increase its production. Now the familiar and well-known name unites an extensive class of floor coverings, including both synthetic and natural products.

Choice of linoleum : natural and environmentally friendly

This material is deservedly considered one of the best.

It is made strictly from natural, natural elements such as linseed oil, linseed or jute linen, limestone, wood flour, wood resin . The wide possibilities of various combinations of various natural dyes, in combination with innovative technologies, make it possible to obtain any desired color and pattern.

What are the obvious advantages of a natural representative?

• Enviable strength - this material can withstand up to 16 MPa.
• Linseed oil provides bactericidal properties to the coating.
• Excellent wear resistance ensures long service life (up to 50 years).

• Has dirt-repellent properties, the surface can be easily cleaned with detergents.
• The material is not electrified.
• Does not fade from sunlight, does not deteriorate from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
• Has a low degree of flammability.

Natural material also has disadvantages.

Let's list them:

• high price, which can be compared with the price of a parquet board;
• the material is afraid of moisture: the natural base under the influence of moisture can begin to rot;
• the material has low elasticity, which makes it difficult to install it in a cold room or at low temperatures;
• the specific manufacturing does not allow the production of products of any ornaments and colors - their range is limited;
• Freshly applied flooring made from this material has a scent that not everyone likes. It will wear off only after a few months.

For lovers of natural materials and sustainable housing, willing to put up with high costs, this will be perhaps the best linoleum for the home.

PVC linoleum (polyvinchloride)

International designation of this PVC material. It has long been actively used in different countries, it is produced in different forms - with and without a base.

The first is subdivided into subspecies, depending on the type of the base itself.

It happens:

• Fabric . Its role can be played by natural jute material, but often it is also a synthetic fabric, such as fiberglass. The upper part with a pattern is made of polyvinyl chloride. The thickness of this material is up to half a centimeter.

• Non-woven - from artificial materials or from natural felt. Improves the thermal insulation properties of the material. It is not very resistant to high loads, so it is not recommended to lay it in rooms with high traffic. The porous base is capable of absorbing moisture.
• Foamed PVC .

  A variety of coatings with such a base began to be produced at the end of the last century. This type of base is considered one of the most popular. The porous PVC layer absorbs, as it were, softening the load and smoothing out minor irregularities. The use of reinforcement keeps the geometric shape and dimensions of the canvas unchanged. The foamed polyvinyl chloride is applied in two ways - mechanical and chemical.

  The first is more progressive, its application allows products to withstand loads without collapsing.

A material is also produced in which several different layers from the listed ones are combined.

Linoleum, which includes layers of different types, called heterogeneous. The same one that consists of one of them is homogeneous.

What is characteristic of a homogeneous material?

Its special quality, which is also an advantage, is the presence of a pattern throughout its depth.

This means that, in case of inevitable wear of the material, the pattern on it will remain unchanged.

Polyvinyl chloride linoleum has a number of advantages that ensure its demand and widespread use:

• Elasticity that simplifies the process of material installation.

• Budget cost.
• The variety of textures and patterns of PVC allows you to realize the most daring design idea.
• Easy to clean and wash.
• Products from trusted manufacturers have safety certificates and cannot be harmful to health.

Alkyd linoleum

This is a great and popular contemporary material. When laying it, certain simple rules should be followed. Such material can undergo deformation even before flooring. To avoid flaws in the installation, he must stay in a warm room for some time.

The most common defect is a change in the proportions of the coating: having significantly decreased in width, it can significantly increase in length.

Another name for the material is glyphthalic. It always has a fabric base, on top of which glyphthalic or alkyd resins are applied, using a special technology. The fillers included in their composition (resins) significantly improve the performance of the coating. The addition of dyes and pigments affects the color of the pigment, making it colored or uniform.

Obvious advantages of alkyd linoleum:

• better sound and heat insulation properties than PVC;
• extremely high wear resistance, service life can be up to 50 years;
• dirt from the surface is even easier to remove than from PVC linoleum ;

Disadvantages of such linoleums:

• In fact, lack of elasticity at low t;
• They need exclusively professional styling, otherwise the result not guaranteed.
• Low fire resistance rates limit their use in apartments.

But the material is actively used in transport. It is used for flooring in the cabins of sea-going ships, the floor in train cars and airplanes.

Relin, or rubber linoleum

This type of linoleum made in two layers: the upper one is made of dyed synthetic rubber, the lower one is recycled rubber.

Binds these two layers together with a viscous bituminous mastic.

These types of linoleum have a number of advantages:

• Super high moisture resistance makes it possible to use it even in extremely "damp" rooms.
• Excellent strength and elasticity.
• Excellent anti-slip properties.
• Long service life.

Colloxylin (nitrocellulose) linoleum

This is a single-layer coating without a base, which is made of nitrocellulose with the addition of gypsum, plasticizers, red lead and dyes.

To an apartment and a house: which linoleum is better?

So much information on the types of flooring at once can only complicate the choice: which high-quality linoleum for the house is better.

In addition, the overwhelming majority of modern materials are heterogeneous, and usually combine several different layers.

For this reason, Western manufacturers have developed a special standardization that divides all linoleum floor coverings depending on their purpose and strength properties.

It divides linoleums into classes, each of which is indicated by a special two-digit code of numbers, and a pictogram.

The first of these numbers indicates the scope (for which types of premises) products:

2 ​​- residential;

3 - commercial or office;

4 - production.

The following figure explains the permissible degree of stress that the product can withstand:

1 - low;

2 ​​- medium;

3 - high;

4 - extremely high.

Household linoleum: which one to choose?

Household linoleum refers to classes 21-23.

According to the European standard, it must have the following performance and working qualities:

• Thickness from 0.15 to 3 millimeters.
• Weight 1.25 - 2.

  25 kg per square meter.

• Must have such elasticity and flexibility that it does not break or crack when wound on a standard rod d 45 mm.
• Water absorption rate - no more than 1.5%.
• Sound insulation values ​​- from 13-18 dB.

• Shrinkage during use - should not exceed 0.2 mm per meter.

Semi-commercial linoleum

This is linoleum from 31 to 34 class, which is usually used in typical office premises and service ...

It has the following characteristics:

• Specific gravity from 1.6 to 2.5 kg per square meter.
• Flexibility and elasticity should allow it to be wound on a rod with d from 10 to 40 mm without damage.
• Shrinkage during use - no more than 0.

  1 mm per meter.

• Sound absorption index from 12-16 dB.
• Operated from 7 to 20 years.

Commercial linoleum

Belongs to classes 41-43 .

.. It is used as a floor covering in rooms where the floor is subject to a particularly high load, and where there is an active movement of people and even equipment. It is equipped with a special reinforcing layer, has minimal shrinkage, and a service life of up to 25 years. The combination of the high price of such a material, with such technical characteristics that are not required for ordinary residential apartments, make its use at home impractical.

Some linoleums of this group are produced with a special purpose, these are:

• Sports coverings. They are characterized by special elasticity and softness, which provide excellent adhesion of the floor surface to the shoes.
• Antistatic coatings.
• Coatings that are resistant to chemical reagents and have high bactericidal qualities. Designed for various medical institutions.

• Anti-slip coatings. They are used in swimming pools and other rooms with high levels of humidity.

How to choose linoleum?

We examined in detail the different types and types of linoleum. Based on their descriptions, we have identified those important conditions, guided by which, it will be easier for you to choose the most suitable material for the floor in the house.

• It is advisable to purchase flooring exclusively in specialized departments and stores.

  The products there have all the required certificates and accompanying documents; stored in strict accordance with the rules and regulations.

• You should pay attention not only to the tone and pattern of linoleum, but also to its density, thickness and the presence of a protective film.
• The material class is selected according to its purpose. You can choose linoleum with a certain margin, that is, a class higher than required, but not lower.
• It is advisable to purchase material according to the width of your rooms.

  If the material has the same, then the coating will not have unnecessary connecting seams.

• In premises, the nature of the operation of which assumes a high degree of pollution, it is advisable to use glossy materials.