Types of linoleum. How to choose linoleum

Linoleum is one of the most sought-after floor coverings for apartments and public buildings. This is an inexpensive and durable material, presented in a wide range. There are several types of linoleum, different not only in coloring, but also in thickness and cost. In this article, we will tell you how to choose a linoleum for your home or office and do not overpay for finishing.

Characteristics of linoleum

Initially, linoleum was made from cork( wood) flour, linseed oil, softwoods, calcareous powder andvarious natural pigments. A mixture of these components was applied to a natural fabric or nonwoven material. With the development of technology, some of the natural components were replaced with synthetic materials, but the technology, for the most part, remained the same. Thanks to the invention of new materials, linoleums have become more durable, durable and resistant to mechanical influences. Today, the market can buy linoleum for any needs, ranging from flooring in the living room, ending with finishing in the production room.

The most important advantage of any linoleum is its cheapness in comparison with other types of flooring. But he earned his popularity not only because of this - the material is easy to install, easy to care for, and the variety of colors allows you to choose the option for any interior.

Characteristics of linoleum:

• resistance to humidity and temperature changes;
• user-friendliness;
• low cost;
• requires almost no maintenance;
• is easy to lay yourself even without professional skills;
• provides additional sound and heat insulation of the floor;
• serves from 20 to 50 years depending on the type and operating conditions.

Linoleum is used literally everywhere, because with its help it is possible to create a comfortable floor covering cheaply and quickly. There are several types of linoleum for the floor, differing in the scope of application. So, for public premises with high traffic capacity, a general purpose coating is used. In places with high humidity, for example, in swimming pools or bathrooms, it is better to lay anti-slip linoleum with special additives. And for gyms and gyms, sporty linoleum is suitable for tiles, capable of absorbing falls, providing high-quality grip of sports shoes with the floor and giving the best rebound of the ball. There is even a special antibacterial linoleum for hospitals, which prevents the spread of pathogenic microorganisms in the room. For residential buildings and apartments it is recommended to choose heat and sound insulation products.

The operational characteristics of each of these types of linoleum depend on which components form its composition. So, we have already said that initially linoleum made from natural ingredients, which then were applied on a natural basis, but over time, synthetic products appeared.

In addition to natural and synthetic PVC linoleum, which we will discuss in more detail below, there are also the following types:

1. Glyftalevsky - linoleum on a fabric basis with an alkydic mixture applied on it. It has higher heat and noise insulation characteristics compared to a conventional PVC product. Feature of the material is that over time the length of its fibers is reduced, but the coating increases in width.
2. Nitrocellulose - basically it is thin non-basic coatings, characterized by good moisture resistance and elasticity. However, due to lack of a base, they do not have damping, heat or sound insulation qualities, and are also unstable to ignition.
3. Rubber - reinforced linoleum, which has exceptional moisture resistance and high elasticity. Its lower layer is represented by compressed rubber crumb, glued bitumen, upper layer - a mixture of rubber, fillers and dyes.

Natural linoleum

On natural and PVC linoleums should be told in more detail, because these types are most often used for repair in living quarters. First of all, natural linoleum is good because only natural components are used for its production, which means that it is absolutely safe in the ecological plan. The basis for natural linoleum is made from jute fiber or non-woven materials.

One of the main advantages after environmental friendliness is resistance to fire - it does not contribute to the spread of fire. It is easy to clean even dry, and the service life is estimated in decades. At the same time, high-quality natural linoleum does not burn out and does not lose its decorative properties for many years.

The material is not capable of storing static electricity, since it contains linseed oil. Because of its natural composition, it also has minor bactericidal abilities.

Important: Natural linoleum is resistant to household cleaners without alkali.

The only drawback is the low plasticity of the material. For this reason, during transportation, sharp bends should be avoided, otherwise the fabric will crack.

PVC linoleum

Synthetic polyvinylchloride linoleum costs several times cheaper than natural linoleum and is most often used for decorating living quarters. There are three types of PVC-linoleum: classic, foamed and dubbed. The first is made on jute, felt or polyester basis. Foamed linoleum can be immediately recognized by its density and strength, and the width of the linen is usually from 1.5 to 4 m. The duplicated material is usually made from vinyl on a non-woven basis.

Because PVC linoleums are quite cheap, many choose them, completely without taking into account the shortcomings. Meanwhile, all such products, with the exception of foamed linoleum on a fiberglass basis, shrink to 2% at high temperatures. Also do not forget that these are synthetic products, which means they are made up of non-natural components, so there can be no question of environmental friendliness. This can immediately be determined by the specific smell of a new linoleum( over time it is weathered).

It is recommended to choose multi-layer linoleums for an apartment and a house, because they have the best heat and noise insulation performance. The basis of such coatings is usually made of fiberglass impregnated with a polyvinyl chloride mass. On the front side of this mass, a PVC compound is laid, after which a pattern and a protective coating of transparent PVC are applied. On the back side of the base, a special substrate is adhered from the fabric, jute fiber, foamed PVC or polyester. The role of the substrate is very important - it does not allow the linoleum to deform, damages impacts when walking, absorbs sound and protects from cold.

Helpful Hint: Linoleum with a pattern applied mechanically will last longer than a product painted chemically.

Kinds of linoleum bases

Above we considered varieties of linoleum, differing in the composition of the mixtures applied to the substrate. But the fundamentals can be different, which also affects the performance of the flooring.

Types of linoleum depending on the substrate:

1. Non-basic - linoleum, made without foundation. Usually this is a single layer material with a thickness of 1.2 to 1.6 mm, recommended for use in rooms with high humidity. It is worth such products are cheaper than other types, but because of the small thickness it should be laid on the most even basis, otherwise all the potholes and tubercles will be noticeable. To glue a basic linoleum it is necessary on all its area, so glue will be needed more. The service life of such a coating is very short and is only 5-10 years, depending on the conditions of use and care.
2. Foamed - linoleum, consisting of several layers and reaching a thickness of 2 to 3.5 mm. Typically, these products are laid in the kitchen, in the hallway or living room, that is, in rooms where it is often necessary to carry out a wet cleaning. The service life is 8-12 years. At installation it does not need to be glued on all surface - only on diagonals and edges.
3. Insulated - these products are best suited for bedrooms, children's rooms and other rooms and a normal level of humidity. The base can consist of natural fiber or synthetics, but at the same time the thickness of the linoleum reaches 5 mm. Such a coating well retains heat and absorbs noise, it is both soft and fairly resilient. Experts recommend to lay insulation of linoleum without joints - a single linen. Over time, the coating can slightly expand, which should be taken into account when laying and leave a deformation gap of several millimeters between the wall and the edge of the web. Otherwise, linoleum can go in waves.

How to choose linoleum

When choosing a floor linoleum, you need to build on the operational characteristics of the room in which it will lie. So, if it's a kitchen, you need a waterproof, durable coating that is resistant to frequent mechanical cleaning and household chemicals. For the bedroom and baby it is better to take the maximum warm linoleum from natural ingredients.

What to look for when choosing:

• thickness;
• composition;
• resistance to moisture;
• thermal insulation;
• resistance to mechanical stress.

Look at decorativeness and cost, too, you need, but in the last place.

Consider the future location of the linoleum, more precisely, the nature of the load that will be provided to it in the future. For example, if you choose a cover for the hallway, you need to focus on the resistance to abrasion, since this is part of a house with increased traffic. The kitchen is also a popular place in the house where all the tenants gather, but they usually go either barefoot or in soft home shoes, while in the hallway they walk in street shoes, which means that the impact on linoleum is more severe.

There is a special classification, which greatly facilitates the choice of linoleum. It provides the type of room and the degree of loads with which the material can be adjusted. Each type of linoleum is assigned its two-digit number, the first figure of which means the type of room, and the second - the amount of load.

Types of premises:

• 2 - residential;
• 3 - office;
• 4 - production.

The load is determined in ascending order, where 1 means that the material is not designed for serious loads, and 4 - linoleum can be laid in rooms with harsh operating conditions. So, if you need to choose a cover for the kitchen, look for linoleum with the marking 24( a dwelling with high loads), and for a bedroom the linoleum 21 will do, because the loads there are minimal. The more people live in the house, the higher the load number.

Helpful Hint: If you choose linoleum for residential premises or offices, where people will stay most of the day, give preference to natural material, even if it costs a bit more. In this case, pay attention to the smell - if the linoleum exudes a sharp unpleasant smell, and the seller assures you that the product is environmentally friendly, it is better to refrain from such a purchase.

For any premise it is best to lay a covering in one piece, so that the width of the linoleum matches the width of the room. For this, it is necessary to make preliminary measurements taking into account the deformation indents from the walls. When buying linoleum, make sure that it has a certificate, which confirms the safety of the finishing material for human health.

One of the most obvious advantages of linoleum is the widest choice of colors and designs. Modern manufacturing techniques allow the creation of coatings with imitation of any surface and with any patterns, whether it be wood, marble or art mosaic. In the production of high-quality linoleum pigments are used, which retain their saturation for many years and are non-combustible under direct sunlight. The most diverse in this regard are synthetic PVC products: linoleum for laminate, wood, stone or ceramic tiles.

Especially popular is the imitation of elite piece parquet and parquet board. A detailed drawing on linoleum is able to reproduce the texture and color of the wood of beech, cherry, walnut and other exotic species( merbau, bamboo, rosewood etc.).It can be reproduced not only a believable drawing, but even a texture.

Caring for linoleum

To maximize the life of linoleum, you have to start caring for it before you lay it down. This requires careful transportation, especially when it comes to a natural product that can crack. Keep the linoleum before packing in the original packing or cuts rolled up into rolls. Put them on the ends in a dry and not too cold room. A few days before laying, roll the rolls and let the linoleum lie in the room where the repairs will take place.

Useful tips for caring for linoleum:

1. Any linoleum reacts sensitively to lowering the temperature and ultraviolet light, so it is better not to store or lay them on the balcony.
2. Do not walk on linoleum in shoes with rubber soles - it leaves stubborn stains.
3. Although linoleum and does not pass moisture, spilled liquid is better to wipe off it as quickly as possible, otherwise an unremovable spot will form on this place.
4. When installing furniture on the linoleum, place rubber washers under the legs to avoid damaging the coating.
5. Do not wash linoleum with hot water - this way the pattern will be erased faster.
6. Do not use soda-containing cleansers or ammonia to remove stains, if you do not want to ruin the linoleum.
7. In the first month after laying, try not to wash linoleum with a damp cloth, but wait for it to fully shrink. After that, you can wash it with water at room temperature with the addition of liquid detergents specifically for linoleum or parquet.
8. To "refresh" the appearance of linoleum, wash it with water, diluted with milk in a 1: 1 ratio.
9. To prolong the period of using linoleum, clean it with sunflower refined oil odorless or linseed oil once or twice a year.

Linoleum: photo of