Linoleum for the kitchen: what is better, and how to put?

Choosing a suitable flooring for the kitchen plays an important role in repair. Since the kitchen - this particular room with high humidity, changes in temperature and high pollution, all the finishing materials must be resistant to these factors. One of the most popular and sought after today coverings considered linoleum for the kitchen. It attracts buyers for its high performance, ease of installation and simplicity of maintenance. He is democratic in price and available to everyone, and has a wide selection of colors and decor.

Before heading for the purchase of linoleum in the kitchen, you need to determine its species. The huge range can be confused and therefore, you need to know what type of linoleum is suitable for the kitchen, To decide on its material surface decor, as well as to prepare in advance the floor and cover stacking explore technology.

Basic requirements for the material

The flooring in the kitchen must meet certain requirements. First, have a high wear resistance, as the hostess and other family members staying there is quite a lot of time. Secondly, the material must be resistant to moisture, vapor, dirt, temperature variations and other problems. Also, the floor covering should have the following characteristics:

• Hygienic and resistant to moisture. The floor in the kitchen will have to be washed very often and, therefore, the coating should respond well to cleaning, even using various chemicals. The water should not be absorbed material.
• Not subject to rot and spread of bacteria. We can not allow on the surface or inside the material appeared fungus, mold and other pathogenic bacteria.
• Resistance to abrasion. The floor in the kitchen most often exploited, so its coating must be durable, not deform quite a long time and does not lose its attractive appearance of the daily movement of people and furniture.
• High strength. Falling objects on the floor, unfortunately, not uncommon in the kitchen. Therefore the coating must endure such problems and is not damaged.

When choosing linoleum for the kitchen, you should make sure that when laying it had as little as possible joints. Thus, the coating will last much longer, and while retaining its original attractive appearance.

species

There are two main types of material: natural and synthetic linoleum. Each of them has its own characteristics, strengths and weaknesses.

Natural

Natural coverage - is an environmentally friendly material that has in its composition:

• linseed oil;
• cork or wood flour;
• rosin;
• lime powder;
• white and colored organic pigments.

The basis taken linoleum jute fibers or nonwovens and on it is applied a layer of a mixture of the above components. Such a coating appearance and quality is not inferior parquet or cork floor.

Among the advantages of this type can be identified:

• High environmental friendliness.
• The service life of 25 to 45 years.
• Resistance to household chemicals, burn in the sun.
• High durability.
• Good thermal and sound insulation.
• The antiseptic properties due to the linseed oil in the composition of linoleum.
• Ease of cleaning and resistance to various types of pollution.

One significant drawback is the high cost of such coverage, and many prefer it to artificial analogues.

In some areas, such as in the hallway can be laid and synthetic linoleum, but for a child's room or bedroom is better to stop the election on a natural surface. The synthetic linoleum composition contains components which may cause allergic reactions.

Artificial

Floor covering made of synthetic materials is more affordable, so are in great demand among buyers. But, in contrast to the linoleum in the kitchen, artificial faster wear. At careful operation the material will last no more than 15 years. The apartments and houses is generally used PVC linoleum, which, according to experts, is considered absolutely safe for human health, except for the possible occurrence of allergy to one of the components.

To determine the choice of what is best for the kitchen linoleum, should analyze two kinds of artificial turf. The synthetic material is heterogeneous and homogeneous. The first consists of a number of layers and the second of only two: Fundamentals and protective coating. Structure heterogeneous linoleum kitchen represents the following layer stack:

• the bottom or base;
• elastic substrate of polyvinyl chloride;
• glass fiber, which makes the coating more durable;
• layer of polyvinyl chloride;
• film with a decorative pattern;
• Transparent 0.14 to 0.7 mm in thickness for increasing the wear resistance;
• protective film.

In homogeneous linoleum only one layer, excluding any backing, so the decorative pattern is applied over the entire thickness of the material. This means that even during prolonged and intensive use of the floor covering does not lose its original appearance. The thickness of this coating may be thin or reach 10-15 mm. But thick linoleum is rarely used in residential areas, because it is quite expensive.

In the artificial linoleum, like natural, there are positive qualities:

• Easy to clean.
• It does not absorb moisture.
• It has high wear resistance and toughness.
• Reasonable price, in contrast to the natural analogue of parquet and laminate.
• The service life of 10-15 years.
• Easy to install. Put this in the kitchen linoleum can be yourself.
• A wide range of surface decoration, different patterns, textures, patterns, even the imitation of other floor coverings: tiles, wood planks, stone, etc.
• Linoleum with embossed surface prevents slip.

Distinguish natural from synthetic linoleum can be, if you look closely at it. On the reverse side of the natural material is clearly visible jute mesh. Such linoleum has an intense odor of the oil, while the artificial smells chemistry. Synthetic coating is soft, easy to bend, the natural is much tougher. Of linoleum from natural ingredients, you can break off a piece and only by artificial cut.

release Form

Linoleum is produced not only in the form of rolls, but also in other forms, which in some cases it is easier to lay.

Tiles and panels

The coating is made in the form of small plates or long narrow boards that are easy to lay their own, without resorting to the help of a professional. This material may mimic ceramic tile, stone, laminate or floorboard. Before you put the cover, complete the floor layout correctly.

Among the advantages of this type of linoleum in the kitchen, you can select a convenient form for the installation and for the dismantling of the cover, if you want to replace some spoiled fragment. The drawback is the large number of seams, so lay a covering in the kitchen is not recommended. If the tiles are glued not good enough, then between them and under them is constantly exposed moisture and dirt, leading to detachment of the material from the floor.

liquid linoleum

Another popular today is self-leveling floor coating. Liquid linoleum in the kitchen will be an ideal one, since this space is considered to be specific, with high humidity, dirt and temperature variations. This coating has no seams into which the dirt will not become clogged, accumulate moisture and, hence, it does not lead to the development of mold and mildew as well as the appearance of other pathogenic bacteria.

Self-leveling floor has a high strength and wear resistance, and a wide variety of surface decoration will allow to use it for any interior.

In addition, it is an excellent waterproofing, and if eventually want to lay another coating liquid linoleum in the kitchen does not need to be dismantled. It will serve as an excellent basis for a flat.

As part of such a coating contains epoxy and polyurethane resins, which are safe for health and do not cause allergies. Ingredients for the filling the floor directly in front of the process of preparing. base composition of the resin and hardener: sufficiently mix the two components.

select the Features

To avoid mistakes in the choice of material and stock up really high quality linoleum in the kitchen, you need to pay attention to some points:

• Each batch of linoleum must have documents that the manufacturer details on the company name, the address of his location and phone number, fax, etc. This indicates that the manufacturer is responsible for the quality of its products.
• It is necessary to ascertain whether the certificate of conformity. Each batch of material should have a document that you can ask the sales assistant.
• Qualitative coating should not have an unpleasant odor.
• Thoroughly inspect the front and inner side of linoleum for the absence of marriage and other defects.
• Figure on the front side must be clear and homogeneous surface coating, smooth or textured.
• Having studied the kitchen icon linoleum, one can understand what qualities has the coating.

High-quality linoleum for the kitchen - a perfect solution for finishing the interior of any style. Due to the wide selection of decor surfaces and coating types can implement various design ideas. Lay linoleum is easy, you can do with your hands, without the help of a specialist.