Which linoleum is best to choose for home: guidelines, tips, rules

Which linoleum is better to choose for home

There is hardly a more democratic and more popular flooring than linoleum. Inexpensive, easy to install and care, and the variety of textures and colors simply knows no boundaries: here are the “funny” floral and abstract prints, and ethnic ornaments and patterns, and wood, and stone, and ceramics. The list of advantages is continued by durability, good thermal insulation, sound insulation and economy, thanks to which we see linoleum on the floor of kindergartens, schools, hospitals, shops, cafes, hotels and, of course, we lay it in our homes. The range of types and brands of this flooring is so diverse that sometimes even a sophisticated professional can find it difficult to figure out how to choose linoleum, and there is no need to talk about an ordinary layman. Let’s try to simplify the problem of choice, solving it in stages from the point of view of certain criteria.

Content

• Choose the right size
• The choice of the type of linoleum

• Characteristics of natural linoleum
• Polyvinylchloride (PVC) linoleum
• Alkyd (glyphthalic) linoleum
• Pros of colloxylin linoleum
• Practical rubber linoleum

 

Selection Criteria – Operating Conditions

Principles of choosing glue for linoleum

Rules for choosing a picture and color

Choose the right size

Fortunately, to ensure that we do not buy an insufficient or excess amount of linoleum, its producers have already taken care of, we only need to observe simple selection rules. The fact is that the width of all types of linoleum on sale, as a rule, corresponds to the standard width of the premises in modern residential buildings. This in most cases eliminates the need to weld or glue individual panels of material, it is enough to choose linoleum of suitable width.

If in the recent past, linoleum was laid on the floor like a carpet, and then they waited for it to shrink, now this stage has been abolished. Shrinkage of modern linoleums neither in length nor in width occurs and it is not required to buy material in reserve. That is, for a room 3 meters wide, you need to buy linoleum of 3 meters wide. True, with the length of the rooms in our houses, not everything is clear: the lengths of two parallel walls may vary slightly. Moreover, often such a defect is invisible and is detected only when laying the flooring, so that a margin of 10 cm in length when buying linoleum will not hurt.

The modern market offers the following line of standard linoleum widths: 1.5; 2; 2.5; 3; 3.5; 4; 4,5 and 5 meters. True, not all manufacturers adhere to this size range, limited only to the release of the most popular widths of 2 and 3 meters, which is suitable for laying without joints on the floor in most rooms of modern apartments.

If you have to decide which linoleum to choose for a room with complex geometry, then in this case it is hardly possible to do without a floor plan indicating the exact dimensions. It is good if the maximum width of the non-standard room matches the width of linoleum: it is enough to buy a roll of material of the required length and cut it in accordance with the configuration of the room. If this option is not possible, then it is logical to choose linoleum with an abstract pattern and lay it in any convenient way, without focusing on one linear size, length or width.

Simple recommendations when choosing linoleum, which will relieve possible troubles:

• check for cracks, swelling, unpainted fragments and other defects on the surface of the material you like;
• if you buy several rolls, check the labeling of each of them and belonging to the same batch: different batches of the same type of material can have different shades;
• check if there is a hygienic certificate for the material you like;
• buy linoleum only in stores that guarantee the quality of the material.

After measuring the room and determining the required amount of linoleum, you can proceed to its selection by type.

The choice of the type of linoleum

According to the material of manufacture, the following types of linoleum are distinguished:

• Natural;
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC);
• Alkyd;
• Colloxylin;
• Rubber.

Characteristics of natural linoleum

It can be called the founder of an extensive family of this type of flooring – it has been produced for more than a hundred years. Raw materials for the manufacture of natural linoleum are only natural materials. From linseed oil, wood flour, cork oak bark, limestone flour, wood resin, a mixture is prepared and applied with an even layer on a jute fiber cloth, and then dried. The result is a very durable, environmentally friendly material with excellent properties:

• good thermal insulation;
• high degree of sound absorption;
• antistatic;
• good bactericidal properties.

Due to the use in the production of only natural raw materials and the homogeneous structure of the material, the color scheme and the choice of patterns of natural linoleum are rather scarce. Basically, these are shades of characteristic natural white-beige-brown colors, plain, with marble stains or speckled. A significant disadvantage of natural linoleum is also considered its high cost, comparable to the prices of natural wood, stone and ceramics.

Polyvinylchloride (PVC) linoleum

This is a large group of modern polymer flooring. According to the degree of wear resistance, the following types of PVC linoleum are distinguished:

• domestic;
• Semi-commercial;
• Commercial.

Commercial linoleum is primarily intended for industrial premises and is characterized by the highest degree of wear resistance. But when considering how to choose the right linoleum, feel free to choose it for corridors, halls and other frequently visited rooms of your house. Commercial linoleum can be homogeneous, not distinguished by a large selection of colors, or multilayer heterogeneous – wear-resistant material on a very durable basis.

Semi-commercial linoleum is durable, wear-resistant, has a wider variety of colors and is designed for rooms with high traffic. If, for example, for the floor in the living room your choice fell on linoleum – which is better? Choose semi-commercial: this is an excellent floor covering for rooms where there is heavy furniture, armchairs and tables move on wheels, and a lot of people constantly “tread”.

Household linoleum is distinguished by the widest color gamut and many colors, but not sufficiently durable. This is the choice of people deciding how to choose linoleum for the house, so that the repair looks presentable, but inexpensive. The choice of household linoleum is justified for the floor in the bedroom or when preparing an inexpensive apartment for sale or rent, but you should not lay it in the kitchen or in the corridor.

At a cost, all types of PVC linoleum can be attributed to the average price category. This material, despite the artificial nature, is completely environmentally safe, but sensitive enough to too low and very high temperatures, as well as aggressive chemicals.

Alkyd (glyphthalic) linoleum

It has a very affordable price, high sound absorption and good heat resistance, but is too sensitive to low temperatures and fragile, prone to deformation, the appearance of fractures and mother-in-law.

Pros of colloxylin linoleum

produced on the basis of nitrocellulose. Its advantages are a beautiful decorative shine and pleasant elasticity, but it is prone to shrinkage, fire hazard and very poorly tolerate sudden changes in temperature.

Practical rubber linoleum

or relin, is produced on the basis of synthetic rubber and bitumen. It is moisture resistant and elastic. Because of the harmful fumes of bitumen, relin is not used in residential premises, but it is suitable for a garage, workshop and other utility rooms.

Selection Criteria – Operating Conditions

Depending on the expected operating conditions, the optimal linoleum for a particular room can be selected by marking in accordance with the European classification system supported by our country.

So, the European classification divides the premises into three types:

• Residential, which corresponds to the number 2;
• Office – are indicated by the number 3;
• Production – their number 4.

The degree of intensity of the load on the flooring is also indicated by the numbers:

• 1 – low;
• 2 – medium;
• 3 – high;
• 4 – very high.

The corresponding marking on linoleum, as well as on the laminate, has the form of a pictogram with a picture of the house, people and numbers next to the picture – this is a hint to the manufacturer which linoleum to choose in a particular case.

By marking it can be determined that class 21 linoleum is suitable for a bedroom, it is better to put class 23 linoleum in the kitchen for a small family, and linoleum below class 31 is hardly suitable for a large family house.

It is possible to suppose whether linoleum can withstand the onslaught of high heels or the load of legs of heavy furniture by looking at the basis of the material: the higher its density, the higher the wear resistance of the floor covering. In general, the heavier the linoleum, the stronger it is, but this indicator is difficult to check in the store and compare with analogues. An alternative way to measure density is to press the material with your finger. If the surface is elastic and its thickness does not change under pressure, then the density of the substrate meets the standards of use.

Principles of choosing glue for linoleum

Simultaneously with the choice of flooring, it is also necessary to determine what glue glue linoleum. As a rule, for each type of linoleum, they choose their own type of glue, guided by the following principles.

Linoleum on a fabric basis is laid on the so-called cold mastic, which includes bitumen, turpentine and white spirit.

Insulated linoleum on a heat and sound insulating felt base is glued to any base with adhesive based on bustilate.

Dispersion glue is considered a universal composition, with which you can firmly glue any kind of linoleum to concrete, and to a wooden base, and to a cement-sand screed, and to a chipboard.

Rules for choosing a picture and color

When deciding which linoleum to choose for an apartment, try not to forget that this is not only a new floor quality, but also an important element of the interior that can fill the room with completely new content and create a special mood in it.

 

Linoleum of light cool shades visually increases the room, and warm shades fill it with cosiness. A uniform repetitive pattern of the floor calms a person, and bright, contrasting details of the pattern fill with energy. A small abstract print of linoleum favorably emphasizes decorative elements of the interior and shades the dignity of extraordinary furniture.

Choose linoleum with a natural, clear, modern pattern, with a pronounced relief, without a glossy gloss and with a print step not exceeding 100-150 cm. And if the material does not emit a sharp odor and the manufacturer’s logo is placed on it, then you have made practical and high-quality purchase.