Despite the rich selection of flooring, customers still continue to purchase traditional linoleum. It, unlike other materials, demonstrates an acceptable combination of cost and quality. Linoleum is one of the most undemanding and easy to install materials. The flooring market is developing, and this flooring material also does not stop changing and improving. Today, there are many types of linoleum for the floor, each of which is characterized by its purpose, pros and cons.
Pros and cons of linoleum
All types of linoleum have certain pros and cons, which will be discussed below.
Main features:
- Ease of installation is the main positive side of this material, thanks to which you can lay linoleum (we will consider types and characteristics later) with your own hands and without the help of professionals.
- Easy to use and low maintenance. On linoleum, traces and prints of dirt are less noticeable, especiallyrelevant for rooms with high traffic.
- No need for a protective layer required for parquet;
- Wet strength and acid resistance, which allows you to lay linoleum in rooms with frequent wet cleaning.
- Flexibility and low degree of slip, guarantees safe movement, which makes it possible to use linoleum in gyms and collective places.
- Heat and sound insulation is also important not only for apartments, but also for collective premises.
- Variety of decor and colors, which makes it possible to implement a variety of ideas and fantasies.
Disadvantages of linoleum:
- Before laying the material of any kind of linoleum, it is necessary to perfectly level the surface. But this applies to almost all varieties of coverage.
- During the use of artificial linoleum, chemical components are used, but PVC coatings meet all sanitary and hygienic standards.
- If the furniture is moved, dents may form where the furniture was previously placed.
Help! If you carefully study all the pros and cons, it becomes clear: there are much more pluses and they are the most compelling, so not every floor covering will compete with linoleum.
What types of linoleum are
The following types of this material are distinguished:
Natural linoleum
- Polyvinylchromic (PVC-linoleum).
- Colloxylin (nitrocellulose linoleum).
- Glyphthalic (alkyd linoleum).
- Rubber linoleum (relin).
Natural linoleum
A distinctive feature is the presence of exclusively natural ingredients in the composition, it is a safe and environmentally friendly material. For its production, wood and limestone, cork material, linseed oil, natural resins of coniferous trees and natural dyes are used. Natural ingredients are also used to prepare the base layer - mainly jute fabric. To increase the wear resistance of this type of linoleum, it is varnished, but you can always find it on sale without a polymer coating. Natural linoleum happens, both on a fabric base and without a base.
This material is characterized by the following qualities:
- Increased durability to match beautiful looks.
- Best refractoriness and limiting the spread of fire.
- Easy to care for and maintain the original look for a long time.
- Antibacterial properties due to the content of flax oil.
- Does not accumulate static electricity.
- UV, acid and alcohol resistant.
Today, linoleum in the form of a laminate has gained considerable popularity. It looks quite concise, beautiful and modern. Such material can harmoniously fit into absolutely any interior.
Help! Contrary tooutstanding qualities, this type of linoleum has one significant minus - slight plasticity, so there may be problems during transportation, as a careless attitude to it can lead to the formation of creases.
Polyvinyl Chrodny (PVC Linoleum)
This type of floor linoleum, like natural, can be produced with or without a base. Natural substances are used for the base, at the moment synthetics are increasingly used. They distinguish synthetic linoleum without a base, linoleum on foamed, manufactory or heat and sound insulating non-woven fabric.
Help! The famous type of linoleum with the use of non-woven heat and sound insulating fabric is PVC linoleum on a felt base, during the production of which a thick layer of artificial felt materials is used. Due to the original texture, when laying the material on a felt base, it is not necessary to glue it or use a screed.
This type of linoleum for an apartment, whose parameters range from 1.5 to 3.5 m in width, has a colorless protective coating. It also has a polypropylene base, which is resistant to mechanical damage and has good soundproofing properties.
A significant disadvantage of artificial linoleum, apart from varieties for which a foamed fiberglass base is used, is significant shrinkage during operation at elevated temperatures and the presence of artificial ingredients in its composition. Despite the fact that they meet all quality standards and requirements and are completely safe, a stereotype has formed that the presence of synthetic ingredients affects not only the quality, but also its environmental friendliness. A feature of the floor covering is a characteristic smell that disappears during operation within a few days.
Colloxylin (nitrocellulose linoleum)
Considered less popular. This type of linoleum for an apartment is also called nitrocellulose. It is a non-thick floor covering without a base, it is flexible and has increased moisture resistance. But, despite these pluses, it is not considered fire resistant;
Glyphthalic (alkyd linoleum)
Glyphthalic material is superior to PVC linoleum in terms of thermal and sound insulation. Produced using a fabric base. A distinctive feature of the presented variety is the increased width and reduced length of the segments;
Rubber linoleum (relin)
Relin - rubber linoleum is a matter that consists of two layers. The lower layer is made of crushed rubber with bituminous chips, and the upper layer is made from a mixture of artificial rubber, dyes and other components. A characteristic feature of relin is elasticity, softness and increased moisture resistance.
Special varieties of linoleum: characteristics
Anti-static linoleum has a texture that prevents the accumulation of static electricity caused byfor functioning electrical appliances. Unlike other varieties of linoleum, antistatic linoleum is used where electrical equipment is located.
Sports linoleum is a coating used for flooring in sports facilities. Due to the fact that a durable polymer is used as the top layer of sports linoleum, it withstands great mechanical stress and retains its original properties.
Liquid linoleum, also called a polymer bulk coating, is considered an innovative development and does not differ from ordinary material in appearance, but tactilely resembles ceramic tiles.
The main features of linoleum in the form of tiles:
- Due to the fact that this material is poured instantly, there are no joints and gaps.
- Suitable for laying in rooms with different levels of complexity, without wasting time on joining the pattern.
- Because it contains various dyes and decorative pigments, it has a rich color range.
- Increased strength, reliability and impact resistance of the coating, due to its considerable thickness (over 1.5 mm).
- Water resistant for performance in damp environments.
- The material is environmentally friendly, which allows it to be laid in children's rooms.
3D linoleum
This is another modern development of flooring manufacturers that allows you to make the style of any room unique. The ability to visually expand the space, thanks to 3D effects, is not the only plusthis coverage. Thanks to the use of advanced technologies, the manufacturer, taking into account the wishes of the buyer, applies patterns with 3D effects to the linoleum, which, when viewed, will form a sense of volume. Like other modern developments, 3D linoleum is characterized by increased wear resistance, resistance to mechanical and thermal influences.
So, we examined the types and characteristics of linoleum. The choice of this material depends on the taste and financial capabilities of the buyer.
