How to lay marmoleum natural linoleum for the kitchen. Natural marmoleum (Marmoleum) - what is it? Material care

Today, the variety of flooring is quite large, so there are more and more questions about which type of floor to choose. After all, the floor should be durable, practical, preferably natural, and, of course, beautiful in appearance. Ideally, flooring should be easy to install. In this article we will talk about marmoleum coating , which attracts more and more attention with its properties and features.

So, what is this very "marmoleum"? It is generally accepted that this modern material, however, something similar to marmoleum was made back in the 17th century. By the way, not many could afford such a luxury. But as we know, the new is the well-forgotten old. Marmoleum floor is an absolutely natural material, which is produced using modern technologies.

What is marmoleum made from? How do they do it?

The composition of marmoleum includes wood flour, crushed lime, coniferous resins and linseed oil. All "ingredients" are mixed in the required proportions until a homogeneous mass is obtained, after which this "dough" is sent to sealed bunkers and infused there for some time at a temperature of +30 0. At this stage, colored granules are added to the mixture so that the future natural marmoleum acquires the desired color. After the mass is repeatedly sent under the press.

Next, the resulting material is placed on a jute or fabric base, formed and sent to drying chamber, where the temperature is maintained at 22-25 ° C. Also here, a transparent protective material is applied to the material for easy care for coating and wear resistance.

Why is marmoleum so in demand?

Well, you know what marmoleum is made of, now let's look at its advantages. Due to the huge number of advantages, this flooring is used both in residential and public buildings, including those with high traffic. So, strengths marmoleum flooring:

• As we have already found out, it is environmentally friendly, safe for health and hypoallergenic. In addition, it contains resins. coniferous trees, which have a beneficial effect on the microclimate in the room. Therefore, the material is excellent for medical institutions and children's rooms.
• The relatively small thickness of marmoleum does not prevent it from being extremely wear-resistant. The structure of the material and the protective coating make it very durable.
• The material is not subject to combustion, smoldering and impact chemical substances. Therefore, it can be safely called safe. It is also moisture resistant, does not rot and is not afraid of insects.
• The material is easy to care for. He is satisfied with the usual wet cleaning without the use of special detergents.
• Impressive service life. Subject to the installation rules and proper care of the coating, the material can last for more than a dozen years. The most interesting thing is that over the years it becomes even stronger, again, due to its own structure, because gradually it is even more compressed.
• Thanks to a wide variety of colors and shades, marmoleum in the interior is loved by many designers. In addition, over time, the color does not fade under the influence of sunlight.
• Under the marmoleum, you can lay a warm floor; under the influence of high temperatures, it does not deform and does not lose its properties. Therefore, it is great for living rooms. Although the material itself has good thermal insulation properties and under it rarely put a warm floor.
• Ease of installation allows you to perform work without special training. You can easily cope with this task on your own. It can be laid even on the old coating.

Except wide choice colors, manufacturers offer this eco-coating with different textures. Especially popular among buyers with a refined taste is marmoleum under the skin, stone, wood.

Are there any downsides to marmoleum?

There is. In fairness, it is worth clarifying what you should pay attention to when choosing a floor covering, because the disadvantages of marmoleum can repel:

• Price. Marmoleum costs a lot because of its naturalness, complexity and duration of production and special storage requirements. Average cost per square meter material starts at $25. In addition, for laying you will need a special glue designed for eco-linoleum.
• Fragility. The material requires careful transportation, you are unlikely to use damaged tiles. Therefore, when buying, carefully inspect the material so that there are no cracks. Marmoleum can be rolled up only once, with the top layer out. This should also be remembered if you have chosen a rolled marmoleum. But subject to simple rules storage and installation, this disadvantage will bypass you.
• Give him some time. The characteristics of marmoleum include its property to "blur". Therefore, before pressing it with a plinth, let it rest and take shape. However, this property is suitable for the floor, there is no need to perfectly level the floor and seal the joints. Markakoy good jackmoleum over time, he will "become" in its place.
• The structure of the material is rigid and not elastic. Therefore, it is not advisable to put heavy furniture on it, over time, pits may appear under it.
• The material is poorly cut, it is almost impossible to achieve a perfectly even cut, so if the geometry of the room is incorrect, you will have to tinker.

We figured out the pros and cons of marmoleum, now we will consider the varieties of this flooring.

Types of marmoleum and their scope

There are three classes of marmoleum, which determine its scope:

• 21-23. This is marmoleum, which is well suited for the interior of living rooms. The thinnest (has decorative coating up to 2 mm). The cheapest of all classes.
• 31-33. Eco linoleum for use in industrial facilities. Resistant to continuous static load, has a decorative layer thickness of up to 2.5 mm.
• 41-43. The thickest (up to 3 mm) marmoleum, which is ideal for public places with high traffic (train stations, airports, metro stations, hospitals, large stores).

If you want to lay marmoleum in a house or apartment, you should not think that the thicker it is, the better and longer it will last. The thinnest marmoleum will suit you, which will exclude its “spreading” and the formation of pits under heavy furniture.

Speaking about the types of marmoleum , worth mentioning about various forms material release:

• Tiled (supplied in tiles 30x30, 50x50). Fitted with special glue.
• Panel, made in panels of 30x90 cm, fits in the same way as the tiled version.
• Rolled marmoleum. Such option is suitable for laying on large areas. It is a roll up to 2 m wide, which can be rolled out only once. If mishandled, the material may become unusable, crack. This option is difficult to install and requires professionalism and experience. Therefore, if you want to lay marmoleum at home on your own, it is better to choose the two previous options.

When choosing marmoleum, considerable importance should be given to its design. Modern manufacturers offer huge selection marmoleum pattern, different textures, pigments. From individual tiles on the floor, you can assemble a full-fledged pattern, so this material gives good opportunities interior designers.

Marmoleum - relatively new material used as a floor covering. Some experts are convinced that in the near future it is marmoleum that will oust all other types of flooring from the market, leaving only parquet from natural wood. Whether this will be so is a moot point, but the fact that the material in question has a lot of advantages and is easy to install is beyond doubt.

Table of contents:

What is marmoleum and its types

The floor covering in question can rightfully be considered a natural material - it contains exclusively natural, natural components. Marmoleum is made from flour, lime, jute fiber, linseed oil, wood flour, resin of coniferous trees and natural dyes. That is why marmoleum can be safely used for arranging children's rooms, rooms in which people with diagnosed allergies will live.

There are three different types of flooring in question on the market.:

• roll;
• tiled;
• panel.

In addition, the classification of marmoleum takes into account its thickness.:

• thick (up to 4 mm);
• thin (up to 2.5 mm);
• without base;
• based.

To make it easier to navigate the diversity of the flooring under consideration, we can take as a basis the following differentiation:

• class 41-43 - it is advisable to use it in rooms where a high traffic of people is expected;
• class 31-33 - actively used for the arrangement of industrial premises, perfectly withstands static loads;
• class 21-23 - marmoleum has a thickness of only 2-2.5 mm, but is optimally suited as a floor covering for residential premises.

There is a difference in marmoleum and its size:

1. rolled- the weight of such a roll can reach 120 kg, this type of marmoleum can be up to 6 meters wide. In general, this type of floor covering in question is hardly advisable to use for residential renovation - heavy, large and in small rooms there will certainly be problems in operation.

Note:you cannot work with rolled marmoleum on your own - you will need an automatic loader, a team of loaders. The fact is that once unrolling the roll of the floor covering in question, it is impossible to roll it back into its original form.

1. Tiled- marmoleum is available in sizes of 30x30 cm or 50x50 cm. It is very easy to install, you can do the laying of tiled marmoleum yourself.
2. Panel- has a size of 90x30 cm, the installation of such panels is identical to the laying of ordinary tiles.

Qualitative characteristics of marmoleum

Like any material, the flooring in question has individual characteristics. And they need to be studied before the final decision on the purchase of marmoleum is made.

Benefits of marmoleum

Recently, there has been an increased demand for the considered flooring in the market of construction and finishing materials- there is a simple explanation for this: marmoleum has more than enough advantages.

Advantages of marmoleum:

In addition, the advantages of marmoleum include the simplicity of its installation - even a not very experienced person can handle the work.

Disadvantages of marmoleum

There are no building and / or finishing materials that have absolutely no flaws - marmoleum is no exception. You should not immediately run to the store for the flooring in question after reading the list of its advantages - focus on its shortcomings as well. The list of negative aspects of marmoleum include:

Basic rules for laying marmoleum

Despite the fact that the installation process of the flooring in question is not difficult, everyone needs to know some features. This will help to avoid mistakes and get the expected result - absolutely smooth, fitting into general style floor space.

Rules for laying marmoleum:

1. The material in question can be laid on the previous coating, but only if it does not have damage in the form of depressed outlines.
2. Marmoleum can also be laid on a concrete floor, and there is no need to pre-install the heat-insulating layer - the presented floor covering itself performs this role.
3. It is undesirable to use marmoleum panels if the floor has a rough surface - the installation process will be fraught with some difficulties, and the end result will be distorted.

Note:if the base for marmoleum is an absolutely uneven surface on which there are differences, then you can lay a special substrate under the laminate. It will be more expensive than self-leveling the floor with a grinder, but it will also be more reliable. No bituminous impregnation is needed!

It is worth paying attention to the fact that there are some restrictions on the use of the flooring in question. Experts believe that you can not use marmoleum to equip the bathroom and kitchen. And marmoleum can not be put on warm floors. Rather, you can put something, but the heat transfer from the heating system will be reduced significantly.

marmoleum cost

This is perhaps the most popular question from potential buyers - of course, because the flooring in question is a relatively new material. We can only say one thing - the low cost of marmoleum can not be expected.

Marmoleum is a rolled floor covering made from environmentally friendly raw materials. The prototype of the material is oiled canvas, which appeared in the 16th century. industrial production marmoleum began in 1864 in England.

What is it - structure and modern production

Marmoleum is characterized by high wear resistance, strength and service life of more than 25 years

The main value of marmoleum as a material is its environmental friendliness and safety, since the coating contains only natural components, without synthetic impurities. The formulation of the material consists of the resin of coniferous trees, flax oil, wood raw materials, crushed cork, chalk and lime.

For coloring, only natural pigments are used that do not emit harmful substances. The marmoleum structure is a homogeneous coating. That is, the material has one integral layer with a pattern applied over the entire thickness of the product.

From the technological side, marmoleum is a modernized version of natural linoleum. Initially, linseed oil and resin were used to produce linoleum from plant and natural components.

As technologies improved, substitutes for these components obtained from special breeds of tropical crops were found and introduced. This made it possible not only to reduce the cost of mass production of the material, but also to increase its performance.

Additionally, a pressed layer of natural cork was added to the structure, which improves the strength and stability of the coating on the surface. The manufacturing process has also undergone some changes - to obtain finished product the method of dry hot pressing began to be used.

As a result, the improved natural linoleum received the trade name marmoleum, under which it is successfully sold in hardware stores.

Characteristics, classification and release form

Natural cladding in rolls and tiles

Technically, marmoleum flooring has higher performance than conventional PVC linoleum. The coating is able to withstand up to 160 kg per 1 cm2 of surface, without visible traces deformations.

The specific weight of 1 m2 of material is 2.5-3.5 kg with a total coating thickness of 2-4 mm. The average service life of the material subject to the installation technology and general rules operation is at least 30 years.

With considering specifications marmoleum is classified into the following classes:

1. 21-23 - coating intended for use in conventional living conditions. Differs in small thickness (up to 2 mm) and low cost. It is recommended to lay in city apartments and private houses, as it has an increased resistance to variable loads.
2. 31-32 - marmoleum, intended for laying in industrial premises and in small industries. Has a thicker upper layer(up to 2.5 mm). Resistant to static load, which makes it possible to use in rooms with large quantity heavy furniture and machines.
3. 41-43 - coating intended for use in public areas with high traffic and continuous foot traffic. The total thickness of the coating is from 3-4 mm. The main area of ​​application is airports, railway stations, hospitals.

It is important to understand that the class of marmoleum indicates not so much the characteristics of the coating, but rather the scope and the presence of certain technical qualities. That is, it does not make sense to buy a thicker or more durable material for laying in an apartment.

In domestic conditions, the floor surface is subjected to a completely different load than in industrial or public premises. Marmoleum 21-23 class 2 mm thick is enough to ensure trouble-free operation during the declared service life.

According to the release form, marmoleum is divided into the following types:

• roll 2 m wide;
• tiles 30 × 30 and 50 × 50 cm;
• panel 90×30 cm.

Rolled marmoleum, unlike PVC linoleum, is not recommended to be purchased if you plan to lay the coating yourself. The material rolled into a roll has a sufficiently large weight, which will cause difficulties with delivery to the work site. Care must be taken during transportation, as the material is brittle and may crack when broken.

Marmoleum in the form of tiles and panels are devoid of these disadvantages. The panels have a fairly convenient locking system, which allows you to lay it yourself, without much experience with the material. Photos of the main types of marmoleum can be seen above.

Pros and cons of operation

Marmoleum is one of the few floor coverings combining high performance and weight positive qualities. In fact, this is the reason for the high popularity of this coating in its price segment.

Naturalness is one of the main advantages of this material

Among the advantages of marmoleum are the following:

• environmental friendliness - the coating is absolutely safe for human health and pets. The coating can be laid in a residential area where allergy sufferers and small children live;
• hygienic - a marmoleum floor is quite easy to clean by wet cleaning without the use of a large amount of detergents. After cleaning, cleanliness is maintained for a long time due to the bactericidal properties of the coating;
• durability - the material does not fade, does not absorb moisture when wet, does not go in waves, does not warp. It has a high local resistance to damage and other negative factors;
• insulation - when laying, it is not necessary to use heat-insulating material for floor insulation, since the material has a low thermal conductivity. Does not accumulate static electricity, is not combustible, does not emit harmful substances;
• price - total costs for laying the coating, even taking into account the cost of the material, is somewhat lower than when laying a laminate or parquet board;
• variety - marmoleum has high decorative qualities. Large manufacturers produce a coating of 100 primary colors, 30-50 texture solutions and 2000 shades.

Among the minuses of marmoleum, its fragility should be noted, especially in the corners and along the edges of the roll. With the wrong laying technology, there is a high risk of damage to the material, as a result of which this section will have to be cut off, since cracks along the fracture line will be very noticeable on it.

During operation, a slight spread of the material on the floor surface and hardening in the most passable areas of the floor is possible. This is clearly seen in poorly sealed seams, which become tighter over time.

When working with rolled marmoleum, it is desirable to have experience in laying, since the material is poorly cut, and it is quite problematic to get a perfectly even edge along the cut line. That is why most of the big outlets offers an additional installation service, since if the technology is not followed, the guarantee for the floor covering is removed.

Instructions for laying on the base

The general requirements for laying marmoleum are similar to other types of flooring. The bearing base for laying must be monolithic, durable, dry. The maximum deviation according to GOST is no more than 2 mm per 2 m of the surface.

Scheme of laying the cladding in tiles from the center of the room

The strength of the bearing base is determined based on the planned loads. In residential premises, warehouses and small industries - this is no more than 300 kg / cm2.

Depending on the material used, the base can be divided into three groups: concrete surface, cement-sand or thin-layer gypsum screed, base made of sheet materials.

Almost any concrete surface requires leveling by means of a cement-sand screed device or by pouring a leveling mass. On rare occasions when concrete slab overlap meets the above requirements, enough surface repair.

To eliminate small irregularities and potholes, a dispersion putty should be used. Leveling by laying sheet materials (chipboard, GVL) is more suitable for wooden bases and floors with a structure on logs.

Purchased material must be delivered 24 hours before installation. If the marmoleum was transported at a temperature below 10 C, then unpacking must be carried out after at least 24 hours.

Tiles can be laid from a far corner in the room

Do-it-yourself modular marmoleum is laid in the following sequence:

1. The scheme of laying on the surface is selected based on design solution. On the diagram, you need to designate the center line from which the laying will begin. For a symmetrical pattern, you can divide the room in half with the center in the middle.
2. Next, you will need to carefully study the instructions for the purchased adhesive mass. The adhesive is applied to the rear surface of the module using a notched trowel. During the application process, it is important to monitor the drying time of the adhesive mass. If the adhesive has dried up and lost its adhesive qualities, then it must be completely removed from the surface of the element.
3. When laying, each marmoleum tile is rolled with a smooth roller weighing 50-75 kg. This tool can be rented in stores specializing in the sale of linoleum.
4. The stacking of modules starts from the center center line, as shown in the figure above. The tiled module is laid without gaps and run-up relative to the previous elements.
5. The laying process continues until the last element that needs to be trimmed remains in each of the rows. To cut a tile, you will need to apply markings on its front side. Next, along the cut line, cut the tile with a knife with a straight blade. The final cut is carried out with a hook-bladed knife.

Before commissioning, the floor surface must be thoroughly cleaned of adhesive residues that may have squeezed out from the joints between the modules. To do this, you can wet cleaning with the chiselling of a small amount of detergent approved by the manufacturer.

As a daily care, dry cleaning with a special mop with a microfiber nozzle is sufficient. The constant use of detergents is not required.

Modular marmoleum with the “Click” locking system is mounted in a similar way, with the only difference that the laying of panels can be started from the far corner of the room. To trim the element near the wall, you can use a jigsaw or a hacksaw for wood.

When laying the first row, a technological gap of 15-30 mm between the tile and the wall should be observed. The gap is needed so that the cladding does not warp during operation.

For laying the second and subsequent rows, it is most convenient to assemble the row with a single piece of cloth, and then gently lower it onto the floor surface until it snaps into place lock connection. The video above shows detailed instructions for laying modular marmoleum.

Cost, manufacturers and laying costs

Products of the Swiss company Forbo

The world leader with a share of 65% in the production of marmoleum is the Swiss company Forbo. This company owns trademark"Marmoleum", which is used as the name of their main line of natural linoleum.

Marmoleum Forbo is distinguished by high resistance to mechanical stress, low abrasion, low permanent deformation, good elasticity, bactericidal and anti-slip properties.

In many ways, it is the Forbo concern that natural linoleum has become widespread throughout the world, including in Russia, where their official representative office is present.

The company's lineup includes both cladding in rolls and covering in the form of natural tiles with a special locking system. The entire range of products can be found on the official website of the company. Cost per marmoleum various types can be seen in the table above.

The desire to decorate your home with natural materials is inherent in most people. Such materials are not only safe to use, but are also some kind of status symbol, positioning the owner of the house as a very wealthy person, because the cost natural materials much higher than those made from various substitutes. In this article we will talk about marmoleum - one of the varieties of linoleum, made only from natural ingredients.

What is marmoleum made of?

The basis of this material is jute fibers impregnated with a mixture of:

• coniferous resins;
• chalk;
• linseed oil;
• wood flour.

The manufacturing technology of this mixture is very complex, but after applying to jute fiber and drying, finished material it feels like a cork to the touch, being the same elastic. In addition, the composition of the mixture includes natural dyes, thanks to which the necessary patterns are created on the surface of the materials.

This material is produced in two main types - rolls and strips on a substrate. Rolls are a ready-to-use coating on which there are no additional layers, so it is laid on an insulated or heated floor. Individual strips are glued onto HDF or MDF panels with a thin cork layer. The panels are equipped with a lock, which facilitates their assembly during installation and eliminates cold bridges.

Marmoleum and linoleum

In addition to the fact that marmoleum is made from natural materials, it has many other advantages. It does not emit toxic substances even when heated, and its service life exceeds 20 years. Its thermal conductivity is slightly higher than that of linoleum, so it is well suited for warm and insulated floors. Walking on it is much more pleasant than on PVC linoleum and almost as pleasant as on rubber linoleum. In addition, it is much stronger in terms of withstanding static loads, and the strength is inversely proportional to the thickness - the thicker the marmoleum, the easier it is to push through the furniture.

This drawback is eliminated in the marmoleum on the substrate, so it is preferable where a lot of material is spent on trimming. Another drawback is that modern material cannot be used on a hot floor if its temperature exceeds 25–28 degrees (depending on the coating model). Exceeding this temperature leads to a violation of the marmoleum structure and loss of strength, after which it wears out quickly, while linoleum is devoid of this drawback. In addition, marmoleum does not tolerate high humidity, so it is undesirable to lay it in the kitchen and bathroom or next to the pool. Also, this material has a pungent smell, which not everyone likes, although it cannot be called unpleasant.

Marmoleum classification

All products that are produced under this name are clearly divided by thickness and strength class:

1. 21–23 is the cheapest material with a thickness of 2 mm or less, which is why it is called household. It is distinguished by good resistance to static loads, so furniture that has stood even for many years in one place does not damage it. When laying in an apartment, its abrasion resistance will last for 20-30 years.
2. 31–33 is a material of the middle price category, 2–3 mm thick. It is also called industrial. It also tolerates static loads well and, thanks to its increased thickness, can withstand more severe variable loads, so even in passage places it will last 10-20 years.
3. 41–43 - such a marmoleum is intended only for places with high traffic, that is international airports, hypermarkets, etc. Its thickness is 3–4 mm, so it is as expensive as possible. In addition, marmoleum of this class does not tolerate static loads well, so it is undesirable to put furniture on it, otherwise dents will appear on its surface in a couple of years, which will not disappear with time.

All this applies only to the coating itself and does not apply to the substrate material.

The cost of marmoleum and styling methods

The average cost of household roll material is 1,500 rubles per square meter, and the average price of a coating on a substrate is 3,000 rubles for the same area. Marmoleum of higher classes is noticeably more expensive, in addition, stores usually do not indicate the price for it in the public domain, so the cost must be found out from the manager when visiting the store personally or by phone.

The laying method depends on the type of marmoleum - the rolled one is first brought into a warm room and left for two days to warm up. After all, the cold coating is very fragile, so it can break even when you try to unwind it. After warming up, the roll is carefully unwound and placed in the room for which the material is intended. Then the marmoleum is cut with a sharp knife or large scissors to fit the room and rewound into a roll. large diameter. This is necessary for applying glue to the surface of the floor. It is highly undesirable to lay rolled material without glue, because it does not have high rigidity and mechanical strength, so if you do not fix it, it will quickly crack and deteriorate. If the width of the sheet is less than the width of the room, then the sheets are laid so that they are in contact with the sides and welded using a special gun. It is impossible to weld the cut edges, because even a very sharp knife or scissors cannot create a sufficiently even cut.

The technology of laying marmoleum on the substrate is different in that individual tiles are connected to each other using a lock cut on the side surfaces of the substrate. Therefore, laying starts from the middle of the room, marking it with laser level. It is advisable to use the glue recommended by the manufacturer here, because it increases the service life of the coating several times. If the slabs are laid without fixing, then due to the backlash, the substrate lock is quickly destroyed, then the decorative coating is also damaged. To cut tiles, you must use an electric jigsaw and a saw blade, the teeth of which are directed downwards.

What is marmoleum? This is a new material for flooring, the production of which is rapidly developing. In the future, marmoleum is likely to replace all types of floor coverings, except for wooden parquet from valuable breeds wood, which will remain as a luxury item.

Such an explosive spread of marmoleum is due to its truly outstanding advantages:

• Marmoleum is absolutely environmentally friendly, it is made only from natural ingredients, and they are so cheap that a fake is not economically justified.
• Marmoleum is non-toxic, does not cause allergies, and in addition it also has bactericidal properties.
• Marmoleum is cheap: Marmoleum flooring costs 15-30% less than the cheapest of today's materials - laminate.
• A marmoleum floor does not require additional insulation and thermal insulation: the material itself has insulating properties.
• Marmoleum is resistant and hygienic: it does not fade, does not swell when wet and does not warp, withstands a huge local load, even spilled paint does not stick to it. The warranty period for marmoleum is 20 years, but judging by the structure and manufacturing technology, in the future it will be increased to 100 years.
• Marmoleum does not accumulate static electricity and is not combustible: a cigarette butt thrown on it dies without leaving a trace, and it is only possible to burn through marmoleum with autogenous.
• Marmoleum is decorative: it can be painted in the most different colors, texture wood, stone, etc. Marmoleum is currently produced in 100 basic colors and more than 2000 shades.
• And, finally, marmoleum is extremely easy to work with: laying marmoleum with your own hands can literally be done by a preschooler.

Video: marmoleum, its safety and basic styling points

A bit of history

How did such a wonderful material come into being? This took several centuries.

Even in ancient times, fabrics were impregnated with oil to increase their durability. By the 17th century in Europe, jute appeared in everyday life - a very coarse and durable burlap made from fibers of plants of the genus Corchorus linden families: Indian flax, Calcutta hemp, tossa jute. At the same time, oiled jute fabric, coated with various hardening compounds, began to be used for flooring. The prehistory of marmoleum ended in 1863 with the British patent No. 209/1860 for linoleum, issued to Frederick Walton. In 1864, mass production of linoleum began.

Walton was able to develop a very cheap and fairly durable top coat based on linseed oil, pine resin (resin), wood flour, natural dyes and chalk. After the Second World War, natural linoleum replaced PVC-based linoleum, but the global oil crisis and the expansion of environmental awareness revived the demand for natural linoleum, which contributed to the improvement of its manufacturing technology.

By the beginning of the 1990s, even cheaper and better substitutes for linseed oil and resin were found, obtained from highly productive tropical crops. At the same time, a third, intermediate layer of pressed cork chips was introduced into the linoleum structure. The finishing touch was the use in the production of linoleum technology of hot dry pressing, developed for the production of MDF.

Coatings obtained in this way went on sale under common name marmoleum. In fact, marmoleum is natural linoleum, brought to the limit of its perfection.

Marmoleum is especially good for children's rooms.

Disadvantages of marmoleum

Complete perfection does not exist, so marmoleum has its drawbacks.

1. Firstly, marmoleum is fragile, especially at the edges, and when working with it, you must observe certain rules; see below. You can roll the marmoleum into a roll once with the base out.
2. Secondly, marmoleum spreads and hardens a little over time. This is good for the floor: you do not need to carefully close the seams, they will converge themselves. But when buying marmoleum, you need to carefully study the manufacturer's instructions for this particular brand and check the shelf life. If boxes with tiles or rolls were carelessly handled during transportation, some of the material may be cracked, so you need to look for a seller with a guarantee.
3. Thirdly, marmoleum is heavy and at the same time retains residual plasticity along the layers for a long time. For the floor, this is again good: no need for careful leveling of the base; marmoleum will cover irregularities of a quarter or even a third of its thickness, and its surface will remain flat. But it is impossible to use marmoleum for wall decoration, and even more so for the ceiling: the coating will “float” under its own weight. Marmoleum is exclusively floor covering.
4. Fourthly, marmoleum is poorly cut and it is impossible to achieve a smooth, even cut, like on a laminate or MDF. Therefore, marmoleum is cut only along the walls to size, where the cut is covered with a plinth. That is, the decorative possibilities of marmoleum during its independent laying are limited by laying out a pattern from standard tiles.

Characteristics, classification, sizes

The technical characteristics of marmoleum have actually already been described. It remains to be added that it can withstand a load of 160 kg / sq. without permanent deformation. see (!), it specific gravity is 2.6 - 3.4 kg / sq. m, and the total thickness is 2-4 mm, depending on the class.

Marmoleum is produced in the following classes:

• 41-43 - the upper decorative layer with a thickness of more than 3 mm. Withstands up to 100 thousand attacks per day for 5 years. Designed for public spaces with a large flow of visitors; for example, major international airports.
• 31-33 - industrial. The thickness of the decorative layer is up to 2.5 mm. It holds alternating loads worse than 41-43, but it is more resistant to a static load.
• 21-23 - general purpose. It differs from the industrial one only more thin coating(up to 2 mm) and the price - it is cheaper.

Conclusion: do not buy the thickest and most expensive marmoleum for your home. From the legs of concentrated loads: cabinets, aquarium stands, holes may form in it over time. Buy the cheapest one for yourself.

Marmoleum sizes are as follows:

1. Rolls 2 m wide. Rolled marmoleum for self-laying not good - to handle it, you need a loader, a crane and a team of experienced riggers. Once the roll is rolled out, it is no longer possible to roll it back. Due to the heaviness and fragility of the material, it is extremely inconvenient to work with long strips in an apartment.
2. Tiles 50x50 cm and 30x30 cm. Laid with adhesive like PVC or ceramic tiles.
3. Panels 90x30 cm. Laid like tiles.

Marmoleum laying

Tool

When laying marmolium, laminate tools must be used carefully: the edges of the tiles or panels are fragile. It is better to stock up on a wooden or rubber hammer (mallet) and a rule (clamp-hook) with a wide, at least 150 mm, hook. The rest of the tools are normal.

For previous coverage

Marmoleum can be laid directly on the existing flooring on any mounting adhesive. But, if the old floor is playing or it has been trampled to the cavities, then the previous coating must be removed and the marmoleum should be laid on bare concrete. There is no need to worry about heat / sound insulation - marmoleum itself is an excellent insulator.

Marmoleum tiles on the previous coating are laid on the glue end-to-end. It is undesirable to use panels - on an old rough floor, they can get stuck when fitting.

Foundation preparation

The concrete base or cement-sand screed under the marmolium, if there are noticeable protrusions on it, must be leveled. Be sure to remove sharp protrusions with a height of more than 1.5-2 mm. This can be done with a drill or a grinder in a bowl-shaped circle on a stone. If the cup accidentally crashes into concrete - it's okay, the cavity can be repaired cement mortar or starting putty. After leveling, the dust must be swept away, the residues collected with a vacuum cleaner, then sprinkled with water and swept again.

Option "for the lazy", but more expensive: cover the base with a plastic pillow under the laminate. In any case, no pre-treatment of the base with a bituminous primer, etc. not required.

Marmoleum for offices, on which the company's symbols are applied, is gaining particular popularity.

Material cutting

• We measure how many solid tiles or panels will lie across the width of the room; then - how many rows will lie in length. At the same time, we take into account a gap of 15-30 mm around the perimeter; it will close with a plinth. The gap is needed so that, due to temperature and plastic deformations of the coating, it does not swell over time.
• We cut off the length of the remainder of the whole with an electric jigsaw or a hand-held circular saw, the number of tiles / panels equal to the number of transverse rows.

Example: room in terms of 4x6 m; covered with panels. The remainder of the whole 400 - (90x4 \u003d 360) \u003d 40 cm. 600/30 \u003d 20 rows come out along the length. Cut into 20 pieces of 36 cm long (36x30 cm).

When laying with a comb, with an offset of the transverse seams, the cutting ends there. If you want to lay out the remainder of the whole evenly around the perimeter, each piece must be cut in half again along the length. In the example - you get 40 pieces of 18x30 cm.

Laying process

How to lay marmoleum on concrete? Very simple:

• Close to the far short wall we lay a 15-30 mm rail wrapped in thin plastic film. The film will not allow the rail to stick from accidental glue streaks. We lay the same rail along the left long wall; if you are left-handed, then along the right.
• We start laying from the far left corner (from the right - for left-handers). In place of the future tile, we apply assembly glue, building silicone or mastic for linoleum with a snake. We lay the tile, push it tightly into the corner. If necessary, use the rule and a mallet.
• We spread the transverse rows row by row until the entire area is filled. We are waiting for the glue to set, as indicated in the instructions for it. That's all.

Explanation: if you put it with a comb, then start the rows alternately from a solid panel, then from a cut one. When laying out the remainder of the whole around the perimeter, each row begins and ends with trimming.