Linoleum

About linoleum

Commercial linoleum

Semi-commercial linoleum

Household linoleum

What is linoleum?

How to choose linoleum?

Where did you get the linoleum?

Unbelievable, but a fact.

The roots of modern floor covering, popular among buyers, go quite deep into our history.

Let's use the Wikipedia resource and find out how it was?

For the first time, the term linoleum, or rather, oiled canvas, was used back in 1672.
In the process of the evolution of society, as a result of the increase in prices for the components, as well as the desire of manufacturers to reduce the labor intensity of production processes, it led to the fact that in 1863, Frederick Walton received a patent for the production of a new type of floor covering, which he called " linoleum ".
The name of the material is based on the use of the main raw material.
In the production of natural linoleum, linseed oil is included - "linum oleum" in Latin.
Therefore, linoleum is a floor covering consisting mainly of natural raw materials: linseed oil, wood resin, wood flour and/or cork flour, limestone powder, colored and white pigments, jute fabric.
In the 50s of the 20th century, floor covering manufacturers again faced a shortage of natural raw materials and replaced natural materials with polyvinyl chloride, or PVC for short.
Thus, linoleum is a completely natural coating, and PVC coatings can contain natural and unnatural components.
However, in our country, as well as in the CIS countries, linoleum refers to PVC coating.

PVC linoleum

What is linoleum?

PVC floor covering is a flexible material based on polyvinyl chloride, as well as other natural and non-natural components.

There are two main types of floor covering, according to the type of objects and areas of application:

household linoleum - for ordinary houses or apartments;
commercial linoleum - for public and industrial premises.

How did I choose linoleum for the room?

Heading "Subjective reasoning of the consumer-citizen"

Before the birth of the child, my wife and I decided to make repairs in our room. The room is corner and cold. And of course we were faced with the choice of floor covering.

Since the baby will spend a lot of time in this room, it is necessary to decide on a universal floor covering.

On which he can: pee, poop, pour various liquids.
On which he will: crawl, run barefoot, ride a bicycle.
On which he will: sit, play cars, draw.

Линолеум

Structure of linoleum

Having studied all the options for floor coverings, linoleum turned out to be the most optimal option.

On the floor is laid an old, artificial parquet, which, in principle, does not bend, does not creak, it is a fairly monolithic floor covering.
But the future young man is cold and not resistant to an aggressive environment.
Dad didn't really want to bother with the dismantling of the parquet, the installation of a new perfect screed, additional financial expenses and exciting pastimes on weekends.
We decided to put linoleum on the parquet.
Since our room is small, 8 square meters, we decided to take the thickest, semi-commercial linoleum, because they do not skimp on children's health.
It was the most expensive in the store, 230 hryvnias/m/sq.m., but for such a square footage, it did not significantly put a strong financial burden on us and we were able to avoid cash gaps in the family budget.

Linoleum for children's room

Advantages of laying linoleum on an old base

Since the base of the floor, the old parquet, had small irregularities, the linoleum thickness of 3.7 mm leveled these minimal differences.
Noise isolation: thick linoleum additionally improved these indicators in the light of assumed, multiple dropped toys and running exercises.
The upper protective layer of 0.5 mm linoleum will make it possible to use the coating for a long time and without repair, which is not insignificant for the father.
Convenient, fast styling and cleaning, the key to a good mood for parents and children.

Resume

I have been using linoleum for two years.
During this time, he succumbed to various loads, as expected.
Little Timka, he is trying very hard.

"Neighbors and I, with a beloved, patient wife, are happy with linoleum"!

Now let's take a closer look at the characteristics and purpose of linoleum for each buyer, according to his needs.

Let's consider the main types of linoleum, based on the world-famous Tarkett brand.

Household linoleum

This is one of the most popular among consumers, floor covering.
Modern household linoleum does not change its parameters during the entire service life.
A large number of different widths helps to choose an effective measurement for purchase, and in order to place all design solutions in one place, it is necessary to use a huge shopping center.
Thanks to modern technologies in production, it is possible to accurately convey the beauty of natural materials: wood, stone, fabrics.
"Living Structure" is the name of Tarkett's innovative natural embossing technology.
Realizing that appearance is important in floor coverings, manufacturers use an additional protective varnish.
It not only preserves the appearance, but also greatly facilitates cleaning.

Linoleum for the kitchen

The structure of linoleum

1 – Protective varnish.
2 – Transparent (=working layer).
3 – Printed drawing.
4 – Glass canvas.
5 – Back foam.
6 - Duplicate base (foam+polyester).
7 - Back picture.

Types of Tarkett linoleum

Tarkett linoleum is produced on various bases:

foamed;
duplicated (foam + polyester);
compact;
calendered

Линолеум

Linoleum for the dining room

However, in order to correctly choose household linoleum, it is necessary first of all to understand in which room it is planned to be laid, what possible loads and operating conditions will be carried out, or on what type of base will linoleum be laid, on a screed or a finishing leveling mass?

For example, in rooms where temperature changes are possible, linoleum, on a duplicated basis, will perform best.
In rooms with intensive pedestrian traffic (kitchens/corridors), compact or calendered.
And in rooms with certain requirements for noise and sound insulation - foam.

It is especially important to pay attention to such an important component of linoleum as transparent or working layer.

It not only protects the drawing from wear, but is also responsible for the wear resistance of the material.
And the thicker it is, the longer the flooring can be used.

According to the generally accepted classification, domestic and commercial floor coverings are distinguished.

There is also a classification of types of premises from 21 to 43, where the first digit is the type of premises (2 - residential, 3 - public, 4 - industrial), and the second is the estimated load (1 - low, 2 - medium, 3 - high).

Household linoleum has 3 classes of application:

21 class of application - low load on floor covering in residential premises;
22 class of application - medium load on floor covering in residential premises;
23 class of application - high load on floor covering in residential premises;
Pay attention to the icons in the collections when choosing a cover.
For your comfort, Tarkett has developed a special table of 5 stars, it will help you choose a covering that takes into account the requirements of the room.
Also, the weight of linoleum plays an important role, the greater its weight, the more durable and wear-resistant material you buy.

Wear-resistant linoleum

What is semi-commercial linoleum?

The international standard distinguishes 3 groups of floor coverings:

for residents (classes 21-23);
for public (31-34);
for light industrial zones (41-43).

The classification is based on the intensity of use for which the coating is designed.

Such a concept as " semi-commercial" linoleum or "light commerce" is not used in regulatory documents.
However, on the market, "semi-commercial linoleum" is called heterogeneous linoleum with a protective layer from 0.35 to 0.6 mm.
Usually, such a coating corresponds to classes from 31-33 to 41-42 in terms of wear resistance.
Accordingly, linoleum with a protective layer of 0.7 mm is called "heavy" commerce.
Such linoleum belongs to classes 34-43 and is suitable for areas with very high, intensive pedestrian traffic.

When choosing such a floor covering, it is necessary to take into account not only the thickness of the transparent layer, which indicates the degree of wear resistance of the product, but also other parameters.

The coating must correspond to the indicators presented to various premises, depending on their purpose.
For example, semi-commercial coatings may not meet fire safety requirements.
Or they have insufficient density, resistance to pollution and increased loads, for effective use in public places.
The main thing is that linoleum meets fire and sanitary-hygienic requirements, is safe for human health, resistant to pollution and easy to clean.

Semi-commercial coatings under the Tarkett brand : FORCE, SPRINT PRO, IDYLLE NOVA, MODA, ABSOLUT, ATMOSPHERE, DIVA collections.

Semi-commercial linoleum under the CINTEROS brand : BONUS collection.

Semi-commercial PVC coatings under the Polystyl brand : HYPERION SB, POLARIS, TITAN, SPACE collections .

Linoleum for cafes

Design possibilities of linoleum

Modern linoleum is a variety of design types.

From classic wood and palace parquet, bright abstraction, colors and shades are able to highlight or, on the contrary, blur accents in the interior.
Tarkett's innovative technologies are "Living structure", Unrepeatable design, 3D design.

Lifetime of linoleum

The service life of Tarkett linoleum can be at least 15 years.

The most important thing is "3 right":

choose correctly;
to arrange correctly;
take care of properly

Moisture-resistant linoleum

This is a floor covering that is not afraid of both short-term exposure to water and unexpected floods from good neighbors.
That is why linoleum is often laid in the kitchen and even in the bathroom.

The comfort of linoleum

The material is tactilely warmer than ceramic coatings.
It does not require mandatory floor heating.
But, if you plan to use a warm floor system, you can use linoleum without risk, the most important thing is that the temperature on the surface of the floor and floor covering is no more than 27 degrees.
Also, household linoleum has high noise and sound insulation performance.
If you have something that has fallen, regardless of the hryvnia exchange rate, the neighbors below will not be outraged.
Linoleum does not attract or collect dust, and with proper care, it will retain its original appearance for a very long time.

Ecological linoleum

It has the ecological label "Leaf of Life" of the international level.
Does not emit harmful substances.
Does not contain and does not emit formaldehyde.
No toxic organic solvents are used in production.

Линолеум

Structure of linoleum

Commercial linoleum

This is a PVC floor covering that has a class from 31 to 43, according to the international standard BS EN ISO 10874.
Such linoleum is suitable for installation in public and light industrial locations.
The BS EN ISO 10874 class system is based on the intensity of use of various premises.
The class shows the maximum loads the coating is designed for.
The higher the permeability and load on the floor in the room, the higher the floor covering should be.

The difference between homogeneous and heterogeneous commercial linoleum

Commercial linoleum can be homogeneous, with a uniform structure, or heterogeneous - that is, multi-layered.

Each type of linoleum has its own advantages.

Homogeneous PVC coating

Possibility of repeated restoration of the damaged surface.
Long-term preservation of the original appearance.
Special periodic care is required: surface polishing and mastic application.
It is possible to combine coatings of different designs and colors, create whole paintings.

Pvc coating linoleum

Heterogeneous PVC coating

Long-term preservation of the original appearance.
Traditional care: neutral detergents.
Possible designs imitating both stone and wooden, textile and other surfaces, abstraction.

Linoleum for the medical industry

Main characteristics of commercial linoleum

Public and commercial premises are areas with a high intensity of pedestrian traffic.
Therefore, the main requirement for a commercial product is its strength and durability.

And the strength and wear resistance of linoleum largely depend on the following parameters

Type of heterogeneous linoleum base:

linoleum on a calendered basis is the most dense and rigid, which means it is less prone to deformation or on a compact basis;
the thickness of the working layer (a layer of pure PVC) in heterogeneous products;
the thicker the working layer, the longer the floor covering will last;
before laying linoleum, it is necessary to check the screed or linoleum for cracks. If they are found, repair cracks in the concrete floor .

Total thickness for homogeneous products

A very thin product will wear out faster during use and maintenance (polishing).

The content of the binder:

the higher the content of pure PVC in homogeneous linoleum or in the working layer of heterogeneous linoleum, the more wear-resistant it is.

International standards distinguish 2 types of coating on the content of binder for heterogeneous PVC-coated (I, II) and 3 types for homogeneous (I, II, III).

The highest content of PVC in Type I.

The BS EN ISO 10874 coating class depends precisely on these parameters:

the total thickness of the homogeneous product or the thickness of the working layer of the heterogeneous product, the type of coating according to the content of the binder, as well as the strength of the welded cord.
In addition to operational properties, commercial linoleum must meet fire safety requirements.

Commercial linoleum

Commercial linoleum with protection from static electricity

Protection against static electricity is important in premises where electronic equipment sensitive to electrostatic charges is located: operational, server, laboratories with high-precision equipment, premises for storing combustible and explosive substances, etc.

European and international standards define 3 types of anti-static covers and requirements for them:

current -dissipating coating with volume resistance of 10⁶-10⁹Ω ( Granit SD and Mineral AS );
conductive coating with volume resistance index less than 10⁶Ω ( Toro SC );
anti-static coating - a coating whose static electric charge does not exceed 2 kV;
all Tarkett linoleum belongs to this category;
the requirements for the antistatic properties of the floor covering in each specific case are set by the equipment manufacturer or a special consultant;
GRANIT SD COLLECTION;
MINERAL AS COLLECTION;
TORO SC COLLECTION;

Commercial linoleum with sound-insulating properties

Coatings with sound-insulating properties are often used in kindergartens, schools, and libraries.
For such floor coverings, the key characteristic is the impact noise reduction index (dB) - a value that shows how much the floor covering reduces the impact noise level in the area of use.
IQ GRANIT ACOUSTIC COLLECTION.

Commercial linoleum with anti-slip properties

In wet rooms, it is necessary to ensure the safety of movement on the floor covering.
DIN 51130 is the standard by which the anti-slip properties of floor coverings are tested.
The indicator of slip resistance according to this standard has several groups.
And if ordinary linoleum most often belongs to the R9 group, then there are higher requirements for coverings intended for wet rooms: usually no less than R10.

Commercial linoleum for transport

The corresponding transport structures impose additional requirements on coatings for various types of transport.

Transport linoleum

Sports linoleum

Key indicators for sports linoleum.

Cushioning - cushioning characteristics improve the comfort of athletes during training, reducing the risk of injury when jumping.

The thicker the PVC coating, the higher the depreciation rate;

Vertical deformation - a too soft coating will be dangerous, because will not provide the necessary level of support for the athlete.

A good indicator, on the contrary, helps athletes to show the best result.

Slipperiness - the coating should have an optimal ratio.

It should not be too slippery or, on the contrary, blocking;

Ball rebound - the floor should absorb the shock, but at the same time provide the level of ball rebound, like a concrete slab.

Линолеум

Sports linoleum

If you have decided what kind of linoleum you need, then follow the links and choose design solutions with the characteristics that you will need.

"Use the right linoleum for your project"

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