Faucets

Marmoleum coating. Marmoleum as a yet unknown floor covering

01.07.2017

Every year the construction market pleases with a mass of new materials. One of these is marmoleum. This material is used for laying as floor covering and cannot be used for any other purpose.

What is a material?

The presented product looks very similar to ordinary linoleum, but it differs in its technical characteristics.

Marmoleum has main feature: It is a completely natural material.

The fact is that the following components are used for manufacturing in production: linseed oil, chalk, resin of coniferous trees, wood flour, as well as elements of cork oak wood. The use of various dyes allows you to get a lot of color and texture options.

Another feature of the product is that the pattern on its surface can retain its brightness and colorfulness for a long time. This is ensured by a special technology for applying a picture, which involves its location throughout the entire thickness of the layer. In stores, marmoleum is sold in the form of panels, rolls, and tiles. The roll version is the most common.

Specifications

Before purchasing this natural material, you need to find out what features it has. Marmoleum has the following technical characteristics:

Warranty period of operation: not less than 35 years.
Mechanical strength of the product: 160 kg/cm2.
Standard dimensions of the material: roll - width - 2 m, thickness - 2-4 mm; tiles - 50x50 or 30x30 cm; panels - 90x30 cm.
Specific gravity: 2.6-3.4 kg/m2.

Classification

This flooring has a classification similar to linoleum. For example, there are such classes of marmoleum:

41-43 - such a product can be considered the most durable and reliable. It is used most often where a large number of people accumulate. For example, this material can be placed in shopping malls, airports, train stations. Due to the thickness of the decorative layer, which is 3 mm, it can serve for a long time and with high quality.

Advantages and disadvantages

Marmoleum has the following advantages:

Security. Since the product is made from natural materials, it does not emit any harmful substances. In addition, such a coating is well suited for allergy sufferers and children. Natural resins, which are present in the composition of the material, provide a bactericidal effect.
High degree of resistance to mechanical stress.
The product tolerates UV rays well, so it does not fade.
The coating has high level resistance to fire and temperature changes. This feature allows you to use it for arranging underfloor heating.

Moisture resistant.
Despite the relatively small thickness of the layer, such a floor does not require additional noise, thermal and waterproofing. Thanks to this, your repair will be completed faster, and you will spend much less money.
Large variety of sizes.
Possibility of laying the material on the old flooring.
Resistance to the influence of chemicals.
Good decorative quality.

And this material practically does not accumulate static electricity.

Despite the fact that this coating is natural, it also has certain disadvantages:

Relative hardness. Over time, the coating spreads a little and hardens. This fact does not allow it to be used for decorating walls or ceilings.
Fragility. During transportation and use of the product, you need to be especially careful with the edges of the elements. As for the rolls, they can only be rolled up once.
Quite a lot of weight. But this does not prevent marmoleum from remaining relatively plastic along the edges.
Difficulties in processing. When cutting elements, you will not be able to achieve a perfectly even and smooth cut. However, this problem is eliminated by installing a plinth.

Features of laying roll coating and panels

The presented flooring has enough good feedback users to help you choose suitable option. Now you can consider how the marmoleum is laid. First of all, it needs to be prepared for work. That is, a roll or tile should lie down in the room in which they will be laid for at least a day. During this time, you can remove all furniture, debris from the room and vacuum the base well. You may need to further align it.

In principle, rolled marmoleum flooring is most often produced in large rooms. The technology of its installation is practically no different from the installation features of conventional linoleum.

As for the panels, they must be laid as carefully as possible. The fact is that the fastening latches are thin spikes that can be broken with one inaccurate movement.

Features of mounting tiles "click"

The presented material is laid on the substrate. It compensates for some unevenness of the base, and also prevents the formation of condensate. Typically, such a substrate is made of polyethylene, and is laid with a slight overlap of 20 cm. An additional layer of thermal insulation is not needed. Please note that you do not need to use glue to mount the elements.

So, the coating laying technology consists of the following stages:

Installation of the first row. When doing this, keep in mind that you will have to step back from the wall by about 1 cm. This is necessary for the formation of expansion joints. The groove of the first element should be directed in the opposite direction from the wall, the ridge, on the contrary, should be directed towards the wall. Marmoleum is mounted quite simply, but this process has a peculiarity: each subsequent tile must be connected to the previous one at a slight slope.

In the photo - the same installation feature. Docking of the next tile is made at an angle.

Installation of the second row. It is made in the same way as the previous one. Remember about the expansion joint, for this, put a bar under the first tile. After attaching the remaining elements, it is removed, and the locks snap into place.
Installation of the remaining rows. In this case, parallelism must be taken into account.

In construction supermarkets, visitors are literally bombarded with huge selection floor coverings.

How not to get lost among them!

Parquet, laminate, linoleum - these materials are already well known, but they are changing, improving, and on the basis of some new ones appear, for example, marmoleum.

Marmoleum is the name of a new and already popular flooring.

The composition of this material included only natural ingredients: jute, linseed oil, resin of coniferous trees.

In the second half of the 20th century, PVC-based linoleum became popular.

But by the end of the century, the demand for natural materials is again increasing.

Pressed cork chips were introduced into the composition of natural linoleum.

Began to be used in the production and new method– hot dry pressing.

The resulting coating went on sale under the name "marmoleum".

The novelty appeared on the Russian market in 2008: the American concern FORBO (Forbo) presented its products.

The MARMOLEUM CLICK collection was developed specifically for home use.

Marmoleum from this collection has a locking connection, which simplifies the installation of the coating.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

This coating, without deforming, can withstand loads up to 160 kg / sq. cm.

Its thickness is 2-4 mm (depending on the class).

A square meter weighs 2.6 - 3.4 kg.

Today, the popularity of this material is justified by its outstanding characteristics:

It is absolutely eco-friendly. Its second name is natural linoleum, because it contains only natural ingredients: wood flour, jute, chalk, crushed cork tree bark, linseed oil and pine resin. By the way, linseed oil and resins have bactericidal properties, and therefore marmoleum has disinfectant properties.
It has good sound and heat insulation, no additional materials are needed when laying it.
Wear-resistant, withstands a huge load (punching and scratches are not terrible for him).
Moisture resistant: does not swell, does not warp, does not rot.
Not hot.
Does not accumulate static electricity.
The material is easy to wash, it does not absorb anything.
Its installation is very easy even for an amateur in this field.

The warranty period is 20 years, but it will most likely last longer.

Disadvantages:

Very fragile material. This should be especially taken into account when buying and transporting. In the store, if possible, check the plates for cracks, and ask the seller for a guarantee.
Marmoleum is hard to cut, it is impossible to achieve an even cut. Therefore, if necessary, it is cut only along the wall, where an uneven cut will cover the plinth.
Over time, the coating spreads a little and hardens. It's good when it's already on the floor: you can close the seams not very carefully, they will come together over time. But when buying, be sure to check the release date and expiration date.
High cost.

Varieties

This coating, depending on the thickness of the upper decorative layer, is divided into classes:

41-43 - designed for public spaces where a large flow of people constantly passes, for example, for large international airports. The top layer is more than 3 mm.
31-33 - industrial (top layer up to 2.5 mm). It is more resistant to static loads, but it withstands alternating loads worse than 41-43.
21-23 - general purpose. The top layer is thinner (2 mm), at a price - cheaper. Here it is suitable for ordinary apartments.

You can see two types of marmoleum on sale: in rolls (width 2 m) and in tiles.

You won’t be able to work with it on your own: you can’t do without a loader, a team of experienced riggers and a crane.

By the way, marmoleum rolls only once with the base outward, if a roll is rolled out, it is no longer possible to roll it up a second time.

It is inconvenient to work in an apartment with this type of coating, because the material is heavy and fragile.

For small rooms, the second type of marmoleum is chosen - in tiles measuring 50x50 cm or 30x30 cm.

There is also a third type (more rare): panels (size 90x30 cm).

Marmoleum is a great flooring option, especially good for the kitchen.

He will endure high temperatures if, for example, something hot or burning (boiling oil, a burning match) falls or spills.

Resistant to scratches and mechanical damage (the legs of constantly moving chairs will not damage it).

Easy to clean, repels dust, dirt, water.

Spilled oil, juice or wine can be easily wiped off with a dry cloth and no stains remain.

It turns out that marmoleum is a perfect floor covering.

Its production is developing rapidly, and its popularity is growing.

A significant drawback today for many is its high price.

But everything is changing.

And who knows, maybe after some time this material will completely replace other types of floor coverings.

Marmoleum is an innovation in the construction industry, and more specifically in the field of flooring. It is rapidly replacing the usual linoleum and laminate, because it has a number of advantages:

Thanks to the cheap materials used to produce marmoleum, its cost is low.
The coating is absolutely environmentally friendly, non-toxic and safe for human health, therefore it is suitable for laying in a residential area.

The material has good thermal insulation performance, is resistant to heavy loads and does not lend itself to deformation.
A variety of colors and textures to choose from the best option just for you, and the service life reaches 20 years.
Ease of installation.

All materials have not only pluses, but also minuses. Marmoleum is no exception:

Marmoleum, produced in rolls, cannot be twisted more than once, while always with the base to the top, and care must be taken during the installation process, since the material has fragile edges.
After a certain time, the material hardens and blurs a little, in addition, after long-term storage in improper conditions, or inaccurate transportation, marmoleum worsens its quality indicators.
Since marmoleum is a rather elastic and heavy material, it cannot be used for wall and ceiling decoration.
When cutting, an uneven cut is formed on it, which can ruin the whole look. Therefore, the material should be cut only in those places that will later be hidden by furniture or baseboards.

Release form

Marmoleum is produced in several variations:

In the form of a roll with a width of 200 cm. It is quite difficult to lay it in an apartment, since it can only be rolled up once, so you will need the help of several professionals and special tools.
In the form of square tiles with dimensions of 50*50 and 30*30 cm, special glue is used for their installation.
In the form of rectangular plates 90 * 30 cm, the installation process is similar to the previous version.

Technological process of installation

If you have chosen this material as a floor covering, you need to figure out how to lay marmoleum in order to avoid mistakes. When choosing tools for work that are used when installing a laminate, you should be careful, because marmoleum is more fragile. Also keep in mind that the process of cutting the material is quite complicated, and after it there are ugly edges, for which you will need a rubber mallet and a hook clamp to align.

Thanks to the characteristics of the material, it can be laid directly on the old floor. However, this is allowed only if there are no defects on the old coating, otherwise it must be deformed and work should be carried out on concrete base. Marmoleum does not require any kind of substrate, as it does the job itself.

For home use, it is worth giving preference to square tiles planted on glue, as there may be problems with docking with panels.

Base

When preparing the base, try to level it, or rather, get rid of strong surface drops, with further puttying of deep potholes. After all work, dust the floor with a vacuum cleaner.

Material fitting

Lay the material on the floor of the room in such a way that there is a distance of 1.5 cm between the wall and the marmoleum along the entire perimeter. This must be done so that in the future the floor covering does not deform under the influence of temperature changes and moisture. These gaps will hide under the skirting boards. If required, adjust the edge row of plates to fit the right dimensions with the help of a jigsaw.

Installation on a concrete base

If you are working in a rectangular room, work should start from a wall with a shorter length. Before the process, place a bar (1.5 cm) against the wall, which must be wrapped with a film to prevent sticking. Next, take the glue and apply it in a zigzag pattern directly under the tile, and then lay the coating and press it firmly against the plank. For fixing, silicone or special glue is used.

After that, put the next element on the side and thus move to the opposite wall, laying the transverse rows. Use a hammer and clamp if necessary.

After completing the work, it is necessary to leave the flooring alone until the glue has completely dried (this time is indicated in the instructions).

Seam processing

You can add originality to your flooring by inserting matches between the tiles during the installation process. After the end of the match, pull it out, and process the seams with grout.

Remember that before starting installation, the material should be treated with extreme care, otherwise cracks and defects will appear on its surface.

Marmoleum. Today it is a new step in interior design. This material is intended for laying on the floor. The technology is only developing, but there is no doubt that it will soon replace conventional linoleum and laminate. Features and advantages of this material can be considered:

Marmoleum is very cheap because of the materials from which it is made. So faking a product is simply not profitable. You can also note its environmental friendliness, which is the most important quality for a "home" material.
This type of coating is absolutely non-toxic, and even has an antibacterial effect. Few materials can boast of this.
At the price of marmoleum, it will cost you 1/3 cheaper than laminate - the cheapest of floor coverings.
Due to the properties of the material, you do not need to carry out additional thermal insulation of the floor. It also does not fade, swell or bend when wet. The paint does not even stick to it, and it easily carries a heavy load.
Marmoleum will serve you for about 20 years. It does not burn and does not electrify. Can be painted in any color and give different textures. Today you can find on sale more than 100 colors and about 2000 shades to order.
Well, one of the important qualities is ease of installation.

Weak sides

Like any thing, marmoleum also has its drawbacks:
The roll type of marmoleum can be twisted only once and the base to the top. When you lay it - be careful, because it has rather fragile edges.
After a certain period of time, the material tends to spread and harden. This is "on hand" for the floor, because it will not be necessary to bother too much with the seams. But look for manufacturers with a reputation and a guarantee, because if the material has been stored in a warehouse for a long time or carelessly transported, then the quality is greatly reduced.
Again, a plus for flooring can turn into a minus during transportation. Good elasticity is maintained along the entire length of the marmoleum, therefore it is unnecessary to bother with leveling the floor, the surface will turn out to be even. The material is able to cover irregularities even a third of its own thickness. These qualities also do not allow it to be used on walls and ceilings - due to heavy weight and elasticity, it just sags.
Another disadvantage of this coating is uneven edges after cutting. Therefore, the material is cut only in those places where it will then hide, for example, under the baseboard. You can make a pattern only from standard tiles.

Specifications

As mentioned above, marmoleum is very durable and can withstand up to 160 kg / sq. cm. The material has a thickness of 2-4 mm and weighs from 2.6 to 3.4 kg / kV. m.

There are three classes:

41-43 - this type is the most expensive and is used in the appropriate rooms. decorative coating reaches a thickness of 3 mm and is designed for 100 thousand advances daily for 5 years. It can even be used in places such as airports.
31-33 - more stable under static pressure. Not as well suited for alternating loads as the previous one. The thickness of the top layer is up to 2.5 mm.
21-23 - This view is for general use. It can be used in most types of rooms in your home. It has a slightly smaller thickness and is cheaper.

From these data, we conclude that brand 21-23 is enough for the house, because it is the cheapest, but it does not sacrifice quality to other brands, it simply withstands lower loads. Also, its small thickness becomes a plus at home, due to long static loads (cabinet legs), which will not leave their mark so noticeably.

On sale you can find this material:

In the form of rolls 2 meters wide. Keep in mind that rolled marmoleum is rolled up only once. Working with him in an apartment is very inconvenient and requires a team of specialists and equipment.
Square tiles 50x50 and 30x30 cm. Laid on the glue.
Rectangular tiles 90x30 cm. Installation is similar.

Laying process

If you are going to use tools for laminate, then be careful, because marmoleum is a fragile material at the edges. It is not so easy to cut or trim the edges, so have a rubber mallet and a hook clamp handy.

The qualities of the material allow it to be laid on top of the old coating. But if it has serious irregularities, or “walks”, then it is better to remove it from putting marmoleum on bare concrete. At the same time, it is not necessary to pre-isolate the floor with any materials - the marmoleum itself is quite enough.

Also put on the old coating better tiles using glue. Since the panels will not fit well when fitted.

The foundation

When installing a coating on concrete, take care flat surface. It is not necessary to perfectly align, but grind large protrusions with a machine, and seal the cavities with mortar or putty. Of course, you can lay a plastic pillow for laminate under the marmoleum, but it will cost more. Remove dust with a vacuum cleaner.

Size adjustment

To get started, spread tiles or sheets of marmoleum on the floor of your room. At the same time, add a gap of 10-15 mm from the wall in all places. This important point, and it is needed to avoid arching the future coating from temperature and humidity changes. From above, these gaps will be closed with a plinth. We cut the entire last row of tiles (sheets) with an electric jigsaw.

Laying

Stages of work when laying on a concrete screed.

In a rectangular room, start from the short side. Putting a rail wrapped in a film close to it to avoid sticking. Now smear the place under the tile with a snake. Use special glue or building silicone. Attach a marmoleum tile and move it tightly to the bar.

We wait for the glue to dry according to the instructions in the manufacturer's instructions.

seams

Don't panic if the edge of the tile cracks. This is easy to fix later. In this case, a compound for linoleum is used. After installing all the elements, evaluate the required amount of funds.

You can also experiment with a decorative moment in styling. To do this, use matches with cut off heads. Insert two at the ends, between the marmolium tiles. Seal all seams after work.

Attention! Do not subject the material to mechanical stress before laying, do not drop or bend it. All this will end in cracks.

In one of the previous articles, we have already considered the features of such finishing material as marmoleum and clarified all its advantages and disadvantages. Today we would like to acquaint the reader with the procedure for laying the presented flooring and reveal the nuances of the work.

Preparation for work

As mentioned earlier, marmoleum is identical in its visual characteristics to ordinary linoleum, but unlike it, it is produced not only in the form of rolls, but is also made in the form of tiles (like PVC) or panels with a lock joint (similar to laminate). In view of this, laying marmoleum with your own hands is somewhat different depending on the material used.

Foundation preparation process

Depends on the base material. So, if you plan to lay marmoleum on wooden surfaces, then you should first make sure of the mechanical strength of the base (damaged floorboards, cracks, drops are not allowed). And after that, make the final leveling of the floor by sheathing it with OSB panels or plywood sheets.

When it is planned to lay marmoleum on a concrete floor, you should make sure that there are no potholes, cracks, chips and, if necessary, level the base with a cement-sand mortar or self-leveling mixture.

In addition to the procedure for preparing the foundation for initial stage it is advisable to mark and cut the material. Why panels or tiles need to be laid out at the place of intended installation and mark control points.

When performing these operations, it is necessary to take into account certain features:

Marmoleum belongs to the group of natural finishing materials, which is why it has the ability to change linear dimensions with temperature changes. That is, when laying it, it is necessary to provide for compensation gaps between the material and the wall (10 - 15 mm), which will subsequently be covered with a finishing plinth.

Mechanical processing of marmoleum (cutting) is associated with certain difficulties, which is why in the process of work it is desirable to minimize the number of cuts as much as possible and place them in visually hidden places.

Marmoleum laying technology

Depending on the type of material used (rolls, tiles or panels), the method of laying the material also varies.

Rolled marmoleum is laid by analogy with linoleum, however, unlike the synthetic counterpart, marmoleum is not allowed to be rolled into a roll more than 1 time, and this can only be done with the face up. This circumstance is connected with the fragility of the finish, in particular its end zones. That is, the material is simply rolled out in the room and it is trimmed around the perimeter, after which the matured marmoleum is pressed to the floor with the help of skirting boards and decorative thresholds.

Marmoleum in the form of tiles (50x50cm, 30x30cm) can be laid using two methods: with and without pattern selection. Moreover, in the first case, the installation of the finishing material should begin from the middle of the room, gradually moving to its edges. Whereas in the second option (for standard-shaped rooms), it is best to start laying from the wall, with the smallest dimensions.

The very algorithm of the work involves the following actions:

At the place of laying the first row (near the wall), a base rail is set - a beacon (10 - 15 mm thick);
A specialized adhesive composition is applied (in the form of a snake) to the wrong side of the finishing material;
The tile is matched with the beacon rail and simultaneously pressed against the base base;
All tiles of the first row are laid in the same way, after which the whole process is repeated again (until the work is completed);
After the adhesive has dried, the inter-joint voids can be filled with a special grout of the appropriate color shade.

Panel marmoleum is laid by analogy with a standard laminate. However, unlike this material, the joining of marmoleum panels is more difficult, due to its flexibility and fragility. Therefore, adjacent elements should be connected at a strictly defined angle, due to which the most high-quality engagement of the floorboards is ensured.

To ensure a given angle of inclination, it is best to use wooden templates with an oblique cut (the angle of inclination of which will allow the marmoleum panels to be positioned at the most optimal angle during installation).

Such equipment is placed under the free edge of the trim and fixed in the groove of the previous row. Well, in order for the adjacent panel to close, the bar is simply removed and the marmoleum takes the desired position.

In order for the installation of a natural floor finish to not cause any particular difficulties, it is advisable to follow some recommendations in the process of performing work:

Tapping marmoleum (for high-quality joining) must be performed through special spacers and using rubber hammers.
For cutting marmoleum, it is best to use a hacksaw or a jigsaw with an appropriate file (fine tooth, reverse direction).
Marmoleum should be purchased only in specialized shopping centers that guarantee the originality of the product.
In order to ensure a good fit of the material from the base bases, it is necessary to remove all dust and construction debris in advance with a vacuum cleaner.