It is strange, but the further science advances in terms of creating cheap artificial materials, the more often people tend to use natural materials in decorating their homes. Not everyone can afford a complete decoration of an apartment or house with natural building materials, but you still want to bring at least something to your home.
One of the available natural materials is marmoleum, which is also called "natural linoleum". Its cost is about 2 to 3 times higher than the cost of a quality one, but it is quite affordable for most people.
Do not think that marmoleum is a super-modern material. Its prototype was invented in the 16th century. And now the production process is simply improved, thanks to the capabilities of modern technology.
Marmoleum - what is it
Let's start with the fact that only natural ingredients are used in the manufacture of the material: 
- wood flour;
- linseed oil;
- resins of coniferous trees;
- natural coloring pigments.
Thanks to the variety of natural dyes, manufacturers have managed to create a material of such a wide range of colors that the decoration of each interior can be made exclusive.
The color pattern of marmoleum is carried out over the entire thickness of the material, therefore, even with some wear, it retains its decorative effect.
Part of the cost of the material is due to the duration of the process of its production:
- linoleum mass mixed from natural products should mature within a week at a certain temperature;
- after that, pigments are added to it and pressed on special machines;
- then the layer is cut into strips of a given width and laid on a jute base;
- the resulting dense texture matures for another two weeks in the drying chamber, where it turns into marmoleum;
- the last step is the creation of a protective surface layer of polymers that increases the wear resistance of the coating (you can purchase the material without this layer, it will be 100% natural, but it must be constantly rubbed with special mastics).
The quality of the material and its types
Like many floor coverings, marmoleum is divided into classes in terms of quality and durability:
- 22 - 23 class - the thickness of the pattern is about 2 mm, the coating is used for laying in general purposes (including residential);
- 31-32 class - the thickness of the pattern is 2.5 mm, the coating can withstand significant loads and has an industrial application;
- 41 - 43 class - the thickness of the pattern is at least 3 mm, the coating is used in rooms with high traffic (airports, hotels).
The higher the class of coverage, the higher its price. Therefore, when buying marmoleum for the home, you should not overpay for quality, the thinnest and cheapest material is quite suitable here.
Depending on the form in which it is released, marmoleum is divided into:
- roll width 200 cm;
- square tiles with dimensions of 30*30 and 50*50 cm based on HDF board;
- rectangular slabs with dimensions of 90 * 30 cm.
For home use, tile material is more often bought, which is less susceptible to damage, both during transportation and during installation.
Advantages and disadvantages of marmoleum
Disadvantages, like any, there are, but they are few:
Many advantages:
- Environmental friendliness of the material, making it possible to use it even in medical and children's institutions;
- , which gives it the resin of coniferous trees;
- Hypoallergenic for both people and pets;
- Large selection of colors and shades, giving a wide range of design possibilities;
- Simple and quick installation of the coating;
- Possibility of reuse with careful dismantling of tiled coatings;
- High, unlike linoleum, resistance to mechanical damage and chemicals;
- Marmoleum tolerates high temperatures well, so it can be used as a topcoat for.
To begin with, it is worth noting that the material is not recommended for flooring in damp or cold rooms.
The best conditions for its operation are: humidity not more than 60% and temperature not lower than 18 degrees. Therefore, bathrooms are a contraindication, where the coating can be deformed and unheated rooms (summer houses, and loggias).
The material is good for floors in children's rooms, bedrooms, living rooms, office spaces.
Preparing for styling
First you need to carefully examine the purchased material in daylight. If you find defects after installation, you will no longer be able to claim quality.
Before starting work, the packages with the material are stored for 2-3 days in the room where it will be installed, laid on a flat surface.
The room must be dry and clean, all concrete and plaster work, as well as the installation of windows and doors, must already be completed in it.
The subfloor must be level, dry and solid. If there are irregularities, they must be eliminated using a self-leveling floor or a dry screed. The deviation of the surface from the horizontal can be no more than 2 mm in either direction per 2 m.
The moisture content of the concrete base must not exceed 2%.
As you can use a polyethylene film with a thickness of 0.2 mm. The edges of the film must be brought to the walls by 5 cm, and overlap at the seams by at least 20 cm.
For better sound insulation and impact noise cut-off, a special polyethylene foam underlay with a density of at least 30 kg / cubic meter should be laid on top of the waterproofing. m and 2 mm thick.
If you have chosen roll material, then its installation is practically the same as. The only limitation is to avoid bending the material too much, it can crack.
For laying tiles you will need: 
- roulette;
- marking pencil;
- or ;
- wedges 1 - 1.5 cm thick;
- wooden bars;
- a hammer.
Determine in advance the pattern of the floor, the direction of laying the tiles. Carefully examine the places where pipes pass, the location of thresholds, wall protrusions and decide on the most rational placement of tiles in these places.
Technology:
- The gap between the wall and the first panel should be at least 1-1.5 cm, which will protect the floor from deformation during thermal expansion. Prepared wedges are used to set this gap. The first panel is laid with a ridge against the wall, the rest are butted up to the end of the row. You need to adjust the position of the panel by gently tapping the gasket from a wooden block with a hammer. This precaution will help avoid damage to the material.
- The beginning of the second row is the cut of the last plate of the first row. It is inserted with a spike into the groove of the first row, but the lock is not latched, leaving the panel at an angle. The slope is provided by prepared bars. All panels are sequentially butted together with ends, leaving them at an angle. And only when the whole row is ready, the bars are removed and by gently pressing the second row along the longitudinal joint they snap into place with the first.
- All subsequent rows are mounted in the same way.
- After laying several rows, if the distance between the marmoleum and the wall is less than 1 cm, the position of the coating is corrected.
- If the width of the last row is less than the width of the tile, then the material is cut to width with a jigsaw.
- Minimum clearances must also be observed near the pipes. At the end of the work and close with special overlays.
- fasten only to the wall, since the coating should not be fixed motionless. The width of the plinth should cover the installation gap between the floor and the wall.
- If the edge of any panel crumbled a little during installation, then at the end of the work, all such defects are sealed with a compound for linoleum, it is only important to choose the right color.
Maintenance is easy:
According to consumer reviews, for some time after laying the coating in the room, there may be a smell of oil, which eventually disappears. You need to be prepared for this and not be afraid - marmoleum does not emit any hazards.
It was also noted that wood saws with a pitch of 2.5 mm make it possible to cut the plate material almost perfectly - without chips and scuffs.
When laying marmoleum in the kitchen (for greater sealing of the coating), sealant can be used to process the seams, the excess of which is easily removed 10-15 minutes after application.
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 diverse selection of colors and textures, which will allow you to choose the best option 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 a little and blurs, in addition, after long-term storage in improper conditions, or inaccurate transportation, marmoleum deteriorates 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 a 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 outer row of plates to the desired dimensions using 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.
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 flooring, except for hardwood parquet made of fine 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 out without leaving a trace, and it is possible to burn through marmoleum only with autogenous.
- Marmoleum is decorative: it can be painted in a variety of colors, textured to look like 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 managed 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.
The coatings obtained in this way went on sale under the general 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.
- Firstly, marmoleum is fragile, especially at the edges, and certain rules must be observed when working with it; see below. You can roll the marmoleum into a roll once with the base out.
- 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 of 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.
- 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.
- 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. cm (!), its 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 in a thinner coating (up to 2 mm) and in 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:
- Rolls 2 m wide. Rolled marmoleum is not suitable for self-laying - 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.
- Tiles 50x50 cm and 30x30 cm. Laid with adhesive like PVC or ceramic tiles.
- 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 previous floor covering with 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 with 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 along 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 here. 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 a 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.
Not so long ago, a new material for flooring appeared - marmoleum. What is it? Essentially, this natural linoleum but much better quality. Their main difference lies in the fact that this material consists of natural and environmentally friendly components. It is made from resin needles, jute, cork, using linseed oil and natural dyes. This is undoubtedly a huge plus of this product. But before making a decision: apply marmoleum in the process of building and repairing with your own hands or not, you need to weigh the pros and cons.
2. Benefits of marmoleum coating.
The high strength of this material. Able to withstand a load equal to 160 kg per 1m 2. This means that even very heavy furniture does not push it to the point of dents.
The solvent and various other chemical solutions do no harm to the marmoleum.
Spilled liquids of various origins leave no traces and are easily removed from the surface. marmoleum.
This material is stained to its full depth, which ensures the preservation of the appearance even with its gradual erasure.
Coating marmoleum It has antibacterial properties due to the presence of linseed oil in its composition.
Does not cause allergies.
It does not burn and is almost impossible to burn through, except at ultra-high temperatures.
Marmoleum refers to fairly good sound insulators.
Ecological purity of marmoleum.
Consists of natural ingredients.
3. Disadvantages of marmoleum coating
One of the main disadvantages of marmoleum is its fragility, especially at the edges.
Fairly heavy material. Again, this applies more to the roll type.
By the way, if you use such a marmoleum, then you need to contact the specialists, because it will be problematic to lay it with your own hands. Since this requires special equipment.
When cutting, uneven and ugly edges are obtained. But if, to cut off only those places that will then be covered with skirting boards, then there is no tragedy in this.
May deform over time due to spreading. Therefore, when buying, be sure to check the integrity of the packaging and the expiration date of the product!
First time off cover marmoleum an unpleasant odor is emitted. However, it disappears after a while.
Such a floor will not be a cheap pleasure.
Now let's talk about how to produce laying marmoleum with your own hands. There is nothing complicated in this process. Naturally, we only mean marmoleum tiled (there are sizes of 30 × 30 or 50 × 50 cm) or panel type (90 × 30 cm in size). By the way, the technology itself is very similar to laying a cork floor, which we talked about how to lay.
Stages marmoleum laying:
1. To begin with, as always in the process of laying flooring with your own hands, you need to prepare its base. If the old floor is even, without depressions and potholes, then natural linoleum can be laid immediately without prior preparation. The main thing is that the surface is clean. If there are any irregularities and the floor is wooden, then it is usually leveled by covering it with plywood, OSB or something similar. If the floor is concrete, then you can pour a self-leveling screed. The most important thing is to ensure that the surface is even, in order to avoid damage to the material in the future.
2. Since the coating marmoleum has a tendency to deform due to temperature changes, namely, it becomes longer when it rises, and when lowered, it takes its shape again, you need to leave the so-called temperature gap around the entire perimeter of the room. As a rule, special spacers should be included in the kit for this. This gap will then be closed with a plinth.
Fig.1 Spacers when laying marmoleum
3. Marmoleum laying starts from the center if some pattern is provided. If not, we stack from any corner in order.
4. Joining plates natural linoleum takes place in a special castle. Since this is done at a certain angle, it will be convenient to use beveled bars for the stop, which are removed immediately after the plates are joined.
Fig. 2 Bar covered with marmoleum
Fig.3 Bar
5. If you need to knock on the plates marmoleum, do it through some kind of spacer, and not directly through the material. As a percussion tool, use a rubber mallet or mallet.
Fig. 4 We knock the plate through the spacer
6. Trimming marmoleum is done with an electric jigsaw or a saw with a fine tooth.
Fig. 5 We cut the plate
5. To recap
In general, as you can see, there is nothing complicated in the process marmoleum laying with your own hands. The main thing is to level the floor and work carefully with the material. If you have any questions, write in the comments. good luck to you do-it-yourself construction and repair!
Modern science is constantly inventing new artificial materials that are designed to reduce the cost of production and improve the characteristics of products. But despite this, more and more consumers prefer to use natural and environmentally friendly materials, which include marmoleum. Laying marmoleum is not a complicated and even interesting process, if some features of the technology are observed and the quality of the material is taken into account.
Features and types of marmoleum
Purchase glue for natural linoleum according to the manufacturer's recommendations, which are indicated in the characteristics of the material. Before laying natural linoleum, you need to take into account the features of this material, such as:
- Marmoleum in the form of a roll is twisted only in production. If the material is straightened, then it is no longer possible to twist it;
- The coating is quite fragile, especially for the edges. This must be taken into account when laying and transporting;
- The coating has a large specific gravity and is not recommended for wall decoration;
- When cutting the material, it is necessary to use only a sharp knife or a metal file. Cut-off edges usually crumble and are best hidden under skirting boards.
Note. It is better to buy natural linoleum in specialized stores or retail outlets of manufacturers, where the storage conditions of the coating are observed. Also, purchase glue for natural linoleum according to the manufacturer's recommendations, which are indicated in the characteristics of the material. When buying, pay attention to the cost of the material. The price of high-quality natural marmolium ranges from 19 to 25 dollars per square meter.
Today on sale there are such types of marmoleum as:
- Plain or colored tiles measuring 50x50 or 30x30 cm;
- Panels of standard sizes 90x30 cm;
- Rolled marmoleum, the most common roll width is 2 meters, as it is optimal for high-quality laying in domestic premises.
For the installation of the coating, it is better to invite competent specialists who have experience working with the material. In order to control the process, you can watch the video of laying natural linoleum at the end of the article.
Marmoleum installation technology of various forms
When laying tile or panel material, you can use the same tools that are used when installing laminate. It is important to remember here that the material and especially its edges are fragile, so use a rubber or wooden mallet and work as carefully as possible.
Preparing the base for marmoleum
If there is an old linoleum coating in good condition, you can leave it on and lay marmoleum on top of the old one, while using ordinary building glue or silicone. When mounted on a concrete base, a special adhesive for marmoleum is used. It is possible to lay tiled or panel marmoleum without glue, since the modules have special locking joints. But if the laying area exceeds 20 square meters, then silicone can be used for additional laying. The substrate is not used during the installation of marmoleum and the coating is laid directly on the concrete base. If marmoleum is laid on a warm floor, then the substrate can be used to prevent contact of the coating with the heating elements.
Important. The concrete base needs to be leveled, all bulges or depressions must be removed, and the cracks must be sealed with putty. Thoroughly clean the surface of the floor from dust and dirt, then cover with a deep penetration primer. At the time of laying, the temperature in the room should not be less than +18 degrees and the relative humidity should not exceed 60%.
The technology of laying natural linoleum in rolls involves cutting it into separate slabs, for this it is necessary to determine in advance the size of the slabs and their location in the room. When laying, an expansion gap of 15 to 30 mm must be left between the wall and the coating, since natural components expand when exposed to moisture and temperature. The gap is closed with a plinth.
Laying tile material
Laying marmoleum in tiles is reminiscent of assembling a mosaic, since each tile has a lock connection. Before installing the tiles, a special polypropylene substrate is laid on the base, which is hermetically sealed with double-sided tape. For tiles, no glue is used and the coating is floating. Each tile has a tongue and groove system. The first tile is laid at a distance of 1 cm from the wall, while the comb is directed towards the wall, and the groove is outward. Each subsequent tile is inserted with a comb into the groove of the previous one at a slight angle, then the module is lowered to the surface. Laying natural linoleum in the form of tiles is no different from installing laminate.
Note. In order to maintain the expansion gap, wooden stakes are inserted between the wall and the first tile, since there is a high probability of displacement during the laying process. The last row of tiles is laid on glue or double-sided tape while maintaining the same expansion gap. At the end of the installation of the marmoleum, a plinth is installed, with which the material is lightly pressed and the gap is closed.
Installation of marmoleum in the form of panels is no different from laying tiled flooring. Experts call this laying “fast floor”, because due to the larger area of the panels, laying is faster.
Installation of rolled marmoleum
Rolled material in small domestic premises is practically not used due to the complexity of installation and cutting. Such a coating is laid directly on the adhesive in spacious commercial-type premises with a concrete base.
Important. The base for the rolled material must be perfectly flat, free of dust and dirt. As a leveling material, you can use a self-leveling floor, chipboard, fiberboard or plywood. We lay the marmoleum strictly in one direction, for this we focus on the arrows that should be marked on the back of the roll.
In general, laying technology is no different from conventional linoleum flooring. The material should rest for at least two days, after which you can start gluing while maintaining the expansion gaps between the wall and the coating. When joining seams, it must be remembered that marmoleum cannot be soldered, since it is impossible to melt the edges of the joint with temperature. For docking, a special cord made of low-melting polymer is used. In the absence of tools, experience and special knowledge, it is better to invite specialists for laying.
In this article, we briefly analyzed the ways of laying marmoleum of various forms of release. The main thing when installing a roll coating is not to use force, but simply guide the material and wait until it gradually takes the desired shape. In conclusion, we suggest watching a video of laying marmoleum.
