How to choose linoleum for the kitchen

Due to the uniqueness of the properties, linoleum, the origins of the creation of which are the past for more than 200 years, is still in high demand. This is not surprising, because over time, the operational characteristics of the floor material only improve, and the color scheme acquires more interesting combinations, which allows you to choose a material harmoniously fit into any interior.

A great variety of linoleum, at first glance distinguished by only the color scheme, greatly complicates the choice. However, with a thorough study of information about the flooring, it becomes known that each species differs in the structure that make up the elements aimed at the manufacture of the finished product, wear resistance.

How to choose linoleum for the kitchen

In any apartment, the kitchen is the most actively used room, so it is more susceptible to pollution and, later, cleansing through household chemicals. To protect the floors in the kitchen, linoleum has all the necessary qualities. Many types of linoleum with its own advantages and disadvantages have led to the development of a number of criteria necessary to determine which linoleum for the kitchen is better. Among them:

• coating moisture resistance;
• resistance to chemical compositions;
• corrugated surface;
• ease of care;
• wear resistance;
• resistance to deformation with mechanical exposure.

Types of linoleum for the kitchen, their advantages

Based on the components of the structure of the linoleum of the materials, 2 of the main types of flooring are distinguished:

1. Natural linoleum - is formed as a result of a combination of cork, wood flour, limestone, linseed oil, natural dyes and resins. The basis of the finished product is non -woven materials or jute fiber.

Advantages:

• environmental friendliness;
• fire resistance;
• hypoallergenicity of the material;
• has an antistatic, anti -slip effect;
• good noise -absorbing and heat -insulating properties;
• high wear resistance;
• resistance to most solvents, fats;
• the presence of linseed oil endows the product with bactericidal properties throughout the entire period of use;
• resistance to pollution;
• the useful life reaches 30-40 years.

Flaws:

• the complexity of laying due to the poor elasticity of the material;
• decomposes with prolonged exposure to alkali;
• loss of shape, the appearance of bloating make it impossible to use it in rooms of high humidity;
• high price.

2. Article - is carried out on the basis of various types of synthetic components, fillers, plasticizers, dyes and diluents.

Pros:

• the possibility of dealing at a temperature exceeding 50 ° C;
• low cost;
• small thermal conductivity;
• not subject to decay;
• resistance to pollution;
• the possibility of concealing small floor defects due to the thickness of the coating;
• high wear resistance;
• moisture resistance;
• simplicity of installation.

Cons:

• lack of an anti -slip effect in many models;
• low fire safety;
• some models are easily damaged due to mechanical exposure;
• it is destroyed with prolonged contact with acetone, other strong solvents;
• a short operational period of 5-15 years.

Both types of coatings are suitable for the kitchen, but in order to save money, synthetic linoleum will cost much cheaper, and with the appropriate quality declared by the manufacturer, it will last a little less natural.

Varieties of artificial linoleum

An acceptable price, high operational characteristics that are not much inferior to natural coating, maintain a stable demand for linoleum coating. However, before buying a linoleum for the kitchen, it is worthwhile to understand in detail the constituent elements, since the variety of types of coating differs in a number of signs.

Based on the connecting material, the following types of linoleum are distinguished:

• Polyvinyl chloride - based on the combination of polyvinyl chlorides, plasticizers, dyes, fillers and diluents. Significant disadvantages are a chemical smell that disappears after 1-2 months of use, and the possibility of slight shrinkage.

• Glyftal or alkyd - contains alkyd resin applied to a non -woven base. It is distinguished by good sound, heat-insulating properties, but the tendency to fractures makes it impossible to use it as a domestic flooring.

• Colloxilin - produced from nitrocellulose. A rather thin, homogeneous one, without the base of linoleum is distinguished by good elasticity, moisture resistance, but is easily subjected to fire.

• Rubber - contains 2 layers. The wrong side is bitumen with crushed rubber, and the front is a combination of rubber, fillers and dyes. It is characterized by high resistance to moisture, excellent elasticity, anti -slip surface and small sizes corresponding to the floor carpet. Due to the allocation of harmful substances into the atmosphere, it is contraindicated in the flooring in the living room.

Of the variety of artificial flooring, the most suitable linoleum for the kitchen should be distinguished by polyvinyl chloride.

Types of PVC Covering

Based on the area of \u200b\u200bpurpose, there are 4 types of linoleum:

• Household-floor covering for residential premises with slight intensity of passage and small loads, since the thickness of the protective layer ranges from 0.15-0.35 mm.

• Commercial - characterized by a high degree of wear resistance and a protective layer up to 0.8 mm, which is used in places of increased cross -country ability. Use in domestic conditions is unjustified due to high cost.

• Semi-commercial-ideal for life and medium-sized premises, due to the thickness of the protective layer, which is 0.4-0.6 mm. It has the advantages of household and commercial coating.

• Special purpose - is used in premises to which increased requirements are presented (in particular, protection against slip, noise insulation, etc.).

Of all the types of PVC coverage, a special preference should be given to a semi-commercial linoleum. Regarding the domestic coating, it is more wear -resistant and has increased resistance to deformation. Do not purchase a commercial linoleum in the kitchen, the price of which is an order of magnitude higher than semi -commercial - irrational waste of money.

The structure of PVC coverage

In relation to the structure of linoleum, 2 types are distinguished:

1. Homogeneous - single -layer coating.

Peculiarities:

• lack of a substrate;
• the uniformity of the structure according to the thickness of the coating, which varies from 1.5-3 mm;
• simplicity of the picture;
• limited choice of coloring;
• surface roughness;
• high resistance to abrasion.

To check the quality, it is necessary to bent the corner of linoleum, since the absence of a white strip on the bend of the white strip indicates the observance of the technological process. The appearance of the strip indicates a large amount of lime in the structure of the coating, which makes it quite fragile, so it is better to refuse such a product.

2. Heterogeneous - multilayer coating, including:

• a substrate consisting of foamed PVC, felt, non -woven materials;
• reinforcing fiberglass, playing the role of a skeleton, on which subsequent layers of coating are applied;
• a layer of foamed PVC, necessary for applying the drawing and providing noise, thermal insulating properties;
• the protective layer that determines the wear resistance of linoleum and protects the pattern from damage.

Peculiarities:

• the thickness of linoleum ranges from 2-6 mm;
• wide selection of color scheme;
• the complexity of the picture;
• the wear resistance of the coating depends on the protective layer (0.15-0.8 mm), which protects the pattern from washing;
• lack of deformation during the operational period.

So, a homogeneous linoleum, which has more elasticity than heterogeneous, allows you to lay the edges on the perimeter of the walls as tightly as possible, preventing moisture to penetrate under the coating. However, the width of the roll is from 1.5-2 m, so it will not work to avoid the docking of linoleum.

Heterogenic linoleum, with the right approach to choosing the material, is suitable for any room room, and thanks to the foam layer, additional heat, noise insulation of the floor will be provided. In addition, the width of the roll is 1.5-4 m.

The basis of the flooring

Based on the presence/absence of a substrate, the following types are distinguished:

• Unlessic. Due to the lack of a substrate, the thickness of the linoleum varies 0.72-2 mm, therefore it is used for flooring in rooms with a fairly low cross-country ability, requiring detailed preparation of the base before laying.

• With the presence of the base. As a basis, are:

1. Foamed polyvinyl chloride. Linoleum on a foamed basis is quite elastic, durable, moisture resistant, and relatively low cost makes it more affordable compared to other types of coatings. The basis of the foamed linoleum is a fiberglass, the purpose of which is to maintain the size of the finished product. The foamed layer, located on both sides of the fiberglass, contributes to sound absorption, heat preservation and is applied in 2 ways:

• mechanical - provides an open structure of cells. When pressure on a heavy object coating, the air will pass from one cell to another, without deforming linoleum;

• chemical - the presence of a closed cell structure. Under the influence of a heavy object, bubbles burst, forming a dent on the coating.

2. Fabric, felt. Linoleum on a tissue basis, felt is distinguished by high noise, thermal insulation, and also hides minor irregularities of the surface. The coating does not have a large operational period and low price. In addition, under the influence of moisture, linoleum deformation occurs.

Thus, a good linoleum for the kitchen should have a foamed base applied by a mechanical way.

Differences of natural coating and synthetic

• Natural linoleum exudes the smell of linseed oil, and gives the artificial chemistry.
• Natural coating has the rigidity of thin plywood, while synthetic is more elastic, so it is easily bending.
• As a protective layer, natural linoleum is subject to processing with special natural mastics, and artificial is covered with a chemical composition.
• It is easy to break off a piece from natural linoleum, and only cut off from synthetic.
• On the back of the natural coating, a jute grid is visible, and the wrong side of artificial linoleum can be different materials different from fibrous and non -woven paintings.
• The high price of natural linoleum, exceeding the cost of a synthetic coating by 2-3 times.

A few tips

When determining the quality of linoleum, you should take into account:

• lack of sharp chemical smell;
• the presence of a protective layer;
• lack of exfoliation of layers from each other;
• the coincidence of the batch and the number of manufacturing when buying a coating from various rolls used for docking in one room.

It is worth acquiring linoleum only well -known manufacturers (for example, Tarkett, IVS, JUTEKS).

During transportation, you can not bend linoleum, only twisted into a roll.

Before laying the coating, it is necessary to get out until completely straightened.

Thus, the most optimal flooring option is semi -commercial linoleum. However, with a lack of financial resources, you can always find an alternative solution, and many options for linoleum for the kitchen, photos of which are provided in the article, will help to quickly solve the problem.