Literally the word “linoleum” can be translated as “the web-based oil” – that’s what it was originally, back in the eighteenth century, because it was made of jute fabric, low-grade flour and vegetable oil. Later, the oil was replaced by polymeric materials. Nowadays, the linoleum definition is polymeric rolled material used to cover the floor.
The advantages of linoleum coating
Compared with other popular floor coatings linoleum has the following advantages:
- low costs per square feet of the coating
- easy laying and high speed of work
- simple floor preparation before the laying
- practicality – the laying is usually performed without complicated maintenance procedures
- high moisture resistance
- the richness of colors and variety of aesthetic options
- a wide range of different tasks, including special
Classes of linoleum: studying the underside
- baseless linoleum
- foam-based linoleum
- heated linoleum
- multilayer linoleum
It is mostly made of natural materials - timber resin, limestone, cork flour and linseed oil. Such type of linoleum is considered environmentally friendly, it has excellent anti-static properties and it is resistant to a variety of bacteria. Furthermore, it is quite difficult to ignite it as it absorbs fat droplets.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) linoleum
This material is usually available in several versions: based on fabric, foam or insulating non-woven substrates. It can be a single layer or a multilayer coating. The main disadvantage of PVC linoleum is its large shrinkage, as well as the specific smell, which does not erode for a long time.
This is a two-layer coating with a basis of crushed rubber or bitumen. The upper part is made of special synthetic rubber with the addition of pigments. This material is resistant to moisture and has enough plastic in it.