Linoleum: the pros and cons, reviews. What to choose - laminate or linoleum?

Today, the market of building materials offers a wide choice of floor coverings: parquet, tile, carpet, laminate, linoleum. Pros and cons of each of them have their own, and each buyer is looking for their ideal option. For some, the price of the material plays a decisive role, for others - quality, and some are willing to sacrifice all this for the sake of safety and environmental friendliness.

What in the end choose - linoleum or laminate? Pros and cons of these materials are not always obvious, which makes choice much more difficult. We knowingly settled on these two covers: according to statistics, they are the leaders of sales.

Types of linoleum

So, it was decided to lay linoleum in the house. The pros and cons of such a coating are not always visible immediately, so we will evaluate it by comparing it with another popular flooring material - laminate. And first we'll find out how to classify different types of linoleum.

By the type of materials, the coating can be natural or PVC. Natural linoleum is made from woven material, resin, linseed oil and other natural ingredients. This material is expensive, and it is impossible to meet it in an ordinary store. Artificial linoleum is divided into two types:

- Homogeneous - a monolithic canvas in which the pattern is created with the help of inclusions throughout the thickness of the coating. Because of this, the possibilities for choosing a color range are limited, but the wear resistance of the material is high.

- Heterogeneous - consists of several dissimilar layers, its strength is slightly lower, but with a large selection of patterns, it is even possible with imitation of valuable wood species (in a high-quality linoleum, this imitation can only be recognized by touch).

By the level of durability this material can be commercial (offices, banks, hospitals), semi-commercial (hallway, corridor), household (kitchen, room). The most durable is commercial, and then descending.

What to choose: linoleum or laminate

Pros and cons of materials are learned in comparison. We have already got acquainted with linoleum, and now we will dwell on the laminate in more detail. Laminate is a synthetic imitation of a parquet board, a kind of layered cake made from wood dust and tar, which was heated and pressed to give it strength and moisture resistance. On the front side, a film with a pattern is pasted, which is covered with a transparent protective polymer. The wear resistance of the coating depends on the thickness of the last component: for the house, the 21st, 22nd and 23rd grade are usually offered, and for offices and corridors - 32nd, 33rd and 34th. The price of the latter is much higher.

But which coverage is better? Compare.

Thermal insulation and sound insulation

Sound insulation at linoleum is better. Despite the fact that under the laminate is laid the substrate, the thickness of which reduces the sound, it still remains one of the noisiest coatings. Moreover, not only happy owners of the new sex will suffer, but also, possibly, neighbors from below: if the substrate is thin, then the sound will resonate strongly.

Which coating has a greater thermal insulation: laminate or linoleum? The pros and cons of sound insulation we have already learned, it remains to understand how well they retain heat. Both materials work well for this task, but the laminate is better. It's all about the thickness of the coating: the board 6-12 mm lies on a 2-3 cm substrate, which leads to an increase in thermal insulation at times. However, the multi-layer linoleum also saves heat well, but still much worse than laminate.

Price

At a cost, linoleum wins. Pros and cons of this material are financially the following: if we compare price minima and maxima of both coatings, they differ by 2-2.5 times. That is, for the same amount you can buy inexpensive and most likely, low-quality laminate of Chinese production or quite a decent linoleum - not the best, but with indicators above the average.

Although it is worth noting that many construction shops have practically equalized the prices for semi-commercial multi-layer linoleum and wear-resistant laminate of the 32nd class. And in this situation it is not always clear: either the latter is not too good quality, or the value of the second is too high.

Water resistance

Many questions arise about which coating is less affected by water - laminate or linoleum.

Advantages and disadvantages:

- in the living room or bedroom you can lay any of these materials, but in the bathroom it is better not to use them;

- linoleum does not get wet and does not deteriorate from moisture, even if the puddle will be on it for a long time, the danger is only the wetting of the fabric or felt base;

- the laminate is not afraid of water if it is not present for a long time: over time, with prolonged exposure due to moisture, seams may split off the cover, water will enter the castle part, and the floor will be deformed;

- the linoleum soaked from the underside should only be dried, and it can serve further, "podgulyavshy" laminate will remain so forever.

Other criteria

There are other criteria for evaluating materials such as linoleum and laminate. Advantages and disadvantages of these coatings are compared in such directions as service life, ecological compatibility, fire safety, simplicity of laying. In the latter, linoleum leads - it can be stacked almost under any basis and do it quickly and simply. Laminate requires a little more preparation, and such a floor is done much longer. Although with the invention of the lock on the principle of a pin / groove with this task will cope with each. Transport is easier than laminate - neat stacks of plates are easier to transfer than a single piece of cloth.

The environmental friendliness of both materials is questionable - both coatings contain synthetic components that can be released during heating or by themselves. This is more a question of the quality of a particular coating and the conscientiousness of the manufacturer.

But fire safety is better at the laminate: it also lights up at other temperatures, and does not melt, like linoleum, and does not emit as much harmful substances in combustion as it is based on wood. It must be said that the laminate that has served its own and is utilized - burned, but with linoleum, you can not do this. And this again, plus the laminate in the issue of sustainability.

But the service life of a good linoleum is much higher - the manufacturers declare about 15 years, but in fact it can serve twice as much. The service life of the laminate is about 8 years, with the commercial wear-resistant slightly higher.

And what do consumers say about such material as linoleum?

Pros and Cons: Customer Feedback

It should be noted that in this issue, opinions are divided and everyone fully argues his point of view. Opponents of linoleum shout that this material does not meet the safety requirements and it does not look ethical. Advocates, of those who have been covered for many years, answer that it is inexpensive, high-quality, not subject to the influence of water, and in the kitchen, plates are not broken about it, like laminate and tile.

But in some ways these two groups converge: if you buy a low-quality linoleum or put a bad laminate, then such a floor will not last a couple of years.

So, is it worth choosing linoleum? What are the pros and cons of this coverage should be taken into account, we have already told, and perhaps this material deserves attention. After all, he has many advantages, and if you choose linoleum with the mind, then it will last you a very, very long time.