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Marmoleum is a product made from balsa wood and jute. Natural resin from vegetable oils. The use of natural materials allows the end result to be environmentally friendly and not harmful to humans and animals. harmful effects product. The technology for making marmoleum is quite old; analogues of this material were used for finishing houses back in the 17th century. Since then, significant changes have been made to the technology, but its essence and the composition of the material (its basis) remain the same. Unlike linoleum, marmoleum is more rigid and does not press down in places where furniture and other heavy objects are installed. This allows you to use more soft materials as a substrate for marmoleum. Marmoleum has the following requirements for the base - it must be dry, clean and even.

The technology for laying marmoleum is similar to laying linoleum, but there are some peculiarities. The main thing is that marmoleum does not tolerate moisture. Therefore, this material is not used for finishing the bathroom.

Due to moisture intolerance, clean concrete base It is not used under marmoleum, since condensation may form on the concrete. To protect the material from condensation, polyethylene is placed between the concrete and marmoleum.
If marmoleum is laid on an old wooden floor that has many defects, for example, delamination of boards, protruding nails, gouges from furniture when long-term operation, then plywood is used as a leveling substrate.

If the plank floor is in relatively good condition, then its preparation is limited to careful filling of cracks and various irregularities.
In addition, jute, linen and mixed substrates made from natural fibers are used.
In addition to leveling, they insulate the base well. Marmoleum coating with such a substrate gives the feeling of a “warm” floor. In linen, experts note good ventilation qualities, high strength, and resistance to mold. Jute fibers specially treated with an appropriate composition prevent burning.

Provides good heat and sound insulation cork backing. Cork - natural material and therefore environmentally friendly, odorless and does not cause allergic reactions body. Mold does not appear under it, fungus does not grow. It is impregnated with a fire-resistant composition and therefore guarantees fire safety. But cork is relatively expensive, but at the same time more durable than other types of substrates. When choosing cork, it is recommended to give preference to harder varieties. Many people believe that it is still better to use it under laminate.
Often, a porous polymer (isolon, penofizol), reminiscent of foam rubber, is used as a substrate. Its main advantages: low cost and ease of installation. The disadvantages, due to which many experts do not recommend using it, include its crushability under load, low strength and very low thermal insulation properties.

What is marmoleum? This new material for floor coverings, the production of which is rapidly developing. In the future, marmoleum will most likely replace all types of floor coverings except wooden parquet from valuable species wood, which will remain as a luxury item.

This 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 counterfeiting is not economically justified.
• Marmoleum is non-toxic, does not cause allergies, and in addition also has bactericidal properties.
• Marmoleum is cheap: a marmoleum floor is 15-30% cheaper than the cheapest current material - laminate.
• Marmoleum flooring is not required additional insulation and thermal insulation: the material itself has insulating properties.
• Marmoleum is durable and hygienic: it does not fade, does not swell when wet and does not warp, withstands enormous local loads, and even spilled paint does not stick to it. The guaranteed service life of 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 flammable: a cigarette butt thrown on it will smolder without leaving a trace, and it is only possible to burn through marmoleum with an autogenous gun.
• Marmoleum is decorative: it can be painted in the most different colors, texture like wood, stone, etc. Currently, marmoleum is produced in 100 primary colors and more than 2000 shades.
• And finally, marmoleum is extremely easy to work with: literally a preschooler can do the laying of marmoleum with his own hands.

Video: marmoleum, its safety and basic installation points

A little 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 came into use - a very coarse and durable burlap made from fibers of plants of the genus Corchorus linden family: 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 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 quite durable upper layer coatings based on linseed oil, pine resin (resin), wood flour, natural dyes and chalk. After World War II, natural linoleum replaced PVC-based linoleum, but the global oil crisis and increased environmental awareness revived the demand for natural linoleum, which contributed to the improvement of its manufacturing technology.

By the beginning of the 90s, even cheaper and higher-quality substitutes for linseed oil and resin, obtained from highly productive tropical crops, were found. At the same time, a third, intermediate layer of pressed cork chips was introduced into the linoleum structure. The finishing touch was the use of hot dry pressing technology, developed for the production of MDF, in the production of linoleum.

The coatings obtained in this way went on sale under the general name marmoleum. In fact, marmoleum is natural linoleum taken to the limit of its perfection.

Marmoleum is especially good for children's rooms.

Disadvantages of Marmoleum

There is no such thing as complete perfection, so marmoleum also has its drawbacks.

1. Firstly, marmoleum is fragile, especially around the edges, and certain rules must be followed when working with it; see below. You can roll marmoleum into a roll once with the base facing out.
2. Secondly, marmoleum spreads a little over time and hardens. This is good for the floor: you don’t need to carefully seal the seams, they will come together on their own. But when buying marmoleum, you need to carefully study the manufacturer’s instructions for that particular brand and check the shelf life. If boxes with tiles or rolls were subjected to careless handling during transportation, some of the material may end up with cracks, so you need to look for a seller with a guarantee.
3. 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: there is 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 smooth. But you can’t use marmoleum to decorate walls and especially ceilings: the coating will “float” under its own weight. Marmoleum is exclusively a floor covering.
4. Fourthly, marmoleum does not cut well and it is impossible to achieve a smooth, even cut, like on laminate or MDF. Therefore, marmoleum is cut only along the walls to size, where the cut is covered by the baseboard. That is, decorative possibilities When installing marmoleum yourself, you are limited to laying out a pattern of standard tiles.

Characteristics, classification, standard sizes

The technical characteristics of marmoleum have actually already been described. It remains to add that it can withstand a load of 160 kg/sq.m. 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 available in the following classes:

• 41-43 – top decorative layer more than 3 mm thick. Withstands up to 100 thousand attacks per day for 5 years. Created for public premises with a large flow of visitors; for example, large 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 is more resistant to static loads.
• 21-23 – general purpose. It differs from industrial only in its 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 can form in it over time. For yourself, buy the cheapest one.

The standard sizes of marmoleum are as follows:

1. Rolls 2 m wide. Rolled marmoleum for self-installation not suitable - to handle it you need a forklift, a crane and a team of experienced riggers. Once you have rolled out the roll, you cannot roll it back. Due to the heaviness and fragility of the material, working with long strips in an apartment is extremely inconvenient.
2. Tiles 50x50 cm and 30x30 cm. They are laid with glue, like PVC or ceramic tiles.
3. Panels 90x30 cm. Lay like tiles.

Laying marmoleum

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 hook, at least 150 mm. The rest of the instruments are ordinary.

To the previous coating

Marmoleum can be laid directly on the existing floor covering on any mounting adhesive. But, if the old floor is playing or it has been trampled to the point of depressions, then the previous covering 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 are laid end-to-end on the previous coating using glue. It is not advisable to use panels - on an old rough floor they can get stuck during adjustment.

Preparing the base

Concrete base or cement-sand screed under the marmolium, if there are noticeable protrusions on it, it needs to be leveled. It is imperative to remove sharp protrusions more than 1.5-2 mm high. This can be done with a drill or grinder using a bowl-shaped circle on the stone. If a cup accidentally crashes into concrete, it’s okay, the depression can be repaired cement mortar or starting putty. After leveling, the dust needs to be swept away, the remains collected with a vacuum cleaner, then sprinkled with water and swept again.

An 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 bitumen primer, etc. not required.

Marmoleum for offices, on which company symbols are applied, is gaining particular popularity.

Cutting material

• We measure how many solid tiles or panels will fit across the width of the room; then - how long the rows will be. We take into account a gap of 15-30 mm around the perimeter; it will be covered 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 the remainder of the whole to length using a jigsaw or hand circular saw the number of tiles/panels equal to the number of transverse rows.

Example: room in plan 4x6 m; cover with panels. The remainder of the whole is 400 - (90x4 = 360) = 40 cm. The length is 600/30 = 20 rows. Cut 20 pieces 36 cm long (36x30 cm).

When laying with a comb, with offset transverse seams, the cutting ends there. If you want to lay out the rest of the whole evenly around the perimeter, each piece needs to be cut in half lengthwise. In the example, you will 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 lath, wrapped in thin plastic film. The film will not allow the rail to stick from accidental glue drips. We lay the same rail along the long left 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, apply assembly adhesive, construction silicone or linoleum mastic using a snake. We lay the tiles and push them tightly into the corner. If necessary, we use a rule and a mallet.
• We lay out transverse rows, row by row, until the entire area is filled. We wait for the glue to set as indicated in the instructions for it. That's all.

Explanation: if you lay it with a comb, then start the rows alternately with a solid panel, then with a cut one. When laying out the remainder of the whole along the perimeter, each row begins and ends with a trim.

Modern science is constantly inventing new artificial materials, which 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 difficult and even interesting process, if you observe certain features of the technology and take into account the quality of the material.

Features and types of marmoleum

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 rolled only in production. If the material has been straightened, then it can no longer be twisted;
• The coating is quite fragile, especially at the edges. This must be taken into account when laying and transporting;
• The coating has a high specific gravity and is not recommended for wall decoration;
• When cutting material, you must use only a sharp knife or metal file. Cut edges usually crumble and are best hidden under baseboards.

For your information. It is better to buy natural linoleum in specialized stores or retail outlets manufacturers, where the coating storage conditions are met. Also, purchase glue for natural linoleum according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, which are indicated in the characteristics of the material. When purchasing, 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 the following types of marmoleum are available for sale:

• Plain or colored tiles dimensions 50x50 or 30x30 cm;
• Panels standard sizes 90x30 cm;
• Rolled marmoleum, the most common roll width is 2 meters, since it is optimal for high-quality styling in domestic premises.

To install 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.

Installation technology for marmoleum of various shapes

When laying tiles or panel material You can use the same tools that are used when installing laminate flooring. It is important to remember here that the material and especially its edges are fragile, so use rubber or wooden hammer and work as carefully as possible.

Preparing the base for marmoleum

If you have an old linoleum coating in good condition, you can not remove it and lay marmoleum on top of the old one, using regular construction adhesive or silicone. When installed on a concrete base, special adhesive for marmoleum is used. It is possible to lay tile or panel marmoleum without glue, since the modules have special locking connections. But if the laying area exceeds 20 square meters, then for additional styling you can use silicone. When installing marmoleum, no backing is used and the coating is laid directly on the concrete base. If marmoleum is laid on a heated 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 cracks must be sealed with putty. Thoroughly clean the floor surface from dust and dirt, then coat it with primer deep penetration. During installation, the room temperature should be no less than +18 degrees and the relative humidity no more than 60%.

The technology for 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 using a plinth.

Laying tile material

Laying marmoleum in tiles is reminiscent of assembling a mosaic, since each tile has lock connection. Before installing the tiles, a special polypropylene backing is placed on the base, which is sealed with double-sided tape. For tiles, no adhesive is used and the coating is floating. Each tile has a tongue-and-groove system. The first tile is laid at a distance of 1cm from the wall, with the ridge directed towards the wall and the groove outward. Each subsequent tile is inserted with a comb into the groove of the previous one under small angle, then lower the module to the surface. Laying natural linoleum in the form of tiles is no different from installing laminate flooring.

For your information. 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 installation process. The last row of tiles is laid on glue or Double-sided tape while maintaining the same expansion gap. Upon completion of the installation of marmoleum, a plinth is installed, which is used to lightly press the material and close the gap.

Installing marmoleum in the form of panels is no different from laying a tile covering. Experts call this installation “quick flooring”, because due to larger area panels, installation is faster.

Installation of rolled marmoleum

Roll material is practically not used in small domestic premises due to the complexity of installation and cutting. This coating is laid directly on the glue in spacious rooms commercial type with concrete base.

Important. Base under roll material must be perfectly level, free from dust and dirt. Self-leveling flooring, chipboard, fiberboard or plywood can be used as a leveling material. We lay the marmoleum strictly in one direction, to do this we focus on the arrows that should hit the back side roll.

In general, the laying technology is no different from flooring regular linoleum. The material must rest for at least two days, after which you can begin gluing while maintaining expansion gaps between the wall and the coating. When connecting seams, you need to remember that marmoleum cannot be soldered, since it is impossible to melt the edges of the joint with temperature. A special cord made of low-melting polymer is used for docking. In the absence of tools, experience and special knowledge, it is better to invite specialists for installation.

In this article we briefly discussed the methods of laying marmoleum. various shapes release. The main thing when installing a roll covering is not to use force, but simply guide the material and wait for it to gradually accept the required form. In conclusion, we suggest watching a video of installing marmoleum.

Marmoleum is an innovation in construction industry, or rather 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 suitable for installation in residential areas.

• The material has good thermal insulation properties, is resistant to heavy loads and cannot be deformed.
• A variety of colors and textures to choose from best option just for you, and the service life reaches 20 years.
• Easy to install.

All materials have not only pros, but also cons. Marmoleum is no exception:

• Marmoleum, produced in rolls, cannot be rolled more than once, but always with the base to the top, and it is also necessary to be careful during the installation process, since the material has fragile edges.
• After a certain time, the material hardens a little and spreads out; in addition, after long-term storage in improper conditions or careless transportation, marmoleum deteriorates its quality indicators.
• Since marmoleum is quite elastic and heavy material, it cannot be used for finishing walls and ceilings.
• When slicing, an uneven cut is formed on it, which can ruin the entire 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 once, so the help of several professionals and special tools will be required.
• 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 slabs 90*30 cm, the installation process is similar to the previous option.

Installation process

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

Due 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 carried out on the concrete base. Marmoleum does not require any substrate, since it copes with this function itself.

For home use it is worth giving preference square tiles, mounted on glue, since joining problems may arise with the panels.

Base

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

Material adjustment

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 be hidden under the baseboards. If necessary, adjust the outer row of slabs to required sizes using a jigsaw.

Installation on concrete base

If you are working in a rectangular room, work should start from the shorter wall. Before the process, place a strip (1.5 cm) against the wall, which must be wrapped in film to prevent sticking. Next, take the glue and apply it in a zigzag pattern directly under the tile, and then lay down the covering and press it tightly against the plank. Silicone or special glue is used for fixation.

After this, place the next element on the side and thus move to the opposite wall, laying transverse rows. If necessary, use a hammer and clamp.

After completing the work, you must leave the flooring alone until completely dry glue ( given time specified in the instructions).

Seam processing

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

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