Which linoleum is better for the home: on which basis is linoleum better. What linoleum to choose for an apartment according to quality criteria What thickness of linoleum is better for a room

In this article you will find the most necessary advice on how to choose linoleum for an apartment or house. Importance the right choice flooring cannot be overestimated, because usually the floor is laid for a long time, at least 7-10 years.

Therefore, at the stage of planning repairs, it is worth approaching this issue with full responsibility.

What is the most common and popular flooring material? - This is linoleum used both for residential premises and for public and industrial buildings.

It is so diverse in its characteristics that any buyer will find his own version on the market. You can also look at the photo to determine the color.

Choosing linoleum for an apartment, many buyers focus only on external qualities:

Price.
Design (color, pattern).
Web width.

But there are more significant parameters that are not visible, and are only reflected in the characteristics of the material.... More attention should be paid to them. And most importantly, linoleum should be chosen not for an apartment, but for each room separately. Indeed, despite the fact that all the rooms, the corridor and the kitchen are in the same apartment, they have different purposes. It's like a family. An individual family can use the services of one hairdresser, but everyone has different hairstyles. Rarely alone good linoleum ideal for all rooms.

You will also be interested in the article about, which describes all the stages of work and some of the secrets.

How to choose linoleum

All manufacturers have linoleums for various purposes in their product line. Conventionally, it can be divided into:

Domestic.
Commercial.

Everything else, such as office, industrial, semi-commercial, is just a gradation. When choosing linoleum for an apartment, be guided by household linoleum... For the degree of its wear resistance (abrasion) is determined by the corresponding parameter.

There is no single correct designation for these categories for all manufacturers. Some manufacturers designate these parameters with a pictogram, others with numbers, and others with letters. Therefore, to clarify this classification, you should read the instructions from the manufacturer. The main thing: the apartment needs linoleum for household use. There are only rare cases when a very busy family may need a higher class of linoleum.

Linoleum material can be natural and artificial. Natural linoleum more expensive, but it is also more optimal for the home, especially for the bedroom. He does not have the disadvantages that are inherent in other types of linoleum, except for two, such as:

Rotting (affected by mold).
Brittle in the cold.

Therefore, such material should not be chosen for rooms without heating or with high humidity (in particular, for a corridor and a balcony). There are many reviews on the Internet that confirm this.

Types and classes of linoleum

Given the set of components, linoleum is divided into natural and synthetic. The first is made from natural ingredients: resin, limestone, linseed oil. Jute fabric or felt is used as a base. It is easy to clean, does not fade, has a small bactericidal effect due to linseed oil, fire resistant, moderately resistant to chemicals. This is the most environmentally friendly and safe type.

Synthetic linoleum made from polyvinyl chloride with the addition of various fillers, dyes and plasticizers. It consists of one or more layers, has different kinds fundamentals, different technologies drawing a picture. Tarkett synthetic linoleum is cheaper than natural, just as easy to clean, absorbs noise, and has low thermal conductivity.

If you want to complete comfort, it is better to choose antistatic linoleum with copper stripes, because it will save you from unpleasant sensations in case of accumulation of static charge on slippers or woolen socks.

By designation, the synthetic type of linoleum is divided into household, commercial, semi-commercial and special. Household appliances are usually single-layer, have a felt or foam base, are varied in design, layer thickness from 1 to 4 mm. It is flexible, easy to fit, clean and absorb sound. This is the most a budget option which you can choose, but with a short service life - 2-3 years with active use.

The commercial type of coating is stronger and more durable, with a thickness of 1.5-3 mm with a protective layer applied, it can be homogeneous with a paint over the entire thickness or heterogeneous, with alternating layers. Semi-commercial linoleum has a substrate, one main layer and protective covering... In structure, it is similar to the household one, the difference in the thickness of the top layer is 0.7 mm. Special linoleum is used for indoor use special purpose... It is subdivided into sports, bactericidal, anti-slip.

The linoleum class is indicated by a 2-digit number, where the first is the type of room, and the second indicates the degree of abrasion.

Width- extremely important parameter... How to choose linoleum for an apartment according to this parameter? The size of your premises is important here. All its advantages, linoleum is able to show only when flooring with a single sheet, without seams and joints. In some rooms, choosing linoleum, you should be creative. For example, in a kitchen 2.5 m wide and 4 m long, you can buy a canvas 4 m wide and 2.5 m long. where the length and width of the blade cut are up to you.

The underlay simultaneously insulates and evens out the subfloor

The thickness of linoleum must also be selected with judgment.... In theory, the thicker the better. But there are also exceptions. For example, if the room has underfloor heating, then thin linoleum without a base, the most the best way... Before deciding which linoleum to choose, you need to know how insulated the floor is. By the way, if you liked thin linoleum, but the floors still need to be insulated, then you can use a special substrate. Thick linoleum, on an insulating base, is immediately ready for installation.

What color and pattern?

With design choices, advice is the hardest thing to do. Everyone chooses color, pattern, pattern according to their preferences. But there are some points to note. We have done small photo a review to understand which colors and types are more suitable for this or that material. For example:

The texture of linoleum without a clear pattern, like marble or stone, hides almost any damage to the coating that appears during operation.
By drawing, you can visually increase the size of the room. Frequent, transverse lines on linoleum, optically reduce the length of the room. A room with sparse, longitudinal pattern lines on the floor will get a more elongated look, this is a great option for the home.
Dark linoleum, in a room on the sunny side, according to the reviews, will muffle the illumination, but will increase the heating of the room. In addition, it will burn out faster in bright sunlight... it perfect option for the bedroom.

Will we choose by price?

Indeed, despite the ingrained opinion that linoleum is a budget option, prices for some samples can reach or even exceed the most expensive laminate flooring.

Why it happens? Yes, simply because linoleum is very practical, environmentally friendly and versatile. flooring, and global brands simply cannot stand aside, creating “elite” versions of these products. Therefore, when visiting some specialty stores, you may stumble upon quite high prices.

Average Tarkett linoleum average quality will cost about 400-600 rubles per 1 m 2... What options are offered for this money, you can see in the photo. If you don't have a large budget for floor renovation, you can count on these prices. If your budget is very small - do not worry, you can pick up quite good options and cheaper.

Anti-static natural options tend to be even more expensive, have copper grounding tapes and are more expensive to lay.

Extra options

When choosing linoleum, in some rooms, for example, in the nursery, hall or kitchen, you should pay attention to such a parameter as antibacterial properties. Almost all large manufacturers have a series of household linoleums with this property.

Sound and thermal insulation are important qualities, but their disadvantages can be compensated for by using them with the required parameters. Soundproofing is best done at least in the hall, bedroom and hallway.

Have you decided how to choose the right linoleum? Now for some more useful tips.

Perform the following quality checks when making a purchase:

Check rolled out Tarkett linoleum. It should not have bulges and bumps, delamination of the material. Their presence speaks of a flaw from the manufacturer.
Household linoleum should not have a persistent specific odor... This smell is inherent in commercial coatings. After a while, it will wear off, but a trace presence will remain.
Be sure to ask the seller for a hygiene certificate. All linoleum for living quarters undergo an examination.
If the floors in Vanya's apartment or house are cold, then choose insulated linoleum, with a thick layer of insulation.

Which linoleum to choose home

For a long service life of the coating, it is necessary to take into account the purpose of the room, its temperature and humidity conditions. The premises with the highest traffic are the entrance hall, kitchen, corridor. In addition, they are more likely than others to wet cleaning... Household or semi-commercial linoleum with a thickness of 3-4 mm and a top layer of 0.25 mm is suitable here.

See also great in the interior of apartments and houses.

The living room and bedroom have low traffic, moreover, they are often covered with carpets. For these rooms, according to reviews, the most optimal household linoleum with a substrate of fabric or polyester with a thickness of 1.2-1.5 mm with a coating of 0.1-0.2 mm. In the bathroom and toilet, where there is high humidity, it is enough to put a synthetic single-layer material 1.5-1.6 mm thick, with a top layer from 0.25 mm.

There is no need to save money on covering the children's room and choose natural antistatic linoleum, soft and does not emit any harmful substances. Its thickness should be from 3 mm. If it is impossible to choose natural, it will do everyday look linoleum on a fabric or foam base of the same thickness.

The color of linoleum should be correctly combined, the color of the walls and furniture, the style of the apartment or house. It is better not to pick up the rooms with the greatest traffic light color, but dark will not give comfort. All calm shades (beige, blue, brown, gray-green) are suitable for the kitchen, a gathering place for the whole family.

If the corridor or hallway is finished with wood, then the linoleum will look good in color and wood-like pattern, as in the photo above. It is better to cover the floor in the bathroom with a material of green, blue or aquamarine. For a bedroom, a light color of the coating, with a medium-sized pattern, is appropriate. It is better not to lay dark linoleum in any room, since such a floor visually reduces the volume of the room, makes the ceiling lower.

The color of linoleum, the nature of the pattern applied to it should be an important link in the overall design of the room, give it completeness, without losing the practical purpose of the coating.

Using our advice, you can choose not only beautiful, but also practical, relatively inexpensive coverage for your home.

Linoleum - the best solution for apartment

Today, linoleum is a popular flooring used throughout. It is used not only in public buildings, offices, but also in private apartments and houses. Low price, good performance properties, as well as a variety of colors make it versatile, allowing it to fit into any home interior.

Even professionals find it difficult to decide on a variety of materials, not to mention ordinary people... To choose the right linoleum for an apartment, consider existing species, their characteristics and the principle of selection.

The complexity of the choice is obvious. Especially if the criteria for each person are different. In order not to regret the purchased floor covering, you need to focus on the following basic parameters when choosing:

the purpose of the room;
special requirements for the flooring, depending on the living conditions;
apartment design.

In order to choose the right linoleum, you need to take into account the above parameters. This will help you enjoy the beauty and quality of the selected linoleum for a long time.

Types of linoleum

Types - from synthetic materials to natural ingredients

Before making a choice, you need to study what materials are available. To date, the list of types of linoleum is diverse, ranging from synthetic materials to natural ingredients. Having studied the types of linoleum, their positive and negative sides you can decide what to lay in the apartment.

Natural linoleum

Armstrong brand

This type is made from a mixture of wood flour, flax oil, limestone powder, various resins, cork flour and natural dyes, which is applied to a jute woven base. It is used in those rooms where people with asthmatic and allergic problems, as well as children, are.

Advantages:

natural;
abrasion resistance;
does not fade in the sun;
kind of design;
possesses bactericidal properties.

Disadvantages:

expensive;
fragile;
afraid of moisture.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

PVC type

Among synthetic materials, it is popular with a different basis (baseless, foam-based or woven-based).

When laying in an apartment, preference is given to PVC material on felt base... Thanks to its thick layer, it does not require a backing and does not need to be glued to the floor.

The main disadvantage of such a coating is that it shrinks over time, as well as the presence of a specific odor. It is believed that synthetic material is capable of emitting harmful substances - the production technology allows them to be made harmless, which is confirmed by quality certificates.

Glyphthal linoleum

Glyphthal type

This coating is obtained by attaching an alkyd resin to the fabric. The material has good sound and heat insulating properties. But the inherent fragility of the composition complicates the installation process due to the likelihood of chips and cracks. It is recommended to keep the material warm before laying to avoid deformation.

Colloxin

Colloxin type

This type of coating is made from nitrocellulose. Linoleum of this type has no basis: it is not afraid of moisture, is not flammable, has a decorative shine. But, its negative sides are: reaction to temperature changes and the ability to shrink.

Linoleum-relin

Rubber type

It is a two-layer composition, which has a lower layer - a bitumen-rubber mixture, and an upper layer - a mixture of rubber, paint and filler.

The coating is flexible and resists moisture. But the presence of toxic, volatile components does not make it possible to lay it in apartments and where people live.

Wear resistance classes

Endurance classes - commercial, semi-commercial and domestic

When determining which linoleum to choose for an apartment, you need to take into account the wear resistance of the material and the type of room. Depending on the speed of erasure and the size of the applied protection layer, all linoleums are divided into three classes.

Commercial

It is characterized by a high degree of wear resistance. Such a coating can be single-layer or multi-layer. Strength is achieved different ways: by compaction of the material or by adding special stabilizing agents. It is used in offices, schools, hospitals.

Semi-commercial

This class is more durable than household. It also has a variety of colors and patterns. It can be laid in the kitchen, hallway, living room. Reacts well to moving furniture, moderate load.

Domestic

Such linoleum weakly resists abrasion, but it has big choice colors and designs. Usually it is used in rooms with low traffic (bedroom). The low price does not affect the material, it looks high quality and expensive. In places of an apartment with high traffic, it is not recommended to lay it.

Abrasion groups

Selection by abrasion group

Linoleum is also selected according to the abrasion group. What is this parameter and what is it for?

This construction parameter shows the rate of wear of the coating. According to European standards, it is defined as follows: a piece of material is brought to a rotating abrasive. It must withstand 25 thousand rotations. After the experiment, the layer thickness is measured and the group is determined. There are several groups:

T - the coating has no inclusions, and is reduced by 0.08 mm (high wear);
P - the layer decreases in thickness by 0.8-0.15 mm (average wear);
M - the material is reduced in thickness by 0.15-0.3 mm (low wear);
F - the layer decreases in thickness by 0.3-0.6 mm (fragile material).

The inclusions that may be in the material consist of a mixture of quartz sand and chalk. This mixture reduces the wear resistance of the material. Pure material resists abrasion well and has a high wear resistance group.

What linoleum to choose for an apartment

When determining which linoleum to choose, you should understand the markings that are applied to the material. It indicates the class of coverage and consists of two numbers. The first classifies the type of room, and the second classifies the expected traffic. For the living room and bedroom, choose class 21, for the corridor and kitchen, give preference to marking 23-24.

Living room

Dark colors will do in the living room.

In this room, the throughput is average. Therefore, linoleum can be laid here with a thickness of 1.5 mm. Give preference to household PVC linoleum with a low price.

Bedroom

Household polyester or PVC can be used in the bedroom

Determining the permeability in the room will help determine which linoleum to choose for the bedroom. The load on the floor is small here, so for flooring, you can use household polyester or PVC foam-based linoleum with a thickness of 1.2 mm or more.

Kitchen

We use a durable semi-commercial class of durability in the kitchen

This room has high traffic, high humidity, the presence of dirt and the effects of cleaning solutions. Therefore, for the kitchen, it is recommended to choose a durable semi-commercial material with a thickness of at least 3 mm. Described in detail to make it last longer. For this room, a ceramic tile design is preferable.

Children's room

In the children's room only natural material

Increased demands are placed on the materials in this room. Only natural materials can be used here. Of course, the service life will be lower, but the health of the child is more important in this case.

Balcony

Balcony - moisture-resistant and frost-resistant materials

Temperature drops, exposure to sunlight, possible humidity - all these negative factors test the strength of the floor covering on the balcony. Usually, moisture-resistant and frost-resistant materials that have an anti-slip coating are chosen for this room. The material is chosen as for office premises with a heavy load.

The corridor

In the corridor - PVC

To choose linoleum in the hallway or corridor, you need to understand that this is a room with high traffic and pollution. PVC linoleum (household or semi-commercial), 3 mm thick, which is recommended to be placed in the corridor, can withstand such loads.

Choosing a good floor covering from the variety presented is not an easy task. In order not to be disappointed and get high-quality linoleum for an apartment, trust your intuition and follow the basic tips when choosing:

the absence of a pungent odor indicates the absence of harmful substances;
a distinct pattern on the coating without a greasy sheen;
the material must have certificates of quality and safe composition;
the presence of a protective layer will help the material to remain in its original form for a long time;
the material should be bought with a margin for fitting (drawing, protrusions, niches, thresholds);
verify upper layer linoleum for defects and flaws.

Considering all the nuances, it will not be difficult to choose a floor covering, and the purchase will not give unpleasant impressions during operation.

Which linoleum to choose for the hall

Hall - PVC covering on a jute or felt basis

For the hall, it is better to choose a universal moisture-resistant flooring. It is resistant to impact sunbeams, repels dirt. Affordable price and ease of installation make it ideal.

Choose a PVC covering on a jute or felt basis for the hall. This material is elastic, soft and warm, allowing you to walk on it barefoot without discomfort. The drawing is applied across the entire thickness of the linoleum for the apartment, so its erasure will not be noticeable. Such linoleum is easy to maintain, does not attract dust and debris.

It can be cleaned with ordinary detergents.

Which company is better to choose linoleum for an apartment

Coverage of different companies

On the market, the coating is presented in a wide variety, both domestic and foreign. How to choose the right linoleum for your home, which manufacturer to give preference to? We can say with confidence that the material of our production is not inferior in characteristics to European ones. The Tarkett firm has proven itself well. Among foreign manufacturers, give preference to companies such as

Gerflor;
Juteks;
Forbo;
Grabo.

Tarkett is the world leader in floor coverings. PVC linoleum of this company is produced in different price ranges and is distinguished by its durability and wear resistance.

The French company Gerflor produces products of excellent quality, taking into account decorative and technical characteristics... These coverings are easy to install, even without professional assistance. They are easy to clean and have good sound and heat insulation properties.

Linoleum manufacturers offer many material options that differ in composition, thickness, design. To buy a suitable one, it is important to consider the basic selection criteria.

Appointment

Household linoleum is intended exclusively for residential premises: apartments, cottages, summer cottages. It is affordable, and it is easy to choose the right color for any interior. Most often, household linoleum is made on a foam base, which makes it soft and dampens sound vibrations. Felt, which is more advantageous in terms of sound and heat insulation, can also be used as a substrate. Floor material household use does not have high wear resistance, therefore it is suitable for rooms with big amount of people.

Commercial linoleum is much more durable than household linoleum, but its cost is on average twice the cost of covering for domestic use. The material is made of dense PVC and is colored throughout its entire thickness, therefore, even with intensive exposure, the pattern from the surface is not erased. Commercial linoleum is intended for use in office, retail and other premises common use with high traffic, and at the same time it appearance can last up to 20 years.

Semi-commercial linoleum is more affordable than commercial linoleum, but at the same time it is quite durable. For its manufacture, a foam base is used, and the protective layer is thicker than that of household linoleum. Such material is suitable for offices with a small number of people, and it is also bought in an apartment with pets.

To choose linoleum, taking into account the specifics and operating conditions, it is recommended to focus on its class. The designation consists of two numbers, the first of which characterizes the room (2 - housing, 3 - offices, 4 - production), and the second shows the intensity of the load on the floor covering (1 - low, 2 - medium, 3 - high, 4 - very high ). For example, the marking "23" means that linoleum is suitable for residential premises with a high load: hallways, corridors. Marking "33" makes it possible to use linoleum in offices with a large number of people, as well as in schools, universities and so on.

Thickness

Usually, linoleum manufacturers indicate two parameters - the total thickness and the thickness of the protective layer. The thicker the flooring, the more layers it has. For material with a thickness of up to 1.6 mm - one layer, that is, the pattern and the protective coating are applied to the substrate. The multilayer structure is much more complex and can contain up to 6 materials.

When choosing linoleum, one should take into account where the coating will be used and what loads it will experience. For example, there are usually no more than two people in a bedroom, and there are no serious mechanical influences on the material - which means that you can choose 2 mm thick linoleum. In the hallway and kitchen, where there are usually a lot of people, they may fall to the floor heavy objects, it is better to lay linoleum with a thickness of about 3 mm. This thickness is also quite suitable for a child's room.

4 - 6 mm thick coating is suitable for offices, educational and medical institutions... Finally, linoleum with a thickness of 8 - 9 mm can be used in industrial and public areas, gyms and so on.

The protective layer that keeps the pattern from abrasion can also be different. Its thickness is determined by the purpose of the product: for household linoleum, this figure does not exceed 0.3 mm, for semi-commercial linoleum it is 0.5 mm, for commercial linoleum it reaches 0.8 mm.

Drawing

Depending on where the linoleum will be laid, a suitable pattern is selected. For example, imitation tiles look good in the kitchen, bathroom or balcony. Large squares will fit perfectly into spacious rooms, while for small spaces it is better to choose small patterns. The wood grain pattern is also very popular - it harmoniously fits both offices and living quarters. For the living room, you can pick up a drawing that imitates a laminate. If you want something original, it makes sense to take a closer look at materials with artistic or abstract patterns. Plain coverings are suitable for gyms, halls, retail premises.

Dimensions (edit)

The cut width of linoleum is selected depending on the width of the room and can be from 0.5 to 5 m. In order not to have to join the drawing and glue the seam at the junction, it is better to take the material in one piece. The length of the roll can be from 10 to 40 m. The price is indicated per linear meter.

Specificity of application

Many manufacturers offer specialized linoleum designed for certain conditions exploitation. For example, in a room where electrical appliances and computers are used, an anti-static material should be placed. Sports linoleum is characterized by increased wear resistance and has a traumatic anti-slip coating. Fire-resistant floor coverings (flammability class G1) should be used in places with high requirements for fire safety... Linoleum, intended for the underfloor heating system, has antistatic properties and is fireproof.

Reference article based on the expert opinion of the author.

However, when choosing this material, you should know the subtleties.

Which linoleum is better to choose for an apartment or a house: household or commercial?

There are three types of linoleum with different protective layer thickness and wear resistance.

household - with a protective layer of 0.3 mm and the first number 1-2;
semi-commercial - with a protective layer of 0.6 mm and the first number 3;
commercial - with a protective layer of more than 0.6 mm and the first number 3-4.

The thicker the protective layer, the so-called transparency, the better the linoleum withstands the impact of the legs and wheels of furniture, shoes with heels, etc. Do you doubt which thickness of linoleum to choose? For a home, there is no need to buy a thick commercial covering, a good household linoleum with a transparency of 0.35-0.5 mm and marking 21-33 will be enough.

Materials classified and not so

In terms of composition, linoleum is of two types:

natural;
synthetic.

Natural linoleum is made from vegetable oils, wood flour and limestone, and jute is used as a base. Such coverage is expensive, but it pleases the owner with naturalness or hypoallergenicity.

Synthetic linoleum is made from polymer materials, can have an additional polyester backing and a felt or foam backing. Such coverage will give you the perfect balance of price and quality.

Backing: foam or felt?

To give the material good properties of sound and heat insulation, to make it "springy", manufacturers process the wrong side in a special way. Air bubbles in the foam backing can act as insulation and shock absorber, synthetic fibers- in felt. Be sure to make sure that the chosen linoleum has one of these substrates, otherwise the slightest unevenness of the base will protrude through the coating, and the legs of the furniture and heels will quickly render the floor unusable. Other equal properties a felt backing is preferred.

Abrasion group: how long will the floor "live"?

Each sample of linoleum must be tested for abrasion. As a result, one of the classes is assigned to it:

T is the most durable;
F is the least durable.

If the question is how to choose a good linoleum for a bedroom or other "quiet" room, then feel free to take material marked M.

Rooms with a high floor load are another matter. If you have to choose high-quality linoleum for a children's room or in a corridor, then both M and T will do.

How to choose linoleum for the kitchen, hall, corridor and other premises?

For the living room and children's room, it is better to choose high-quality linoleum, both on foam and on felt, with a good protective coating.

For low-pass rooms like a bedroom or an office, inexpensive linoleum with a thin backing is suitable.

Are there rooms in the house that you often go to, where you wash the floor every day? Be as careful as possible in choosing the right linoleum for the hallway, kitchen and bathroom. In order not to overhaul the worn-out floor in a year, buy a solid linoleum with an antibacterial coating, a thick protective layer and a good thickness.

How to choose linoleum for rooms of different types and sizes?

Please note that modern linoleum does not shrink, so you can buy it back to back, without allowances. To calculate the size of a piece, measure the room twice, paying attention to:

niches;
protrusions;
discrepancies in width.

The width of the web can be from 1.5 to 6 meters. It is better to take a wide piece so that there are no seams on the floor. If you are purchasing two pieces, make sure they are from the same batch.

How to choose linoleum for an apartment and not be mistaken in quality?

A high price and a well-known manufacturer almost always guarantee quality. However, pay attention to additional signs of quality material:

texture and design - floors with wood imitation, shiny "chips", lacquered linoleum look the most advantageous;
at safe cover no smell;
good linoleum always has a certificate.

There are other markings that will tell you more:

lightning icon - does not accumulate static electricity;
wheel icon - resistant to furniture;
underfloor heating icon - suitable for underfloor heating installation.

Linoleum is the most popular floor covering among the population with an average living standard. Firstly, the price is not as high as that of parquet or carpet, and secondly, the service life is normal. And today's manufacturers offer a wide variety of colors, choose any! But it turns out that although this material is well known to consumers, there are many nuances that must be considered when buying. Therefore, this article is devoted to the question of which linoleum to choose, because the house has different rooms with its own operational features.

What to look at before buying?

To understand in detail how to choose linoleum for your home, you should know the main criteria for a rational purchase:

compliance with the purpose - the nursery is a room, or a bedroom, a kitchen;
characteristics - the degree of wear resistance, noise absorption, antistaticity, moisture resistance, antibacterial properties;
whether linoleum will be able to withstand the load, taking into account the number of people living and the rate of permeability;
whether harmony is created in the interior - linoleum can be monochromatic, with abstract patterns, with imitation of different textures: wood, tiles, stone.

If you take into account all of the above criteria, the buyer will not get lost in the modern variety, because he will know exactly how to choose linoleum for an apartment, as well as for a private house.

What kind of linoleum is there?

Perhaps, linoleum can be called the most democratic floor covering. The arguments for confirming these words are significant, because the material fits in schools, offices, and, of course, in a house / apartment. Therefore, it is clear why the market offers various types linoleum: how to choose the best? The question is not difficult, you just need to understand the problem and then everything will become clear.

- made from wood flour, pine resin, limestone powder, natural dyes, and the basis is jute fabric. Due to the fact that this material is made of purely natural components, it is excellent for children's rooms, rooms where asthmatics and allergy sufferers live. Therefore, if the question of which linoleum to choose for an apartment is being decided, this is an excellent option - an environmentally friendly material that does not harm health, as well as resistant to abrasion, does not fade in the sun, and has bactericidal properties.

PVC linoleum is made either on a fabric basis or on a non-woven thermal insulation. Domestic manufacturers use European technologies, so everyone can afford such linoleum, because the price of the products is affordable.

Advantages:

low thermal conductivity;
wide palette of patterns, shades;
pronounced dielectric characteristics;
ease of installation.

There are also certain disadvantages, it comes about sensitivity to high temperature, instability to chemicals. So, if the temperature in the room drops sharply, then elasticity is lost and PVC linoleum can crack.

In addition, the considered flooring can be alkyd, colloxin, and linoleum-relin is also common.

Classification and marking of coatings

In order to accurately answer the question of how to choose the right linoleum, you need to understand the marking that corresponds to the purpose of the room. As for the first digit of this very marking, it varies from one to four:

1 - for rooms with minimal traffic;
2 - residential rooms;
3 - offices;
4 - production facilities.

And the second number indicates the expected load, which means that one is the lowest, and four is the highest load. For example, a class 21 coating is perfect for an office and a bedroom, for the kitchen and hallway it is advisable to buy class 23-24 linoleum.

To cover the topic in more detail, you need to give a few more examples. Take the hallway, for example. Of course, the entrance hall, the corridor are premises with a very high degree of traffic. This means that the most the best option- linoleum with a thickness of at least 3 mm.

Important: it is advisable to pay special attention to the thickness of the protective layer, it must be at least 0.25 mm.

Also, before buying, you need to evaluate the quality of the surface on which this flooring will be laid in the future. The smoother the surface, the thinner the linoleum can be and vice versa. The perfect solution for the hallway - household linoleum with a foamed base. Or it could be an expensive semi-commercial linoleum with increased durability.

How to choose a good linoleum? This multifaceted question worries many consumers. So that the purchase in the future does not become a reason for disappointments associated with low quality, you should adhere to the following guidelines:

trust your own sense of smell: the presence of a pungent odor clearly indicates that the coating contains harmful additives. High-quality linoleum, both synthetic and natural, does not have an unpleasant odor;
the drawing must be clear;
compliance with safety standards - good linoleum undergoes a special examination, is labeled, and the seller must also present a hygiene certificate;
the quality must be checked in a rolled form: for the absence of bumps, areas with a peeled film. These indicators indicate a marriage, such a coating cannot be bought, because the existing irregularities cannot be smoothed;
it is advisable to give preference to material with a special protective film - such linoleum is easy to clean, retains its original appearance for a long time;
all linoleum must be from the same batch - even when the articles are the same, color differences are possible.

The question of choice is not so difficult, if you know all the subtleties and nuances. All of the above tips will help buyers make the right choice, the purchase will not bring any grief in the future, that is, during operation.