Laminate or linoleum which is better. Strong floor in every home: laminate or linoleum - which is better

Have you thought about it too? So we are colleagues. No wonder they say that the problem of choice makes a person unhappy. For several days I puzzled over this question, calculated, cut out, looked for where it was cheaper. As a result - bought a laminate. To be honest, I was originally leaning towards linoleum. There were several reasons for this. But, after weighing all the pros and cons, considering all the costs, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages, I came to the conclusion that the laminate is more suitable for me. In this review, I'm going to explain why I came to this decision. At the same time I will show how best to choose a laminate, what to look for, what a home master will generally need in order to lay the coating on his own. Believe me, unlike, which is better to entrust to professionals, any person with arms, legs and, of course, a head can handle laminate flooring.

Frankly, at first I wanted to cover the floors in my linoleum. At that time, it seemed to me that such a coating would turn out to be cheaper, last longer, and lay it somewhat easier and faster than laminate. However, over time, I became more and more convinced that the latter has many advantages that linoleum lacks.

Let's try to compare these two coatings according to the main characteristics.

Thermal conductivity

If you put thin linoleum on a concrete base, then it will not be very comfortable to walk barefoot on such a floor. Cold. A stone - even an artificial one - is a stone. Yes, and playing sitting on the floor with a child would also be very problematic. Look, not the cheapest linoleum has a thickness of only 2-3 millimeters:

If you put it directly on a concrete screed, then walking barefoot on the floor will be cold even in summer, not to mention winter. Of course, even among inexpensive options there are instances with a thicker substrate. The thickest linoleum that could be found in the OBI store had a thickness of 4.2 mm

However, even such a layer will not be a panacea. In addition, the cost of this particular linoleum is 799 rubles per square meter:

Mentally multiplying it by 103 square meters, which had to be covered, adding about 15% for trimmings that inevitably remain during installation, I received an amount of about 95 thousand rubles.

But not even these considerable expenses stopped me from buying. In the end, the coverage is not bought for one year, and you can spend money. The matter was quite different.

I was not sure that by putting such linoleum on a concrete base, it would be possible to walk barefoot on the floor - the way we are all used to. Of course, you can put the coating on a porous heat-insulating substrate, but in this case, when walking on the floor, you will feel as if you are walking through a swamp, sinking slightly at every step. This will be especially felt at first, until the substrate is accepted. And what will the floor look like in those places where the legs of the furniture press on it? Can you imagine?

You can also first cover the floor with some kind of wood-plywood layer, and put linoleum on it. But this option had to be immediately dismissed, because, on the one hand, I would have to reinstall the doors, on the other hand, significant additional costs were somehow not included in my plans.

In addition, the store simply did not have a suitable version of linoleum with the roll width I needed - 3.5 meters. The ones that were available I didn't like. Sometimes too bright, sometimes with a pronounced pattern, picking up which when connecting individual pieces, for example, in doorways, is a long story and a waste of material.

In a word, having trampled in the linoleum department, I realized that nothing suits me here. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely don’t want to see such a pattern under my feet in the next 5-10 years:

Like in some district clinic :).

With laminate, the situation is somewhat different. It is based on the so-called hardboard. To put it simply, it is wood dust bound with resin and compressed when exposed to high temperature. The thermal conductivity of the material is very low. Laminate itself is a good heat insulator, insulation.

In addition, it is thicker than linoleum on average two to three times. The usual thickness of a laminated plank is 8mm. There are a little thinner (6-7 mm) and thicker - (9-11 mm). But, as you can see for yourself, even the thinnest laminate is thicker than the thickest linoleum. In addition, the laminate is laid on a substrate with a thickness of 3 mm. Even if over time it takes over, becomes thinner, we will still have a thicker coating with an additional heat-insulating layer.

Thus, in terms of thermal conductivity, the laminate looks more attractive.

As for the price, on average, budget laminate options cost about 400-600 rubles per square. This is roughly comparable to linoleum with a thickness of about 3 - 3.5 mm. The benefits of laminate flooring are obvious.

Moisture isolation

If you properly spread the linoleum and do without unnecessary joints, then such a floor will perfectly "keep water". This means that it can be washed with an ordinary mop with water without fear that the liquid will penetrate into the substrate and some unpleasant processes will begin there. In addition, if you accidentally spill water from the kettle, it will also remain on the surface. You can collect it without much difficulty.

Of course, all this works until we make holes in the linoleum. Not on purpose, of course. For example, they dropped a knife - a small hole, but it turned out. They pushed a heavy cabinet unsuccessfully - they dug a bigger hole. They stumbled with a slipper at the junction of two pieces in the doorway - you yourself understand what happened. There is no need to talk about moisture insulation. Gradually, in such places, a focal accumulation of mold can form, and this is not very pleasant.

Photo from the Internet

If you “heat” the room in accordance with all the rules, in the sense that there is plenty of water and slippers float on the surface at the level of the window sills, then the linoleum will have to be “raised”, turned over and dried. In principle, there is nothing impossible in this, but it will not be very convenient to operate with a piece of flooring with an area of ​​​​20-30 square meters, and even alone. Especially when you consider that it will be necessary to put the furniture somewhere for a while.

Thus, the convenience of linoleum in terms of containing liquid is not in doubt only if it is new. Over time, the coating loses its wonderful properties and at some point must be replaced.

If we are talking about laminate, then its water resistance does not stand up to criticism at all. Spilled water quickly finds the gaps between the individual boards and penetrates down, where it meets the substrate. If the latter is laid correctly, then the water remains on its surface and then gradually dries out. If this happened once and the water is quickly removed at least from the surface of the coating, then nothing bad will happen. With regular exposure to moisture, the laminate begins to swell with all the ensuing consequences.

In part, the problem is solved by a special gel that impregnates the joints, but this is still not a panacea.

On the other hand, the laminate has one indisputable advantage: the entire coating consists of individual planks. If any specific coating elements are swollen or scratched, you can easily replace them with new ones. The main thing is to have some emergency stock. In the case of linoleum, you will have to change the entire coating or arrange a beautiful patch.

Soundproofing

If we talk about inexpensive single-layer versions of linoleum, then their sound insulation is almost zero. In thicker multi-layer versions, especially in the presence of a fleecy or porous layer, the sounds are partially muffled.

Laminate laid directly on a concrete floor performs even worse. But usually it is laid on a substrate, which somewhat improves the situation. One way or another, laminate is a rather noisy material. Try sprinkling something small on it, such as children's Lego pieces, and you will immediately understand what I mean.

In other words, in terms of sound insulation, linoleum looks like a better choice.

How much does laminate cost

This is an important question. In part, we have already discussed it and found out that if you do not chase super-quality, do not aim at imported materials, then the cost of a laminate can range from 400-600 rubles (for 2017).

Of course, there are more expensive, good and beautiful boards. For example, here is this German laminate that imitates the structure of a stone (in the middle in the picture). Its surface is cold and embossed:

Or this creative one:

After all, if you have money, why not buy real parquet?

At the other extreme is an inexpensive and fairly simple laminate, having a thickness of only 6 mm:

But the closest attention should be paid to those types of laminate that are sold at a discount on the stock. Their regular price indicates that this is not the worst representative in its class, and a discount of up to 30-50% makes the purchase much more pleasant:

Of course, its thickness is 7 millimeters, but since the floor in my house is properly leveled, it will be enough. One could even put a "six", but I'm not ready for such expensive experiments yet.

Based on the cost of the laminate for the promotion, the total cost of covering an area of ​​103 meters was approximately 42 thousand rubles, taking into account a 10% margin for trimming.

In addition to the coating itself, you need to purchase a substrate. Depending on the taste and wallet, you can choose either a simple material - blue porylex (a roll of 50 square meters costs 885 rubles), or denser expensive polymers (gray and pink, 15 square meters at a price of 600 rubles with kopecks), or even cork (10 square meters, thickness 1.5 mm, cost 1055 rubles):

You will also need adhesive tape to glue the substrate. You can use a special, metallized one, which prevents the penetration of water between the sheets of the substrate and supposedly has thermal insulation properties. But regular or even masking tape is fine. They are cheaper, and the result is almost the same.

Still need files for. The OBI store offered two options for paintings. One was suitable, and the other was categorically not good. Take a look at these paintings:

Their teeth are directed downwards. It is right.

Now let's look at this option:

The teeth are directed upwards. They will tear out pieces from the boards, spoil the surface. Of course, the sawn edges are usually placed against the wall under the baseboard, but it is still much more pleasant to work with canvases with the teeth pointing down.

Pay attention to the special gel for grouting cracks between planks. It is especially appropriate where there is a risk of water getting on the coating. For example, in the kitchen, in the hallway, at the entrance to the bathroom, etc. The cost of such a package is 299 rubles. It is enough for about 5 square meters of surface. We put the required number of tubes in the basket.

Finally, OBI stores offer a special French plank - a thrust bar for "tamping" already laid parts of the coating. Such a bar is needed so as not to knock with a wooden or rubber hammer on the edges of the laminate planks themselves. They can be easily deformed. But if you lay a French bar, then it becomes much more convenient to work, the risk of deformation of the coating elements is reduced.

This miracle costs nothing: 379 rubles. Because it's France!

Well, of course! Nowhere nearer such pieces of wood simply can not be obtained. You have to bring it from overseas. On the other hand, you can buy it, and then boast to your friends that the latest technologies were used in the laying of the laminate according to the European standard.

By the way, the same bar, but with a set of wedges, already costs more than 500 rubles. Because it's France!

The last thing that can come in handy is a film with which you will close the already laid laminate so as not to immediately trample it with your dirty boots :)

An important feature: how to choose a laminate

Not being a great specialist in working with these coatings, I first looked at several options for myself based on the thickness and pattern.

But my friend the seller came and said that the samples I had chosen were "not very good". I started to object, but with just one argument he won me over to his side.

Look at this photo. Here, as best I could, I tried to show such an important part of the board as the castle:

See the sideboard on the right? So here it is! On the other side of the board there is also a ledge of the corresponding shape. If you correctly connect adjacent boards, then they will hold tightly to each other. If you try to separate them, making efforts only in the horizontal plane, you will most likely fail (unless you are a strong man).

Now let's look at this option:

Although this is a more expensive version of the laminate, there is almost no rim here. This is not good. Over time, with careless movement, you can easily arrange a gap in the floor covering. For example, they were walking somewhere on the floor and braked sharply.

Laminate locks have appeared relatively recently. Previously, they did not exist and the planks were attached to each other with glue. It is believed that the lock is a more convenient thing, since it allows you to quickly install the cover and, if necessary, just as quickly remove the damaged board, replacing it with a new one.

Yes, you guessed it right - for this you have to disassemble half the floor. However, this is not difficult to do even for a person who has never touched a laminate before. They simply dismantled it, replaced the problematic element, assembled it back, screwed the baseboards into place. ALL!

If the boards were glued together... I don't even want to think what a long and "creative" process it would be.

So, when choosing a laminate, pay attention to the locks. The more relief they are, the calmer you will walk on the floor.

Conclusion

Following the practical advice of my acquaintance from the OBI seller, I bought a laminate for a promotion. It had a good price, great locks, and was 7mm thick. in my particular case was quite appropriate.

In total, 40 packages weighing 600 kilograms were required for a 103-meter house. I had to order delivery - I feel sorry for my car.

In the next article, I will show you the process of laying laminate flooring. You'll see, everything will be very simple... if you know how :)

Choosing a floor covering is not an easy task, especially when there are alternative options. Which is better, laminate or linoleum - how not to make a mistake and make the right decision?

The choice of flooring

To answer this question, we will analyze each of the coatings in terms of composition, advantages and disadvantages, and also compare their characteristics. The decisive factor in the choice should not even be the price, but the type of premises for which this or that coverage is needed. After all, the duration and quality of operation of the floor covering depends on it.

Comparison by composition

Reference: Laminate is a base made of MDF or chipboard, a layer impregnated with resins that improves protective properties, a layer of decorative paper imitating wood in appearance, and a laminating polymer coating. Linoleum, namely its synthetic variety, consists of a layer of fiberglass impregnated with PVC paste, a primer layer on which a pattern is applied, and a protective transparent PVC layer.

Natural linoleum consists of environmentally friendly materials, has a high price and excellent quality indicators, so we will compare laminate and PVC linoleum.

Like laminate, which is divided into classes depending on wear resistance, linoleum also has its own gradation. It is domestic, commercial and semi-commercial. Belonging to a particular type, as in the laminate, depends on the thickness and density of the coating.

As we can see, the laminate is more environmentally friendly in terms of composition. This is confirmed by the fact that less dangerous toxic substances will be released during the combustion of the laminate than from the combustion of linoleum.

According to the complexity of installation

The laminated coating is laid on a perfectly flat floor on a special polyethylene substrate. The complexity of fastening the panels together depends on the type of lock.

• The Click connection is easy to make yourself by snapping;
• The Lock connection involves knocking the panels with a hammer, which is best left to professionals.

Laying linoleum is not particularly difficult for any person. In addition, linoleum can visually hide small irregularities and a substrate is not required for its laying.

By durability

What is better linoleum or laminate for an apartment in terms of wear resistance?

• Firstly, it depends on the coverage class you choose.
• Secondly, if we compare these two coatings in terms of general parameters, then linoleum is less resistant to mechanical stress (it is easier to leave a dent on it from heels or furniture, scratches from animal claws).

Important! In addition, the service life of linoleum is less than that of a laminate. For comparison, for linoleum it is 10-15 years, while laminate can last up to 20 years, and more - in cases of high-class use in residential premises.

The durability of the coating also depends on the resistance to other kinds of influences. So, in terms of moisture resistance, linoleum wins significantly. He is not at all afraid of moisture, while the ingress of water into the cracks of the laminate threatens to deform and swell it. If a large amount of water gets on the coatings or is flooded, it is enough to turn over and dry the linoleum, but the laminate will most likely have to be replaced. That is why linoleum is better suited for the kitchen.

By thermal conductivity

Laminate is colder in feel. Linoleum has a low thermal conductivity, it retains heat better. However, the use of a heat-insulating substrate under the laminate will make it no worse than dense linoleum.

By soundproofing

Laminate is a harder surface, which means that it will dampen outgoing sounds from contact with it to a lesser extent. Linoleum is a softer material, it dampens sounds better. That is why it is more often used in large offices, since the silence in the work areas contributes to greater focus and efficiency of employees.

For ease of maintenance

Despite the fact that the laminate is resistant to fading in the sun, it needs careful care. It should be wiped with a well-wrung cloth with or without “soft” detergents. In addition, it is necessary to periodically clean the joints between the panels, as dirt often gets there and this can degrade the performance of the laminate. Linoleum is practically unpretentious in care, it is resistant to most detergents and is a monolithic coating without gaps.

According to external characteristics

If we compare these two coatings in terms of a variety of colors, then the choice is equally great for both linoleum and laminate. Both of these coatings can imitate both wood and tiles. Color solutions can also be varied - from light to dark, from pastel to saturated. The only thing in which a laminate can have an advantage is in a variety of textures (glossy, matte, embossed). In addition, due to the texture, the laminate looks more expensive than linoleum. Although everyone has their own opinion on this.

According to price parameters

Different classes of PVC linoleum are on average 1.5-2.5 times cheaper than the corresponding classes of laminate. It depends on the composition of the coatings: since more natural materials are used in the laminate, and it claims to be more environmentally friendly, therefore, its price will naturally be higher.

Laminate or linoleum: which is better? Expert opinion. Taking into account all the pros and cons of the described floor coverings, experts recommend paying attention to the type of room for which the flooring is selected. As we were able to find out, laminate has its own advantages: it is relatively environmentally friendly, has a richer appearance, is resistant to mechanical stress and has a significant service life with proper care. Otherwise, linoleum is superior to laminate in terms of characteristics, it is easier to maintain and install, better resists moisture, and has better sound and heat insulation properties.

Depending on these properties, experts advise using linoleum for offices with high traffic, for the kitchen, as well as for loggias and balconies. However, if the linoleum is of poor quality, there is a risk that it may crack in severe frosts. For the bedroom, living room and corridors, it is preferable to use laminate as it is more natural and presentable in appearance.

In the hallway or entrance area, it is still better to use linoleum if you live where there is a snowy winter. This is more reasonable because the laminate reacts worse to contact with water, and in winter, as you know, we often bring snow on our shoes, which turns into water indoors.

Which is better: laminate or ordinary linoleum - summing up

In choosing between these two coatings, consumer opinions and reviews are roughly divided in half. Someone considers laminate to be warmer than linoleum, someone chooses semi-commercial or commercial linoleum and is satisfied with its quality and thermal insulation. Of course, in order to improve all the properties of any coating, it is enough just to select its class with a higher level (while remembering the higher price). Many people love laminate for its appearance, it is natural when the consumer has a desire to create the impression of an expensive repair for reasonable money (because visually it looks like parquet). However, it is important to understand that the external "high cost" should not be the decisive factor in the choice.

What to choose - laminate or linoleum in the apartment - it's up to you. If you often change the interior or live in a rented apartment - do not choose coatings that are too expensive, do not succumb to the persuasion of sellers. The choice between linoleum and laminate should be based solely on your needs and the characteristics of the room.

Carefully study all the pros and cons, decide what is right for you. Visit several specialized hardware stores, listen to the recommendations of different specialists, if the choice of flooring is an important issue for you. Often, not only the external picture of your kitchen, bedroom and nursery depends on this. Sometimes the health of your family members also depends on the right choice of flooring. Demand a detailed and accessible product description, certificates and warranties. And we wish you good luck with your choice.

Not an exception. Some prefer visual appeal. For others, performance is important. For others, price is the deciding factor. Let's find out what is better to use in the apartment: laminate or. For an objective assessment, we will understand the features of both options and compare them according to ten criteria.

What is linoleum

The floor covering is made from natural or synthetic raw materials. Depending on the components used, it may differ in structure and properties. Unlike other coatings, it is produced in rolls, which allows you to quickly lay the floor in a single continuous sheet. The structure of modern products consists of several layers:

1. . It is made of foamed PVC or felt. Levels light unevenness of the base, increases sound and heat insulation.
2. Fiberglass. Gives strength, resistance to linear expansions and deformations. Protects from being crushed by heels and furniture.
3. face layer. Serves as the basis for applying a decorative pattern. The brightness and clarity of the image depends on the type of raw material.
4. transport layer. Gives resistance to abrasion. It is its thickness that determines the life of the floor. protective layer. Prevents the fixation of dirt on the surface, makes cleaning quick and easy.

Varieties of material

PVC coating is widely used. We will consider it in comparison. But there are other implementations as well. Before finally deciding what or linoleum, we will consider all types of rolled floors in more detail:

• Natural. Made from vegetable raw materials. The most popular type of product, marmoleum, is made from jute, wood flour and chalk. It is the most expensive, but environmentally friendly and safe. Best suited for children's rooms.
• Nitrocellulose. Possesses high durability at the minimum thickness. Not widely used due to increased flammability. Suitable for laying in wet areas: bathrooms, bathrooms, showers.
• Glyphthal. Represents a fabric basis with a front layer from plastic. Provides high heat and sound insulation. It is not resistant to shear deformations, so folds appear in passage places over time.
• Rubber. Belongs to the special category. It is elastic, non-slippery, resistant to deformation and softens falls. Great for gyms and play areas.
• PVC. The production technology allows to produce wear-resistant products of different textures and colors, while maintaining an affordable price. Products are widely used in living rooms, office and industrial premises.

Pros and cons of linoleum

Advantages:

• Ease of installation. It is enough to roll out the roll, and cut it to size near the walls. On large areas, you have to glue it, but this also does not take much time.
• Wear resistance. Modern technologies allow to achieve high abrasion, compressive and shear strength. If you want to play it safe, you can use commercial-grade products at home. Its service life reaches 20 years. In both cases, it is possible to push through the surface with a point load: a thin shoe stud or a furniture leg.
• Thermal conductivity and sound insulation. Products with a foam or felt backing are "warm" and do a good job of suppressing noise from downstairs neighbors.
• Ease of cleaning. There are no seams or joints where dirt can clog. The front side practically does not interact with dirt, which allows you to quickly remove them.
• Affordable price. High-quality commercial samples cannot be called cheap. But they do not need additional substrates, and you can mount everything with your own hands.

Disadvantages:

• Difficulty of transportation. The length of the roll is equal to the width of the room. When delivering material for large rooms, you have to use the services of carriers, even if you have your own car.
• Low maintainability. In case of damage, you have to completely re-lay the floor.

The material is in demand among people who put in the first place not external sophistication, but practicality. Due to the high speed of installation and good technical performance, such a floor is often used in public buildings.

Varieties of material

The most important parameters that determine reliability are stiffness and strength. They depend on the thickness of the lamellae. They produce 7 sizes from 6 to 12 mm. With an increase in thickness, strength, heat and sound insulation increase.

The type of lock that fastens the panels together affects the speed and quality of laying. There are two options:

• lock. A spike is located on one side of the docking profile, and a groove on the other. Their size is made so that one part goes into the other with a slight interference. It's hard to put them in and out by hand. You have to use a mallet. Now such a connection is rarely used.
• click. Docking edges are made in the form of a hook. During installation, one panel is inserted into another at an angle of 45 degrees, and by transferring it to a horizontal position it is securely fixed. Thanks to this design, you can quickly and efficiently assemble the floor yourself.

Among the many textures and colors, we single out three types of front finishes for lamellas that affect the practicality of use:

• Glossy. They shine nicely in the sun. But a perfectly smooth surface is more slippery. It is not always convenient to move around for children and the elderly.
• textured. Textured vinyl floors with leather and stone textures have become popular. Dirt clogs in the recesses and irregularities, which makes cleaning difficult.
• Matte. Products become an ideal option if the exclusive appearance is not the most important indicator for you. They are smooth but not slippery. A bright pattern can repeat any texture.

Pros and cons of laminate

Advantages:

• Wear resistance. The protective layer on the surface of the lamellas makes the floors resistant to abrasion. With sufficient thickness, there are no traces of furniture legs and stiletto shoes. But chipping from shock loads is possible.
• Maintainability. If a defect occurs, it is enough to replace the damaged panel.
• Ease of transportation. Piece products are packed in small packs. They are easy to transport by private car.

Disadvantages:

• Noise. The stoves make ringing sounds when walking in street shoes. Therefore, they are rarely used in public buildings.
• cleaning features. The joints and end edges of the lamellas expand with prolonged exposure to water, which leads to deformation of the floor. You need to be careful when cleaning wet and remove spilled liquid in a timely manner.
• Price. The cost of high-quality panels is comparable to the price of rolled products. But you need to buy additional padding.
• Difficulty of installation. Modern boards are easy to install. You can even do these things on your own. But, compared with laying rolled flooring, you have to spend several times more time.

In practice, the floor has become widespread in apartments. Lamellas serve as an imitation of parquet, in some cases they look more profitable and presentable.

There are several parameters that are approximately the same for both materials, for example, if you start comparing which is more environmentally friendly - laminate or linoleum. In the production of both sexes, synthetic raw materials are used. This creates problems for disposal. But the surfaces themselves do not emit harmful substances, therefore they are safe.

In appearance, modern floors are practically not inferior to each other. A significant difference is visible only if, in an attempt to save money, you start buying products on the principle of “which is cheaper”.

Floor classification

Depending on the type of loads and the purpose of the premises, both types of products are divided into classes, which are marked with numbers. Their main difference is the thickness of the protective layer (indicated in brackets). The parameter must be prescribed in the technical specifications. It must be taken into account when choosing the type of floor.

Domestic:

• 21 (0.15 mm) Fits in rooms where people rarely go - wardrobe, pantry, bedroom.
• 22 (0.20 mm) Suitable for the constant presence of a person in the room - kitchens, living rooms, offices.
• 23 (0.25 mm) Used in heavy-duty environments, such as when there are many people living in the house. Suitable for corridor, kitchen or hallway.

Commercial:

• 31 (0.35 mm) Spread in rooms with low traffic - meeting rooms, hotel rooms.
• 32 (0.45 mm) Used for moderate wear in reception areas or offices with up to 25 employees.
• 33 (0.55 mm) They are laid with high traffic of people - corridors, classrooms.
• 34 (0.80 mm) Suitable for very high wear rates - shopping malls, airports, train stations.

Despite the strength characteristics, they are all designed for normal operating conditions. When you need to get special properties, for example, choose the option that is warmer, you should pay attention to special coatings:

• antibacterial;
• anti-slip;
• acoustic;
• antistatic.

Linoleum or laminate: comparing the pros and cons of coatings

Above we have given the advantages and disadvantages of each type of floor. For ease of analysis, we combine the data in a pivot table.

Both options are worth considering. Judging by the technical parameters, they do not have critical shortcomings or undeniable advantages. It is only important to take into account the characteristics of each material in relation to specific operating conditions.

Before proceeding with the choice, it is important to study the reviews of experts and consumers. We suggest watching a video from which you will learn which is better, according to the expert, laminate or linoleum.

• Material prepared: Igor Stepankov

If the repair is focused on affordable flooring, then you will have to choose from two options - laminate or linoleum. In both options, the price is almost the same, but the materials have their advantages and disadvantages. To make it easier for you to make a choice, let's look at the coatings individually and compare their performance and aesthetic characteristics.

Modern linoleum is associated with artificial materials. However, Frederick Walton, the inventor of this flooring, conceived it exclusively as a natural flooring. For a century and a half that have passed since its inception, the main component, linseed oil, has been forced out of linoleum. Natural linoleum is still used today, but polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is most often used as a binder. It makes no sense to compare absolutely natural linoleum with laminate, due to the obvious advantage of the latter. Therefore, further we are talking only about the coating with a PVC base. Conventionally, it can be classified into three categories.

• Household linoleum. The thickness does not exceed 4 mm. It has a complex structure - more often it is a foam material, on top of which there is a decorative layer with a protective surface. This type of linoleum has a short service life, which is offset by a low price and a soft base.
• commercial linoleum. The most dense canvas with maximum wear resistance. The appearance of such material is given less attention, so the choice of pattern and colors is slightly limited. The surface is sometimes specially treated to reduce slip.
• Semi-commercial linoleum. The structure is similar to the household version, but the protective layer is thicker and is at least 0.7 mm thick.

The cost of linoleum is strongly influenced by the presence or absence of a base of insulation.

Basically, the pattern of linoleum imitates natural materials - wood, marble and natural stone. In variants of linoleum for the kitchen, a pattern imitating ceramic tiles is often used.

Care and appearance

With an imitation of a coating made of natural material, the laminate copes many times better. Floors made of laminate look attractive primarily because they are very reminiscent of classic parquet. In addition to imitation of wood, there is no fundamental difference between a laminated board and linoleum.

Maintaining the original attractiveness of the laminate is much more difficult. It practically does not fade in the sun, but requires careful care. It is necessary to wash such floors with special means. Linoleum is enough ordinary water.

Prices

Which is cheaper: linoleum or laminate? Depending on the characteristics you need, there are several answers to this question. High-quality linoleum is practically not inferior to laminate in price, but on average, linoleum is usually cheaper. The use of natural materials in a laminated board implies high environmental safety, but also sets the price bar higher than the minimum cost of linoleum.

Conclusion

Both materials have unique characteristics, and each of them can be successfully used in certain conditions. That is why it is most effective to use different types of floor coverings in different rooms. If we are talking about a balcony or loggia, then linoleum will look better, and in the room and living room, it is more profitable to use laminate. In any case, when choosing a floor covering, you should not start the search with the cheapest option, because the main source of savings is its service life.

The market for interior finishing materials offers a wide range of floor coverings that differ in appearance and technical characteristics. Homeowners often cannot decide what to put on the floor - linoleum or laminate, as they are the most popular and practical, but at the same time they have different performance properties. A little comparative analysis will help resolve the dilemma.

Most of the linoleum produced is synthetic products, the so-called PVC linoleum, which is based on polyvinyl chloride. It consists of several layers:

• Foamed vinyl;
• Fiberglass deformation layer;
• Decorative drawing;
• protective layer.

PVC coatings are divided into several types:

• Household linoleum (grade 21-23). Can only be used in residential areas. 21 cells less stable, so it is practically not mounted. 22 is optimized for flooring in rooms with medium floor traffic, and 23 - with high. The thickness of the protective layer is from 0.15 to 0.35 mm with a total thickness of 1.5-3 mm. Service life - 5 years. Also produced reinforced household. The useful life can reach about 10 years due to the increased thickness.
• Semi-commercial linoleum (grade 31-33). 31 cells suitable for commercial premises with low traffic, 32 - with medium, and 33 - with high traffic. The thickness of the protective layer is 0.5-0.7 mm, the total thickness is 1.8-3.5 mm. Service life - 10 years.
• Commercial linoleum (grades 34-43) is the most durable. Class 34 is used in offices with a high intensity of use. 41-43 - classes of industrial use. The thickness of the protective layer reaches 1 mm with a web thickness of 2-5 mm. Service life - 15 years.

In addition, the entire material is divided into homogeneous (homogeneous, single-layer) and heterogeneous (multilayer).

Natural canvases (jute, felt, cork) deserve special attention. They are based on natural ingredients only. As a rule, the price is much higher than PVC.

Linoleum has many advantages - it is strength, excellent heat and sound insulation, unique ease of installation and dismantling, practicality and low cost.

Disadvantages of linoleum

There are two disadvantages of natural coating - high cost and poor moisture resistance. PVC has much more of them:

• Insecurity and sometimes even harm to linoleum: there is a sharp chemical smell. Most of the products are characterized by strong flammability (KM5) and only a few have a KM2 class.
• Incompatibility with the "warm floor" system;
• Instability to pressing loads (heels, furniture legs, wheel rollers, etc.);
• Vapor resistance;
• The need for thorough ground preparation.