Marmoleum – a new look at flooring

Recommendation points

• Demand creates supply
• What is marmoleum
• Marmoleum in rolls
• The main myth about rolled marmoleum
• Piece marmoleum
• The main myth about piece marmoleum

In this article, you will learn what marmoleum is and how to properly handle it. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this new material and provide video instructions for installation. The article contains data on prices for marmoleum and the reasons for creating the material.

Demand creates supply

The highest requirements are imposed on roll floor finishing materials: they must be durable, beautiful, resistant to abrasion and other types of wear – to withstand the traffic and load from furniture. On the other hand, they are required to be safe during operation (non-toxic) and fire safety, since use in residential premises should be harmless to human health and life..

The undisputed leaders of the “people’s choice” are linoleum and laminated MDF panels (laminate). Convenience of installation, coupled with durability and a huge range of products, push the buyer to “vote with the ruble” for these products. The leveled price sometimes makes you think about the eternal question – which is better, linoleum or laminate?

Manufacturers in pursuit of a client have two options for action – to invent a new one or to modernize an old proven one. In the case of linoleum and laminate, they decided to go the second way and “crossed” these two materials. As a result, a new material was born on the basis of well-studied old ones – marmoleum.

Note.The word “marmoleum” (marmoleum) is the name of the new material line of the Forbo company. It became a household name for all subsequent versions of different companies. The same incident happened once with the Xerox company and their first copying machines in Russia. Since then, all copiers are called “copiers”.

What is marmoleum

This material can hardly be called fundamentally new. Rather, it is an old technology that uses modern materials and equipment. The result is two products – rolled and panel (tile) marmoleum.

Marmoleum in rolls

Marmoleum in rolls is a type of linoleum with a PVC base, to which cork chips are added during production. This gives sound and heat insulating properties. Another function of the crumb is to provide flexibility. The fact is that the same principle is used in marmoleum as in linoleum – a PVC base with a wear-resistant coating.

The base itself is flexible, elastic, and the coating is relatively thin, so the material is malleable. However, this flexibility is needed only at the time of installation for the convenience of the master. In operation, pliable linoleum has a number of negative properties, which are eliminated in marmoleum:

1. Increase in linear dimensions during operation. The masters say “it is growing”. If the linoleum, laid without glue, is not allowed to “mature” and pressed with a plinth, bubbles will appear within 6 months. Faced with an obstacle, linoleum continues to expand. Marmoleum increases in size only to the obstacle.
2. A soft structure, on which pits from furniture remain, or even through holes. Marmoleum lacks good elasticity for two reasons, one of which is a more rigid coating composition, which gives phenomenal wear resistance (for roll materials) and durability. This composition also keeps the sheet from excessive expansion..
3. Cork chips weaken the original elasticity of the PVC base, but at the same time replace the potentially harmful chemical polymers that are so dangerous when burning. In addition, it significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the layer..

A comparative analysis shows that when “modernizing” linoleum, engineers focused not on consumer (installation, storage, sale), but on operational (durability, stability, wear resistance) properties of the material. In most cases, marmoleum has its own cork backing glued to the base from below. This allows it to be laid directly on the cement screed..

The main myth about rolled marmoleum

The fragility of this material is legendary. You can hear them in the ranks of those masters who have never held it in their hands. In fact, everything is not so scary. Yes, it is more fragile than linoleum. But factories are unlikely to produce material, and even for export, which cannot be packed, right? Rolling, trimming, shifting goes like clockwork, if you handle the material carefully – do not bend, do not throw, do not roll many times in a row – in a word, follow the instructions.

The second factor giving rise to these speculations is the rigidity of the coating. Home craftsmen are used to laying linoleum with only a knife and a rule. Marmoleum requires a more serious approach and an arsenal of tools. Reluctance to acquire and master professional tools sometimes pushes people to slander this material. The video brilliantly demonstrates the properties of the material, the master’s arsenal and the installation method.

Marmoleum flooring – professional video

The third and last factor is counterfeit or material with deliberately lowered properties (in order to reduce the cost and market price). Everything is simple here – for marmoleum it is cheaper than 25 USD. e. / sq. m cannot vouch.

Prices for rolled Forbo marmoleum for 1 sq. m

Name	Price, cu e. (euro)
Standard
Marmoleum Linoflex	21
Marmoleum marbled real	21.5
Marmoleum marbled fresco	22.5
Marmoleum marbled vivace	25
Marmoleum Linear Striato	25.5
Marmoleum Dutch Design	27
Sports
Marmoleum Sport 3.2	thirty
Marmoleum Sport 4.0	43
Soundproof
Marmoleum Acoustic	36.5
Marmoleum decibel	48.5
Current dissipative
Marmoleum ohmex	45.5

Piece marmoleum

This term means a material on a solid base with specific dimensions and a locking edge.

As mentioned above, this is a laminate with advanced properties. Panels 900×300, tiles 300×300 or 500×500 have taken the best from the laminate – a solid, reliable base from MDF, which has proven itself brilliantly. The composition of the coating is the same as that used for roll.

Marmoleum panels received an improved groove-ridge locking edge system, which provides for the installation of the lock on glue. With a declared service life of 30 years, this installation method is quite justified. The base itself received a more rigid modification of MDF, comparable in properties to pine wood (in terms of bending stiffness) and tiles (in terms of the hardness of vertical loads). The panel is almost 10 mm thick.

Interesting fact.In Europe, the homeland of marmoleum, it is laid on glue mainly in public areas. In residential buildings, they are often asked to carry out “dry” installation. This is due to the possibility of quick dismantling during repairs, since the piece marmoleum is changed before the first signs of wear appear due to the desire to “refresh” the interior.

The main myth about piece marmoleum

Incredible prickly coating when trimming – impossible to work with a jigsaw. In fact, even without taking the material in hand, one can conclude about its properties – a more rigid (than laminate) base on which the hard coating layer is held. Such a composition does not allow even small sections to break off, which is easy to see by watching the video.

Slab marmoleum “Forbo” – video with installation instructions

The laying of this material is identical to the laminate and those who have already dealt with it will cope with the marmoleum..

Prices for piece Forbo marmoleum for 1 sq. m

Name	Price, cu e.
Tiles
Marmoleum Dual 300×300	thirty
Marmoleum Dual 500×500	thirty
Laminate (with lock)
Marmoleum Click 900х300	45.5
Marmoleum Click 300х300	53.5

Like any material, marmoleum has its drawbacks – a relatively high price, installation difficulties and limited geometry of piece elements. However, it is gaining popularity in international markets, captivating with its durability and environmental friendliness. Without a doubt, such an evolution of familiar materials can only please the consumer by expanding the range.