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Advantages linoleum

At a cost of floor coverings can be distributed from expensive to affordable in the following sequence: parquet, flooring, tile, carpet, laminate, linoleum. Last is becoming more widespread, and not only because of low cost. He has a lot of other advantages, which we now describe.
 
What we see under your feet - this is often not linoleum, or rather do not natural linoleum, and its synthetic counterpart, which is the custom to call the PVC-coated. A natural linoleum - a rare thing enough and has excellent qualities.
This eco-friendly and completely natural material, durable and resistant to abrasion. It was invented back in the mid-nineteenth century, and were made of flax oil (linum oleum and translated - " flaxseed oil ") and resin adding more wood flour and chalk. Then the mixture was rolled on a jute cloth. The development of chemical and petrochemical industry was a blow to linoleum factories and natural linoleum pressed cheaper in the production of artificial competitor. To date, natural linoleum produce only enterprise Forbo, DLW and Sommer. Its classic design - solid color with light marble divorce, although it may be all the colors of the rainbow. Thanks linseed oil This material has excellent antibacterial properties, and throughout the life cover, so it is often used in hospitals, children's and educational institutions, sports and recreational facilities. In recent years, it appreciated by the owners of country houses.
Antistatic, flame-resistant to household chemicals and aggressive Wednesdays, not pressed his heels. It is only necessary every six months to rub its mastic, to stay in shape.
 
 
 
The undeniable advantage of natural Linoleum - resistance to heat the floor (even if the temperature is above 30 degrees Celsius). This is the best option coverage, when there is heat floor, whether local or general. Linoleum can say out of the situation, when the room is carried out the system " underfloor ". All of his apparent coldness instantly forgettable, especially since the current selection of colors and decor are so diverse that it is not immediately recognized him as linoleum. Linoleum hard and brittle, not flexible as PVC-coated, transportation and laying it requires careful handling. Its cost is higher artificial - $ 15-20 per square meter. But it is a long time - 30-40 years.
 
 
 
By the method of production of PVC-linoleum has nothing to do with the natural.
It is made of synthetic resin of polyvinyl chloride with plasticizer additives, pigments and fillers. Depending on the composition and manufacturing PVC linoleum web is divided into homogeneous and heterogeneous. Homogeneous is the uniform sheet thickness 1,5-03 mm. It is made of PVC granules, lime and dyes. He has spotted, speckled pattern, and the entire depth of the coating. Therefore less susceptible to wear during the operation and is used in areas with high operating loads in the shops, airports, corridors parade.
 
Heterogeneous got its name from the fact that it consists of several fabric layers with a total thickness of from 2 to 6 mm. Its production uses a reinforcing glass fiber, which plays the role of a skeleton. On top of this fiberglass sprinkled colorful tiny beads and covered with a protective layer. They seemed to float inside a transparent layer of PVC, creating a surround effect pattern. Heterogeneous Linoleum is more expensive and harder to produce than the homogeneous, but different rich selection of drawings and provides a great opportunity in terms of design.
 
 
 
For areas with specific requirements manufacturers have developed several heterogeneous types of special linoleum. During their production in advance defined and amplified by some specific properties: high sound-, hydro- or electrical insulation, thermal or cold resistance, resistance to aggressive media. There is, for example, non-slip linoleum with bumps, pimples.
 
 
 
According to the presence or absence of a basis (substrate) are divided into basic linoleum and baseless. The substrates are usually made from natural and synthetic fabrics, felt, even the bark of cork oak. But more often it becomes the basis of foamed PVC. On the reverse side it looks like a sponge with tiny pores.
 
 
 
On the application of PVC coverings are divided into three groups: domestic, commercial and semi-commercial. Household linoleum - is usually a heterogeneous coating to the substrate, with low performance characteristics and low cost. He may lack the upper protective layer. Commercial linoleum Unlike consumer must withstand much more severe burden. It is designed for areas where there are many people (offices, shops, schools, hotels), and therefore has high durability. It is thicker and more durable protective layer and the substrate, depending on the application, may or may not have. For commercial group includes all kinds spetslinoleumov. Semi-commercial is designed for small offices, bars, hotel rooms. At the performance level he occupies an intermediate position between the domestic and commercial. As we see, scope of PVC linoleum is extremely high. His weaknesses - low melting point, softness and instability of the solvent.
 
 
 
In order to give flexibility to vinyl flooring it adds harmful plasticizers. Always give preference to products known firms because they own the technology of production of plastic material with minimum plasticizers. The quality of their claims is not linoleum - when bent fabric substrate they never crack and will not break under tension. Producers (who are mostly Tarkett, Armstrong, Forbo, Sommer, DLW, Sinteros) offers a classic design with linoleum flooring imitation, natural stone and ceramic tiles, as well as with abstract and geometric drawings. Prices start at home linoleum 5-7 USD. Per square. m. The price of commercial linoleum higher - from $ 10-15. per sq.
 
We are used to seeing on the linoleum floor, but they are sometimes decorated with and walls. Experienced professionals, using different colors and simulated textures mosaic borders, inserts, panels, can lay the whole mosaic pictures and applications.
 
 
 
Great scope for imagination give coverage modular vinyl and PVC, which are called " design tiles ". Their form is diverse: the squares size 30x30 cm, different boxes that mimic stone, wood board and even metal. There are also tiles with embossed surface, posing as cracked wooden boards or rough granite. Alternation different tiles can create some very interesting combinations that with natural materials would be pretty hard to do. Give the floor complete form allows you to set decorations (borders, corners). Scope of PVC tile widest: from representative premises of class " Suite " to ordinary apartments.
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