Laminate or linoleum is better, what to choose, what is cheaper, what is more harmful + Video

The modern market offers a large selection of various floor coverings. They look great in luxury mansions and in typical standard apartments. Laminate and linoleum won deserved popularity. The cost of good linoleum, laminate is almost the same. In appearance, preference is given to laminate. But not always such coverage can please durability. The question arises: laminate or linoleum, which is better? Definitely not an answer.

It is not always the priority when choosing a coating that is quality. Often the owners pay special attention to the design of the apartment, the original design. But still compare linoleum and laminate try to decide in which case we may need this or that coating.

Advantages and disadvantages of linoleum

We will not consider natural linoleum. Of course, it is ridiculous to compare it with artificial laminate. These are really different weight categories. Therefore, it would be correct to compare synthetic linoleum and artificial laminate.

There are three main types of PVC linoleum: household, semi-commercial and commercial.

Commercial linoleum is considered to be the most dense and durable. It is desirable to use in areas with high attendance and traffic. It is recommended to apply to high-quality flooring in offices, medical, educational institutions, in commercial premises.

Household linoleum is not so durable. But great for any living space. It is not difficult to choose a color that is ideal for your apartment.

We should pay tribute to semi-commercial linoleum. Undoubtedly, it will serve longer than domestic, as more durable. At the same time, a huge range of colors will not disappoint the most demanding customer. Semi-commercial linoleum can decorate living spaces and cover the floors inside public buildings.

The advantages of linoleum:

• Low cost.
• Rich selection of colors. You can easily choose the floor covering that is ideal for any design decision.
• Easy installation: you don't have to be a professional to lay linoleum yourself.
• Linoleum has a comfortable temperature. It is rarely cold due to its low thermal conductivity.
• Synthetic linoleum never decays, is not afraid of moisture.
• May serve as additional protection against extraneous sounds. Excellent noise insulator.
• Good linoleum does not slip.
• With respect for linoleum looks great. The service life of 30-50 years.

Disadvantages of linoleum:

• It must be agreed that artificial linoleum is significantly inferior in terms of environmental friendliness, quality and beauty to natural wood flooring.
• Under the weight of furniture on linoleum there are ugly dents.
• Cheap linoleum at high temperatures is deformed. When exposed to low temperatures can gradually become covered with cracks.
• Controversial flaw: linoleum looks cheap.

It is difficult to agree with the last drawback. Modern linoleum perfectly imitates wooden floor, expensive tile, laminate. Sometimes it is hard to believe that this is synthetic linoleum, imitation looks so believable.

Linoleum imitating laminate.
Photo - srbu. en

Advantages and disadvantages of laminate

Artificial laminate is a multilayered finishing material.

The composition of the laminate:

• main inner layer of MDF or chipboard;
• substrate;
• decorative colored paper;
• upper polymer layer;
• there may be additional layers that increase the quality and strength of the laminate.

Laminate can be qualified for wear resistance classes.

Laminate class 21-23 is used for residential premises.

For flooring in public premises, use class 31-33 laminate. Wear-resistant laminate flooring is excellent for offices, cafes, children’s and educational institutions, gyms.

A waterproof laminate was created especially for the kitchen. Often referred to as "laminate for the kitchen." It is ideal for use in wet areas. In it, the joints of laminated "plates" are impregnated with a special moisture-resistant substance.

Laminate can imitate natural wood, ceramic tile, stone, metal, sand. Looks beautiful glossy matte laminate. Often modern laminate imitates the structure of wood, stone, and their patterns.

Advantages of the laminate:

• much cheaper than parquet or tile;
• imitates wood floor in a very realistic way, thanks to a variety of colors;
• quick installation of laminate - mounted in a simple "lock" way.

Disadvantages of laminate:

• Normal cheap laminate is not recommended to be laid in kitchens. When installed in wet rooms, it can last for about 5 years.
• Special care should be taken when operating. If a knife or other sharp object falls from the table, there is a greater chance of damage to the laminate.
• It is not recommended to frequently wash or use chemical cleaners. Great risk to spoil the appearance of the laminate. Often with improper care appear indelible light spots.
• The seams are not perfectly tight. Over time, dirt and moisture accumulate in the joints. The condition of the coating deteriorates and the floor begins to creak.
• Do not forget: the laminate should not be exposed to prolonged exposure to water! If you accidentally forgot to close the faucet, which led to a small flood, the replacement of the laminate cannot be avoided.
• So, all the advantages, disadvantages of both linoleum and laminate are listed. Let's get to the comparison of technical specifications.

Laminate laid in the room

Comparison of the technical characteristics of linoleum and laminate

Wear resistance

If you in the apartment is laminate, you can safely walk in high heels. Durable laminate is not afraid of the sharp claws of your cat or dog. Even with the frequent rearrangement of furniture or household appliances you will not have to get upset at the sight of dents and ugly traces.

A completely different attitude to artificial linoleum. Here we must not forget about the constant care. Ugly dents remain from sharp and heavy objects. If accidentally contact occurs with a very hot object (for example, a burning match, a fallen saucepan with boiling water), there are traces of melting.

Water resistance

This is where linoleum undoubtedly wins. Even if a lot of water collects on the surface, it will simply dry and evaporate, but it will not bring any harm to the coating. The color and appearance of linoleum will not suffer.

A large amount of water on the laminate gradually causes the surface to be coated with bubbles. This defect cannot be repaired and the floors have to be changed.

Appearance

Here you can not give preference to either the laminate or linoleum. They both perfectly imitate various natural materials: wood, marble, natural stone, granite chips. The decision depends on the taste, design and interior of the apartment, personal preference.

Care feature

Linoleum does not require complex care. Ordinary detergents can be used for cleaning and wet cleaning.

You should pay more attention to laminate. Do not allow dirt, moisture to get into the seams, joints. It is necessary to clean the joints regularly. For processing use special detergents.

Thermal insulation

Linoleum is characterized by relatively low thermal conductivity. It retains heat better than laminate.

Which is cheaper than linoleum or laminate

The cost of linoleum and laminate is almost the same. If you choose in terms of quality, then high-quality linoleum and good-quality laminate do not differ much in price category. Therefore, only the consumer has the right to choose one or the other material for the flooring.

Installation

For a high-quality installation of the laminate it is necessary to prepare a perfectly flat surface. This restriction does not exist for linoleum, which greatly simplifies the installation. The only difficulty is to perform quality work in the presence of protrusions. But laying linoleum can easily perform layman.

If it is necessary to level the surface, it is better to entrust the installation of the laminate to specialists.

What to choose laminate or linoleum depending from the room

For residential premises, you can choose less toxic Aminat. In addition, it is more fashionable and pleasant to the touch. Laminate flooring is ideal for the living room, bedroom, home corridor.

For the kitchen, you can give preference to linoleum. If you lay laminate on the kitchen, then most likely, in 4-7 years its aesthetic appearance will deteriorate and you will have to change it.

Commercial linoleum is recommended for offices. After all, laminated floors begin to creak over time. Of course, this can negatively affect the image of the company. In addition, there is another major drawback. Laminate has poor sound insulation. If a lot of people walk through the corridors in the office, noise is created.Such an environment does not contribute to the good performance of employees.

If there is a question of flooring for a balcony or loggia, we recommend to ask the price for linoleum. From the increased humidity and cold laminate becomes unusable. Linoleum is good for such flooring.

So what’s better, beautiful linoleum or laminate is up to you. But do not always trust sellers. Sometimes they simply seek to sell a product quickly and profitably. Determine for yourself the criteria for choosing the coverage: for which room, whether color, texture, quality is important. This will help you make the right choice.

Video: Advantages and disadvantages of linoleum and laminate