Laminate or linoleum which is better - comparison of characteristics
The modern market offers a wide selection of diverse flooring. They look great in chic mansions and in typical standard apartments. Laminate and linoleum have gained deserved popularity. The cost of a good linoleum, laminate is almost the same. In appearance, preference is given to the laminate. But not always such a coating can please durability. The question arises: laminate or linoleum, which is better? Definitely it is impossible to answer.
Quality is not always a priority when choosing a coating. Often the owners pay special attention to the design of the apartment, the original design. But still, we compare linoleum and laminate, we will try to decide in which case one or another coating can come in handy.
Advantages and disadvantages of linoleum
We will not consider natural linoleum. Of course, it’s ridiculous to compare it with an artificial laminate. These are really different weight categories. Therefore, a comparison of synthetic linoleum and artificial laminate will be true.
Three main types of PVC linoleum can be distinguished: household, semi-commercial and commercial.
The most dense and durable is considered commercial linoleum. It is desirable to use it in rooms with high traffic and traffic. It is recommended to use for high-quality flooring in offices, medical, educational institutions, in retail premises.
Household linoleum is not so durable. But great for any living quarters. It will not be difficult to choose a color that is ideal for your apartment.
We must pay tribute to the semi-commercial linoleum. Undoubtedly, it will last longer than a household, as it is more durable. At the same time, a huge assortment of colors will not disappoint the most demanding customer. Semi-commercial linoleum can decorate living spaces and cover floors inside public buildings.
The benefits of linoleum:
- Low cost.
- A wide selection of colors. You can easily choose a floor covering that is ideal for any design decision.
- Ease of installation: it is not necessary 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 rots, is not afraid of moisture.
- It can serve as additional protection against extraneous sounds. Excellent noise isolator.
- Good linoleum does not slip.
- With a careful attitude, linoleum looks great. Service life 30-50 years.
The disadvantages of linoleum:
- It must be agreed that artificial linoleum is significantly inferior in environmental friendliness, quality and beauty to a natural wooden floor.
- Ugly dents remain under the weight of the furniture on the linoleum.
- Cheap linoleum is deformed at high temperatures. When exposed to low temperatures, it may gradually become cracked.
- Controversial drawback: linoleum looks cheap.
It’s hard to agree with the last flaw. Modern linoleum perfectly imitates a wooden floor, expensive tiles, laminate. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that this is a synthetic linoleum, imitation looks so believable.
Linoleum imitating laminate.
Photo - Electricianexp.com
Advantages and disadvantages of laminate flooring
Artificial laminate is a multilayer finishing material.
Laminate composition:
- the main inner layer of MDF or particleboard;
- substrate;
- decorative colored paper;
- top 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 of a class 21-23 is applied to premises.
For flooring in public areas, a laminate of class 31-33 is used. For offices, cafes, children's and educational institutions, gyms, a wear-resistant laminate is excellent.
Especially for the kitchen they created a moisture resistant laminate. Often it is called "laminate for the kitchen." It is ideal for use in humid environments. In it, the joints of the laminated "boards" are saturated with a special moisture-resistant substance.
Laminate can imitate natural wood, ceramic tiles, stone, metal, sand. Glossy, matte laminate looks beautiful. Often a modern laminate imitates the structure of wood, stone, their patterns.
Laminate Benefits:
- much cheaper than parquet or tile;
- imitates a wooden floor very realistically, thanks to a variety of colors;
- quick installation of the laminate - it is mounted in a simple "castle" way.
Laminate disadvantages:
- Plain cheap laminate is not recommended for laying in kitchens. When installed in humid rooms, it can last about 5 years.
- During operation, special care should be taken. If a knife or other sharp object falls off the table, there is a high probability of damage to the laminate.
- It is not recommended to wash or use chemical cleaners frequently. Great risk of spoiling the appearance of the laminate. Often with improper care, indelible light spots appear.
- Seams do not have perfect tightness. Over time, dirt and moisture accumulate in the joints. The condition of the coating worsens and the floor begins to creak.
- Do not forget: the laminate must not be exposed to prolonged exposure to water! If you accidentally forget to close the faucet, resulting in a small flood, laminate replacement cannot be avoided.
- So, all the advantages, disadvantages of both linoleum and laminate are listed. Let's move on to a comparison of specifications.
Laminate in the room
Comparison of the technical characteristics of linoleum and laminate
Wear resistance
If you have laminate flooring in your apartment, you can safely walk in high heels. Durable laminate is not afraid of the sharp claws of your cat or dog. Even with frequent rearrangement of furniture or household appliances, you do not have to be upset at the sight of dents and ugly marks.
A completely different attitude to artificial linoleum. Here we must not forget about the constant respect. Ugly dents remain from sharp and heavy objects. If accidental contact with a very hot object occurs (for example, a burning match, a dropped pan with boiling water), traces of reflow remain.
Water resistance
It is here that linoleum undoubtedly wins. Even if a lot of water collects on the surface, it will simply dry and evaporate, but will not bring any harm to the coating. The color and appearance of linoleum will not be affected.
A large amount of water on the laminate gradually causes the surface to bubble. Such a 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 complicated care. For cleaning and wet cleaning, you can use ordinary detergents.
You should be more careful with the laminate. Do not allow dirt or moisture to enter the joints. Regularly clean joints. For processing use special detergents.
Thermal insulation
Linoleum is characterized by a relatively low thermal conductivity. It retains heat better than laminate.
What is cheaper linoleum or laminate
The cost of linoleum and laminate is almost the same. If you choose according to quality indicators, then high-quality linoleum and high-quality laminate almost do not differ in price category. Therefore, only the consumer is entitled to choose one or another material for flooring.
Mounting
For high-quality installation of the laminate, it is necessary to prepare a perfectly flat surface. Such a limitation does not exist for linoleum, which greatly simplifies laying. The only difficulty is to perform quality work in the presence of protrusions. But laying linoleum can safely be performed by a layman.
If it is required to level the surface, it is better to entrust the installation of the laminate to specialists.
| Parameters | Linoleum | Laminate |
|---|---|---|
| Wear resistance | + - |
+ |
| Water resistance | + | - |
| Appearance | + | + |
| Care Feature | + | - |
| Thermal insulation | + | - |
| What is cheaper linoleum or laminate | = | = |
| Mounting | + | - |
What to choose a laminate or linoleum depending on the room
For residential premises, you can choose a less toxic laminate. In addition, it is more fashionable and pleasant to the touch. Laminate is ideal for living room, bedroom, home corridor.
For the kitchen, you can give preference to linoleum. If you lay a laminate in the kitchen, then most likely, after 4-7 years, its aesthetic appearance will deteriorate and you will have to change it.
For offices, commercial linoleum is recommended. After all, laminate floors begin to creak over time. Of course, this can adversely affect the image of the company. In addition, there is another significant drawback. Laminate flooring has poor sound insulation. If a lot of people walk along the corridors in the office, a noise is created. This situation does not contribute to the good performance of employees.
If there is a question of flooring for a balcony or loggia, we recommend asking the price of linoleum. From increased humidity and cold, the laminate becomes unusable. Linoleum is good for such a flooring.
So what’s better, beautiful linoleum or laminate - it's up to you. But do not always trust sellers. Sometimes they simply strive to quickly and profitably sell goods. Determine for yourself the criteria for choosing a coating: for which room, is color, texture, quality important. This will help you not to make a mistake when choosing.
Video. Advantages and disadvantages of linoleum and laminate
