Keeping linoleum beautiful for longer
To maximise the lifespan of our superior Marmoleum products, minimise costs and contribute towards healthy indoor air, three key factors must be respected.
PROPER FLOOR CARE
Flooring plays an important functional and aesthetic role in building interior design. Linoleum is a popular choice of flooring for a wide range of interiors as it is hard-wearing, stain-resistant, and available in a multitude of colours and designs.
Today, linoleum is a popular choice of flooring for many interiors, from schools, shops, and offices to leisure facilities, hospitals and care homes, as it is easy and inexpensive to clean, looks new for a long time and is long-lasting, providing a good return on investment.
Marmoleum has also never been in more demand as it meets the requirements of truly sustainable focused buildings and clients who prefer bio-based, plastic free options and are aiming to limit the amount of CO₂ emissions and embodied carbon they are including in their homes or buildings.
Made of natural materials, it is a sustainable product that contributes towards healthy air in indoor environments, making it the best natural flooring solution.
Myths busted
Marmoleum, Forbo’s brand of linoleum flooring has been around for over 150 years. It is not surprising that some common myths and misconceptions have arisen over time. Marmoleum is still by far the sustainable flooring champion and remains as natural and durable as ever with the basic raw material formulation remaining mostly unchanged.
However, over the years many refinements and technological improvements have been made along the way.
Marmoleum for one, is produced carbon-neutral and without the need for offsetting. Secondly, it is now easier to install, maintain and offers modern design and colour options in both sheet, tile and plank.
MYTH 1: Marmoleum is more sensitive to subfloor moisture than vinyl or rubber flooring and is more likely to fail
If the subfloor has excessive moisture content, then Marmoleum could fail, but so will any other floor covering in this situation.
The fact is, Marmoleum is no more sensitive to subfloor moisture than other resilient floor coverings. Subfloor moisture test methods according to the AS 1884:2021 define the test methods and set moisture limits that are safe for all resilient floor coverings. High moisture content under any floorcovering is unhealthy and a breeding ground for mould and mildew.
MYTH 2: Marmoleum is absorbent and therefore not resistant to penetration by surface water
Surface water on Marmoleum is not an issue. Tests were carried out in which sheet Marmoleum was adhered to the base of a fabricated water bath using Forbo's Eurocol 414 Marmoleum adhesive. The sheet (with unwelded cross seams right in the centre) was completely submerged in water for several days. The test has since been repeated on numerous occasions for demonstration purposes and that same sample of Marmoleum remains completely intact showing no signs of lifting or degradation.
Our experience suggests that flooring failures due to moisture penetration are almost always at room perimeters and due to poor adhesion at the edges rather than any product weakness
MYTH 3: It’s always best to weld Marmoleum
Whilst welding of PVC sheet floor coverings is standard practice as PVC will shrink at the seams over time, it’s not appropriate to apply the same thinking where Marmoleum is concerned.
It is often said that, unless welded, Marmoleum will shrink at the seams, allowing dirt and water to penetrate, causing the material to lift. In fact, the reverse is true and hessian-backed Marmoleum actually expands slightly in the width during installation.
This means that a skilfully cut seam will close tightly by the time the adhesive has cured, to bond the Marmoleum in its final position. A correctly cut seam will not open during the long life of the Marmoleum and is typically considered to be aesthetically nicer than a welded seam.
There are of course particular applications where standards or regulations dictate that the floor covering seams must be welded, the most common being clinical areas in hospitals or childcare. In these cases, using the correct grooving, welding, and trimming tools and techniques will ensure a physically sound and visually great result. The multicoloured weld options are perfect in these instances.
MYTH 4: Marmoleum is inflexible and difficult to install
Over the years Marmoleum has been improved and refined in many ways and the Marmoleum of today is far more flexible and installer-friendly than ever before. Two of the most important prerequisites for a good installation are correct acclimatisation and appropriate site conditions. These requirements for Marmoleum are no different from those for any other resilient floor covering.
It would be wrong to claim that Marmoleum is as flexible as vinyl but, installed in the correct conditions, standard methods of scribing, back rolling, and templating are easily applied and will all result in a high-quality finished installation.
MYTH 5: Marmoleum should always be polished
There has been no requirement to polish or strip and seal Marmoleum for years. Modern surface technology protects the floor from the day of installation onwards. Ready to use immediately.
The latest surface technology Topshield Pro is a surface finish designed for easy cleaning and protecting the floor from day-to-day scuffs and scratches. It also offers improved resistance to chemicals and solvents such as acetone and alcohol-based hand gels. Other than a generic post-installation clean and standard maintenance, Marmoleum requires
no additional surface finishes.
Protective surface finishes
One of the greatest attributes of linoleum today is the surface finish. The protective surface finish is the reason why polymer and wax treatments are now a thing of the past. Forbo Flooring’s Marmoleum with Topshield pro surface finish, for example, is composed of a two-layer system. The first layer is a primer that bonds with the linoleum surface and is both thermal and UV-cured to create an initial layer of protection.
The top protective layer of lacquer gives the flooring an even stronger and smoother surface. It is harder wearing and more resistant to scratches, scuffs and stains. As the surface is smoother, less dirt builds up on the floor so it is easier to clean. These innovative, protective surface finishes help to retain the original appearance of the flooring, so it looks new for longer.
Key factors for long-lasting beauty
To keep linoleum looking beautiful, some key factors need to be respected:
Floor care
One element of the triangle is floor care. When you take care of your floor and clean it when necessary, it will stay beautiful for longer without the need for polish or sealer. Good and proper cleaning & maintenance will save time and money.
Protect what supports you, everyday
Proper entrance matting is essential to keeping dirt at the door and your floors protected. Stopping all dirt at the door reduces cleaning costs and keeps interior floors looking good and of course, healthy.
Let furniture move smoothly and safely
Using the right furniture leg protection for tables and chairs will safeguard your floor at all times. Applying protection to the base of your furniture is common sense and will help keep the new appearance of your floor for longer. Many protect their floors at home and the same principle applies in the commercial world.
Combining Colour, Pattern, and Practicality
The design and the colour choice influences the appearance over time. In a school with heavy footfall and little time for cleaning it is recommended to use a more marbled design in softer tones for instance.
Read more on how to keep linoleum looking beautiful in our latest whitepaper, which highlights the importance of a proper cleaning and maintenance regime and the key steps that should be taken to maximise the lifespan of this natural flooring product.
TO THE WHITEPAPER
ORDER A FREE SAMPLE
Receive a free sample, so you can experience the natural look and feel of Marmoleum flooring for real. Note that the samples below are only a fraction of the available colour and design combinations available.
1. Choose a tile from the overview of colours & designs below
2. You will be forwarded to the product page
3. Click “Order a sample”
4. Fill in your details to receive the sample