Marmoleum Flooring:The New Linoleum

Marmoleum flooring is the new floor of choice for people interested in green building materials.

You may remember it as linoleum. This is not the linoleum you recall from your grandmother's house. Marmoleum comes in a wide spectrum of beautiful colors to compliment all home styles and decors. It can be bought by the roll or in sections called Marmoleum Click flooring. There are infinite design possibilites.

Best of all, unlike vinyl, it does not off gas VOCs. Beautiful floor, healthy environment...want to know more?

From the standpoint of an average homeowner marmoleum flooring is durable and easy to clean. It looks beautiful for years in areas with heavy traffic. Dust mop regularly, damp mop when needed and wipe the messiest spills away. The floor does not stain and there is no need to wax.

The flooring has antibacterial properties. This means that microorganisms like salmonella and staff aren't spread. This property comes from one of the ingredients, linseed oil. Linseed oil continues to oxidize in the floor and the bacteria can't multiply as with other types of flooring. As the linseed oil oxidizes it hardens making the floor even more durable. Estimate life of one of these floors is fifty years. You had better use a color you like. A lot.

These reincarnated linoleum floors resist burning. Probably if your entire house was on fire the floor would go up, too, but the floors don't melt at high hieat. This means that a cigarette, glue gun, curling iron or hot grease dopped on the floor will not mean you need a whole new floor. It means you will need to pick up or clean up what you dropped. If there is a slight mark it can be buffed out. The color goes all the way through the floor so any deeper damage that does happen can be easily sanded out.

The material can be cut and borders can be created by fitting different colors and shapes of marmoleum together. By using small checkerboars, for example, you can create a vintage look. With large circles and rectangles you can have a Pop 60s look.

It has anti-static properties. This means that dust and dirt won't stick to the floor and less cleaning for the homeowner. This is great for people with allergies of all types. Many hospitals are beginning to use marmoleum flooring for these reasons.

It can also be used as a countertop.

Yes, you heard that right. This flooring is made with natural materials that do not off gas toxic VOCs. It can be applied with solvent free adhesives so even the installation is clean.

There are virtually no dangerous health issues linked to the flooring, from production to installation and even in disposal. The flooring is 100% biodegradable.

Marmoleum is sustainable. It is made from linseed oil, color pigments, pine rosin and pine flour, which is responsibly collected from planted forests in Europe. Linseed oil is a natural product of the flax plant. The mixture is heated and then run through rollers that press the hot mixture into sheets and then onto a jute backing. It is then cured for a time before use.

Completely natural ingredients that completely biodegrade; and to think it has been considered old fashioned all these years.

There are a few downsides to marmoleum.

It is extremely heavy and it is not going to be something the average do-it-yourselfer can manage. It is best installed by an experienced contractor and that does raise the cost of the floor. However, when you are looking at a floor that is going to last two to three times as long as vinyl it is actually a small investment.

It needs a good sub-floor. Defects in the sub-floor will show up on the surface of the marmoleum. Again, this will mean, more than likely, that you will need a professional installation.

It is manufactured in Europe. This means that there is a large environmental impact when it comes to transporting it. This may or may not be offset by the many eco benefits of the marmoleum; it depends on your point of view.

Linseed oil has a particular scent that some people dislike. The floor emits an odor for a short period of time after it is installed.

If you are wondering what it looks like installed there are many online flooring galleries with fantastic images of marmoleum floors. Browsing them can give you an idea of what decorating possibilities exist with these floors.

Marmoleum Click is an easy to install version of the large sheets of marmoleum. It comes in several colors. It can sometimes be set over existing flooring.

The tiles come in either 12 x 36 or 12 x 12 panels. With it you can create numerous patterns on your floor. It does not require adhesive but simply clicks into place. It can be installed wherever marmoleum can be installed and is just as durable. The floor can be walked on immediately after installation. The cost averages about $5-6 dollars per square foot, uninstalled.

Whether you are building a new home or contemplating a remodel of your old one, marmoleum flooring may be just the floor covering that you are looking for. With so many colors available, and so many possible patterns and borders you can create a unique, custom look that will last for generations.