For those owners who decide to change the flooring in their apartment, the question arises: what is better – linoleum or laminate. To find the answer, let’s find out what the advantages and disadvantages of these materials are.
What is more environmentally friendly in an apartment – laminate or linoleum?
Both laminate and linoleum are synthetic materials. In their manufacture, polymer chemical compounds are used. When purchasing these floor coverings, you need to check for a certificate, from which you can find out whether the material of this class is used in a residential area. The presence of maximum formaldehyde standards makes it impossible to use both laminate and linoleum in an apartment. If the seller does not have a certificate, it is better to refuse to purchase the material.
An important environmental issue is the disposal of these floor coverings. Laminate can be recycled or burned without any significant consequences. But when burned, linoleum decomposes, releasing toxic substances and soot, which causes significant harm to the environment.
As you can see, it is quite difficult to determine which is more harmful in an apartment – laminate or linoleum. Both materials have negative sides.
What is cheaper in an apartment – linoleum or laminate?
It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question about the price advantage of one type of coating over another. Quality commercial linoleum can cost the same as good laminate flooring. But you can choose linoleum, which will still cost you a little less than laminate.
If we compare these two materials in terms of their wear resistance, then the laminate coating is more durable. Linoleum is “afraid” of sharp and heavy objects that can leave marks on it.
At the same time, linoleum has excellent moisture resistance, which cannot be said about laminate. Water that gets on the laminate will cause the coating to warp and have to be replaced. This means that the care of laminate flooring should be more thorough. Linoleum can be cleaned with any detergent.
Each owner must decide for himself which flooring is most suitable for his apartment. It should be remembered that linoleum is more suitable for wet rooms – the kitchen or bathroom, while laminate will look beautiful in the living room or bedroom. Now, having weighed all the pros and cons, you can go shopping for the necessary flooring.
