Marmoleum - opinions? experience with installation? archived

Love it. Had mine for 7 - 8 years. Still looks great. And everyone in the house enters and exits through the kitchen.

I used American Heritage Floors, 973-301-0888. Could not ask for better service.

Saw your other thread -- it does sound like marmoleum.

Just to clarify, what most of us call linoleum, isn't. It is vinyl. That's the thin, hard, shiny stuff we all swear we will never use. It is made from petroleum.

Real linoleum -- like Marmoleum, but there are other brands -- is a thicker, 100% natural "green" material, made from linseed oil, cork, and limestone. It is softer than vinyl and the color goes all the way through so that scratches can be buffed out. It is also much more durable.

Here are some links:
A good introduction to the material: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,202857,00.html
Marmoleum Brand: http://www.forboflooringna.com/Residential-Flooring/
Armstrong Linoleum: http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/products/linoleum

Good info, Max.

If you go to a big box store and ask for linoleum, they will take you to the vinyl. The terms are interchangeable to most of these guys.

I used to manage a condo building. We had good experience with both Marmoleum (in the units) and the Armstrong commercial product (in the common areas).

It's not so good in the laundry room. Fades/discolors in front of the washers; not sure if it's bleach or laundry detergent spills. Structurally fine, though.

Our Marmoleum floor has only been down since June, but we love it. We used the tongue-and-groove tiles, laid by a pro -- took him better part of a day to do our small kitchen and mudroom. Chose a 2-color checkerboard pattern which looks charming. I love its 'green-ness,' and it feels wonderful underfoot -- warm and soft. I sweep and mop lightly every few days because one of my colors (pale yellow) does show dirt, but this probably wouldn't be such a problem with different colors and busier patterns. Obviously I cannot speak to its durability yet.

At one point, it seemed that we couldn't get our desired colors in Marmoleum, so in desperation, I went in search of a substitute. Could find nothing equivalent, at any price, which offered the same look, easy care and sustainability. This little exercise made me even more committed to the product. As you can tell, I would buy it again!!

The number for American Heritage floors is out of service, and I'm not finding it in the yellow pages - are they still around? Mim, who did your installation?

pageturn said:

The number for American Heritage floors is out of service, and I'm not finding it in the yellow pages - are they still around? Mim, who did your installation?

Sorry, pageturn, my info was from my install seven years ago.

The job was subbed out by my GC. I'll check my records tonite.

would it be a good option for a basement where it could get wet? We do not have any water issues at teh moment but you never know. Investigating options. So far tile seems to be best, but I love the look of some of these floors.

I saw a marmoleum floor in a basement recently. Don't know if it is an installation issue, but the flooring had bubbled where moisture had seeped up from the floor.

thanks, mim and everyone.
i see that green depot in newark sells it.

I'd love to see pictures of marmoleum floor kitchens in our area. Would anyone be willing to post a picture? Thanks.

I have spec'd this stuff for over 20 years. We bought some at Hannon's in Union about 7 years ago.
http://www.forbo-flooring.com/Business/Products/Linoleum/General-purpose-linoleum/Linoleum-Global-3/Marmoleum-Dual/

tuhduh

Mim, this is the exact floor color combo that I was looking on the Forbo site! I love it! Thanks for posting.

I have that exact floor only on the diagonal. I have not been pleased with how it wears but we are still trying to work it out.

What's the issue, eliz? Mine is brand new so I'm seeing no problems yet obviously. Anything to be done to baby it? (Not that you should have to!)
Mine was laid by The Carpet Choice in Linden 908 333 8067.

A lot of scuffs and marks that are difficult if not impossible to remove.

eliz said:

A lot of scuffs and marks that are difficult if not impossible to remove.

A lot depends on the finish. The product needs to be sealed with a finish similar to (or even the same as) the finish used on wood floors. We have had no problems with ours. But it is not a "no-finish" product like vinyl or ceramic tile.

That's strange, max_w -- one of the reasons I chose Click tiles was for their much-vaunted factory-finish. The website says "Marmoleum Click has a strong, durable protective top layer – Topshield. This innovation from Forbo ensures a highly effective shield against dirt and scuff marks. Marmoleum Click with Topshield is ready for use immediately following installation and does not require the application of additional protective coats of finish." Not working for you tho, eliz??

Sorry, I missed that eliz has the Click. My comments are relevant to the regular tile and sheet product. I have no experience with the Click tiles.

I don't have the click.

Well, that explains it.

So to clarify, mim and eliz do not have the exact same floor, mim's is done with the prefinished Click tiles, and eliz's is done with the regular ones that need to be finished upon installation.

What finish was put on them, eliz?