How to Install Marmoleum [Full-Guide]

Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word linoleum is your grandmother’s kitchen floor.

Despite being long-lasting, it is monotonous.

You could have even assumed that manufacturers had given up on the idea long ago.

You’d be mistaken, though. In fact, because linoleum is comprised of natural, renewable resources, it is becoming increasingly popular as an environmentally responsible flooring option among customers, designers, and builders.

It has a long lifespan of between 25 and 40 years.

Once that is completed, it can be recycled in its entirety using a variety of techniques.

It’s not only that linoleum is regaining popularity that’s contributing to this trend.

Linoleum, once regarded as the unattractive stepsister in its function as the mainstay of hospital rooms and school hallways, has undergone a transformation.

The ghoulish grays and uninteresting beige of the past have given way to colorful tones and never-ending patterns in the present.

The flooring is also less expensive and easier to install now than it was previously, thanks to new installation techniques.

Over time, the term “linoleum” has evolved into a generic term for resilient flooring, similar to how Kleenex, Xerox, and other brand names have become generic terms in their respective areas.

However, not all pliable floorings are created equal.

Many people make the mistake of confusing linoleum with current vinyl flooring, which is constructed of synthetic materials that are derived from petroleum.

The majority of vinyl products on the market today are made mostly of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is a type of plastic.

In the modern era, only three businesses in the world manufacture real kinds of linoleum from linseed oil and other natural ingredients.

One of these is Marmoleum, a trademark owned by Forbo Flooring Systems, a British firm that has a 65 percent share of the global market [source: Forbo].

Another is Pergo, which is owned by Forbo Flooring Systems.

Forbo has been manufacturing linoleum for more than a century, and the manufacturing technique has remained virtually unchanged over the years.

Adding new hues and making the long-lasting flooring easy to maintain helped the company increase the popularity of the product.

It should be noted that Forbo’s Marmoleum gets its name from the phrase “marbleized linoleum,” in case you were curious.

See Also:

How to Remove Vinyl Flooring

How to Clean Vinyl Plank Flooring

How to Remove Wax From Laminate Flooring

The Production of Marmoleum

Before we can comprehend how linoleum is manufactured, we must first go over some basic chemistry concepts.

The film that Walton discovered on his paint can was the product of oxidation, which occurred over time.

To put it another way, oxygen molecules in the air interacted with molecules in the paint, resulting in a chemical reaction and the formation of a thin coating.

Linseed oil, on the other hand, does not oxidize overnight.

Forbo expedites the process by heating the linseed oil to extremely high temperatures before adding it to the mix.

In order to make linoleum “cement,” the obtained material is combined with rosin.

Colorful granules of linoleum are produced by mixing wood dust with limestone and pigments, according to the manufacturer.

These granules are mixed to form the linoleum base, which is then passed through a calendar, a rolling machine that produces sheets that can be marbled, flecked, or a single color.

Jute is used as a backing for the Marmoleum sheets, which are roughly 0.1 inch (2.5 millimeters) thick and are pressed into place.

The designs and colors are consistent throughout the thickness of the material and do not fade or wear out over the course of time.

Vinyl flooring, on the other hand, has only a thin layer of design applied to the surface, which can wear away with time and with heavy use.

The final sheets are dried in vast, heated rooms known as stoves over a period of many weeks.

There is also a yellowing or “ambering” effect produced by the chemical action.

The color is only temporary, and it will fade away once the flooring is exposed to light, whether natural or artificial.

According to Forbo, the company recently begun drying some of its products in greenhouses, where natural sunlight helps to disperse the yellowing.

Forbo finishes the product with a water-based finish called Topshield as a last stage in the production process.

This finish protects the product, keeps the colors vibrant, and makes cleaning and maintaining it easy.

Installation Instructions in General

• Both Forbo Marmoleum® and linoleum sheet flooring are suitable for installation on all grade levels when laid on certified substrates.
• The areas that will be receiving flooring should be clean, completely enclosed, and weathertight before installation. The permanent HVAC system must be fully operational, controlled, and set at a temperature of at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) for a minimum of seven days prior to, during, and after the installation. Prior to installation, both the material and adhesive should be preconditioned in the same manner for at least 48 hours. Areas to be covered with flooring must have sufficient lighting to enable for accurate inspection of the substrate, installation and seaming of the flooring, as well as final inspection of the finished product.
• Always store Marmoleum® rolls in an upright position.
• All foreign materials, including but not limited to, dust, paint and grease; solvents; curing and hardening compounds; sealers; asphalt; and old adhesive residue must be removed from the substrate before it can be used.
• The substrate must be sound, smooth, and flat; it must be permanently dry; it must be clean; and it must be free of all foreign materials.
• Moisture tests should be performed on all concrete substrates, regardless of its age or construction grade.
• Determine the moisture vapor emission rate (MVER) of the concrete through testing carried out in line with ASTM F 1869 specifications. When using Forbo L 885 adhesive, the MVER of the concrete must not exceed 8.0 lbs per 1,000 square feet in 24 hours otherwise the concrete may crack. Additional information on how to deal with excessive moisture vapor emissions can be found in the Moisture Limitor section of Forbo’s Installation Guide.
• Determine the internal relative humidity of the concrete through testing carried out in line with ASTM F 2170 standards.
• In order to use Forbo L 885 adhesive, the internal relative humidity of the concrete must not be more than 85% at all times. If the internal relative humidity exceeds these limits, refer to the Moisture Limitor section of Forbo’s Installation Manual..

Additional information can be found in the guide.

• When using Forbo L 885 adhesive, the concrete surface pH must be checked and must not exceed a pH of 11 in order to be used.

• Always perform adhesive mat bond tests prior to beginning the installation process. • Bond testing will assist in identifying both the operating characteristics of the adhesive (open time and working time) for the site conditions under consideration, as well as any potential bonding problems that may arise.
• Prior to installation, all materials should be visually inspected. If you have any concerns about the material’s quality, please contact your local Forbo representative or Forbo Technical Services PRIOR to installation.
• Any costs (including labor) incurred as a result of the replacement of material installed with visible
• Defects that were visible before to installation are not covered under warranty.
• • Before beginning the installation, ensure that all guidelines for substrate and jobsite conditions are met.
• Beginning the installation implies that the parties concerned have accepted the site conditions and assume accountability for any problems that may arise.
• Failure directly connected to poor site conditions becomes the installer’s and/or flooring’s liability.
• Make use of Forbo L 885 adhesive.
• Apply the glue with a 1/16″ x 1/16″ x 1/16″ square notch trowel.
• Use the same batch/dye lot of material.
• Install rolls in numerical order and cut from each individual roll in sequential order.
• When seaming sheets, do not reverse them.
• Install one sheet at a time, making sure the material is immersed in wet glue.
• Roll with a 100-pound roller immediately and always verify for appropriate adhesive transfer. In order to obtain a dependable bond The glue must be completely wet transferred to the material backing.
• Immediately remove any fresh adhesive residue with a clean white damp towel. Dried adhesive residue can be removed.
• Mineral spirits and a clean white towel were used to remove the stain.
• When inserted into the glue, linoleum will expand somewhat in breadth and contract slightly in length. Proper
• This trait will be compensated for during the installation process.
• Take pleasure in your job and maintain a professional demeanor at all times.
• For more information, please contact Forbo Technical Services.

How To Cut Marmoleum Flooring

Forbo suggests installing Marmoleum and linoleum sheet flooring one sheet at a time. Furthermore, it is

It is advisable to trim each sheet to fit before gluing.

Following these suggestions will provide the installer with the finest opportunity to manage the adhesive’s open and working duration and guarantee that the flooring material is inserted into a wet adhesive

1. Determine the direction in which the material will be installed by measuring the area to be installed.

Be installed, as well as seam location Seams must be at least 6″ apart.

Joints between the underlayment and the concrete saw cuts, and so forth.

2. Cut the appropriate length for the first sheet from the roll, plus 3″ – 6″ for waste.

3. Use conventional fittings to install the first sheet along the main (long) wall and at the ends.

Please keep in mind that for sheets longer than about 20′ – 25′, the cloth may shrink sufficiently.

If pre-fitted, adhered to cause a tiny gap at the ends.

These lengthier sheets are required this time, the ends do not fit.

Additional measures, which will be discussed later in this section, will be taken.

This is required to guarantee a tight fit at the end of longer sheets.

4. Put the fitted sheet up against the main wall.

5. The factory edge must be trimmed to obtain a clean edge appropriate for finishing.

The Forbo Seam & Strip Cutter was designed to cut seams and strips quickly and easily.

Trim the factory edge effectively (Figure B). A Forbo Seam & Strip Cutter can be used in place of the Forbo Seam & Strip Cutter.

Straight edges, utility knives, and hooked blade knives can all be used. Set up the

Score the material with a straight edge about 1/2″ – 3/4″ from the manufacturing edge.

Using a utility knife, cut along the straight edge. After scoring, finish the cut with a

Knife with a hooked blade that follows the scoreline Maintain a little angle with the blade to the

surface of the material, resulting in a tiny undercut at the seam edge

6. After trimming the seam edge, draw a pencil line lengthwise down the substrate.

When using this line will act as a spread line.

Our Final Thoughts

If the name “linoleum” conjures up images of grandma’s flecked kitchen floor, reconsider.

Linoleum in tile form is a wonderful option to ceramic or wood, and certainly vinyl, in almost any room: It’s brightly colored, soft underfoot, and pleasant to the touch.

It’s also non-allergic. All thanks to its linseed oil, sawdust, and cork structure.

Frequently Ask Questions