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What is Marmoleum®?

B. Turner
B. Turner

Marmoleum® is a flooring covering product used in residential and commercial applications. It is produced by England's Forbo Flooring Company, and is similar to linoleum flooring. Marmoleum® is made from a proprietary blend of wood flour, jute, rosin, and linseed oil. This organic mix is then pressed together and dried to produce sheets or tiles. Though this product has been on the market for over a century, it is becoming more popular due to the growth of the green building movement over the past several decades.

While it is primarily used for floor coverings, Marmoleum® products are also used to make countertops, wall panels, and other types of furnishings. Marmoleum® flooring is often used in the home in place of traditional linoleum, especially in kitchens, hallways, and bathrooms. It is also popular with hospitals, medical offices, and schools due to its low-maintenance requirements and natural anti-bacterial properties. Many restaurants use Marmoleum® tabletops or counters to help minimize germs and allow for quick cleanup.

Linseed oil, which is used in making Marmoleum®.
Linseed oil, which is used in making Marmoleum®.

This product is available in a number of different models, and is truly customizable based on color, design, and pattern. Traditional Marmoleum® is sold as sheets or tiles, and is installed using a special adhesive that contains no solvents. Click Marmoleum® is available in panels or squares, and is installed as a floating system. Floating floors are not attached to the subfloor, so no adhesives are needed. Instead, the panels simply click together using tongue-and-groove connectors, allowing for quick and easy installation.

Marmoleum comes in sheets or tiles.
Marmoleum comes in sheets or tiles.

Marmoleum® floors are relatively soft and comfortable underfoot, but are also surprisingly durable. They require little maintenance, and are both easy to clean and highly resistant to stains and spills. Unlike many other flooring options, Marmoleum® is anti-static, which means it won't attract dust. It is also anti-bacterial, due to the presence of the linseed oil, which kills germs as it oxidizes. Marmoleum® is also the only flooring material that has been certified as Asthma and Allergy-Friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Marmoleum has been certified as being asthma-friendly.
Marmoleum has been certified as being asthma-friendly.

Like linoleum, Marmoleum® is considered an environmentally-friendly green building product. It is completely biodegradable and recyclable, and is made from all-natural materials. All of the materials used in Marmoleum® fabrication are rapidly renewable, which means that they have a short regrowth period that has minimal impact on the earth. Finally, Marmoleum® contains no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are a common component used in flooring and adhesives, and are linked to poor indoor air quality and respiratory illnesses.

Discussion Comments

sunshined

@Mykol-- I can't help you out much on the pricing, but I know that you can use Marmoleum for countertops. This is what we have installed in our restaurant and it has taken years of daily use, and is still in good condition.

When it comes time to replace our countertops, I will choose this product again because of how well it has held up. I also plan on using Marmoleum linoleum on the floor.

For me, having something that is easy to clean, and will take the daily wear and tear of a lot of traffic is high on my list of priorities. Even if it is a little bit more expensive, I think it would be well worth the cost in the long term.

Mykol

For those of you who have used this type of flooring, how do Marmoleum prices compare with other types of linoleum flooring?

For a time there it seemed like many people were going away from linoleum and using laminate flooring that looked like hard wood floors.

I guess I was also a little surprised to read that this is so green. My first thought was this was just the opposite and would not be considered a safe, green flooring, so I am glad that I have now been properly educated.

We are hoping to build a home in the country in the next year or so, and I have started thinking about the different types of flooring I want in certain areas of the house. This is one product that I am going to have to look into.

John57

When we were building our house and trying to decide on kitchen flooring, Marmoleum immediately caught my eye. At the time I didn't know much about it, but they had so many unique choices.

I ended up going with Marmoleum click flooring that was in the medium price range. I wanted this floor to last as long as I live in the house and it needed to be durable, yet fashionable.

Since this type of linoleum is considered to be one of the greenest floors on the market, that also helped in my decision. I like knowing that this floor is made from renewable material and that no solvents are used when they apply the adhesive backing.

golf07

My sister owns a beauty salon which she recently had renovated. She put down a Marmoleum floor which was the perfect choice for her. There are a lot of stylish Marmoleum colors and patterns to choose from, and this flooring helped make her salon look very trendy.

There were also a lot of other advantages using this type of flooring. It is really easy to keep clean, doesn't scratch and is also environmentally friendly. Of all the difference choices of flooring that were available for her, this is the one that was the best overall fit.

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    • Linseed oil, which is used in making Marmoleum®.
      By: WimL
      Linseed oil, which is used in making Marmoleum®.
    • Marmoleum comes in sheets or tiles.
      By: Popova Olga
      Marmoleum comes in sheets or tiles.
    • Marmoleum has been certified as being asthma-friendly.
      By: petert2
      Marmoleum has been certified as being asthma-friendly.