Recommendations for choosing linoleum for the hallway.

Selection criteria

Experts recommend taking into account the following criteria:

• Linoleum must be suitable for its intended purpose: a product for a living room or a children’s room is not always suitable for a kitchen or hallway.
• It is necessary to select a material with the following properties: long service life, resistance to moisture and mechanical stress.
• The design of the pattern and coloring should match the overall decor.

Choosing the appropriate wear resistance class of linoleum

The material has the following varieties:

• Household linoleum (class from 21 to 34) is the most common type of flooring for domestic premises with low and medium traffic.
• Commercial (class from 31 to 43) – suitable for installation in public places with high traffic. It is distinguished by its special wear resistance.
• Special – used in kindergartens, hospitals, sports facilities, etc.

We did not include semi-commercial linoleum in this classification, since there are no clear criteria for its characteristics, but marketers often call improved household linoleum this way.

And yet, how to choose linoleum for the hallway? First, let’s determine what the traffic in the hallway is. Most often, it is small, but there is an additional load in the form of street dirt, shoes, bicycles and dog paws. For the hallway, an inexpensive floor covering without a backing is most often required, which is easy to lay and dismantle. In a living space, it is important whether the floor matches the walls and furnishings, which means a wide range of designs is needed. The best choice for a hallway is household linoleum of class 22 or 23.

Determining the composition

It is also useful to know what linoleum consists of. Synthetic PVC material has the following structure:

1. Protective varnish: facilitates easy cleaning.
2. Working layer: is responsible for wear resistance.
3. Printed pattern: thanks to it, linoleum has various types of design.
4. Fiberglass: helps the coating keep its shape.
5. Back foam: a soft thick layer insulates and soundproofs the floor, but a dense one protects against dents.
6. Base: can be foamed, laminated (foam + polyester), compact and calendered.
7. Back pattern: tells about the product and helps in its cutting.

PVC linoleum is more affordable, but for children and allergy sufferers, a material made of natural fibers is more suitable. It is easy to care for, but requires special care during installation. Natural linoleum does not deform, has a large selection of colors, but for the hallway in the apartment the best solution is artificial linoleum on a compact or calendered base.

What thickness is better to choose?

To decide on the thickness and density of linoleum for the hallway, it is worth reading the instructions, which usually indicate all important characteristics. The thickness of the protective (transparent) layer for the hallway should be at least 0.25–0.3 mm. If the hallway is expected to bear increased loads (lots of shoes, storing sleds or a baby carriage, pets), it is worth choosing a durable canvas with a top layer of at least 0.4 mm.

The density of the coating is no less important. The thicker the foam base, the softer the material, which means that traces of heels and dents from furniture are inevitable. It is believed that the denser the linoleum for the hallway in the apartment, the longer it will retain its original appearance. Density can be determined by touch.

How to choose the color?

When choosing the color of linoleum for the hallway, first of all, you need to pay attention to the interior decoration. In the traditional and most successful option, the color of the floor should be darker than the walls. The ceiling should be the lightest area.

If the flooring is planned to be bright, it is desirable that the rest of the hallway furnishings be neutral, in muted tones.

It is better to combine a light floor with dark walls. For example, a gray bottom is quite a contrast for black or brown walls and harmonizes perfectly with a white ceiling. But wood and cream shades also go well with cold tones (blue, lilac).

The photo shows a bright hallway with neutral walls and a rich multicolored bottom.

The shade of linoleum can be any – the main thing is, select companions in tone. If the surfaces in the hallway are not subject to frequent contamination, then even white will be appropriate: in combination with light walls, the narrow space of the hallway will be visually expanded due to the reflection of light.

From a practical point of view, dark linoleum is most appropriate in the hallway, since this room is highly susceptible to contamination. Brown shade is considered especially popular: it gives coziness, naturalness, but its main advantage is the ability to mask dirt, dust, stains and streaks.

The photo shows a traditional style hallway decorated with high-quality linoleum with imitation tiles.

Recommendations for choosing designs and patterns

Today, not only plain and patterned samples are available for sale, but also canvases with a pattern and texture that imitate a ceramic or wooden surface.

Linoleum imitating tiles or stone (marble, granite, and terracotta products) is a great option for a hallway in a classic style. For small rooms, it is best to choose a pattern with small tiles, and for spacious rooms, a large print will do.

A bright, imaginative design for covering the floor in the hallway is an excellent solution for creative individuals who value the originality of the decor. Usually, such linoleum combines several shades, and it is difficult to see scuffs and stains on it. Colorful patterns look especially good against plain walls, while geometric patterns fit well into a strict setting.

The photo shows a Scandinavian-style hallway, the floor of which is covered with a timeless classic – a black and white checkered pattern.

Today, linoleum that imitates oak parquet, wood-like laminate, and parquet boards is especially popular in hallways. It is appropriate not only in classic but also in modern settings. The image can also reproduce aged wood: this option looks great in a loft-style interior.

According to the advice of designers, in order to visually expand a narrow corridor, it is best to lay linoleum with imitation boards in the transverse direction.

Features for the hallway and kitchen

The characteristics of linoleum in the hallway and kitchen have a lot in common: both rooms are subject to increased stress and require special care due to the large amount of moisture and dirt. What linoleum to choose for the hallway and kitchen? When buying, you should inquire about the anti-slip properties of the fabric: it should have embossing. Some products are coated with a layer of microparticles that enhance adhesion, which helps prevent injury from a wet floor.

The photo shows a hallway that is combined with the kitchen by the same floor covering.

For spacious rooms, it is recommended to choose a wide canvas so as not to create seams. Different rolls must be from the same batch, otherwise their colors may differ. To avoid cracks, linoleum is transported rolled into a roll. At home, it needs to be rolled out and left to lie for several days.

Linoleum is often used only because it is easy to lay, but installation has its own nuances. It is not enough to lay out the canvas and press it with baseboards – experts advise stretching it and gluing it so that it remains in place when shrinking. Despite the fact that elasticity is considered an advantage of linoleum, this is also its disadvantage: the base under it must be extremely smooth, otherwise the dents will turn into cracks.

It is the hallway that often tells us about the interior of the apartment, as well as its owners – after all, this is the first thing we see when entering the house. High-quality flooring will not only decorate the hallway, but will also help keep the apartment clean. Linoleum is considered one of the best options that meets the listed requirements and, if chosen wisely, will last a long time.