In 1860, linoleum was invented by the Scot Frederic Walton. Linoleum is made from a binding of linseed oil and/or other natural oils, natural materials such as cork and wood flour, mineral fillers, and pigments.
HOW WAS LINOLEUM ORIGINALLY MADE?
After mixing the ingredients, the linoleum is rolled out onto a jute backing. For the curing process, the linoleum is hung for several weeks in so-called “drying chambers” at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Only when the linseed oil has oxidized is the linoleum ready for transport and installation. The rolls are approximately 30 meters long, 2 meters wide, and weigh up to 200 kg. On site, the linoleum is cut to size and glued to the subfloor. The joints are welded with a polyethylene welding rod. This manufacturing process has remained practically unchanged since its origin and has been taking place for more than 150 years!
LIQUID LINOLEUM; THE NEW LINOLEUM
Duracryl has developed a technique to produce linoleum on-site. With the linoleum mix, it is now possible to pour liquid linoleum. An additional binder ensures curing within a few hours. The binder is based on natural renewable oil and works in combination with the linseed oil.
All known and proven properties of traditional linoleum are now enhanced by an installer-friendly installation (max 25 kg), no seams, no cutting waste, no maximum roll length, high flexural strength, and high chemical resistance. Moreover, the product cures without external heat and within a few hours. On-site application is possible from 2 to 2.5 mm. The new linoleum is being launched in many countries around the world as: CORQUES liquid linoleum
Also regarding sustainability through the limitation of the use of precious raw materials, Corques performs better than sheet linoleum.
Linoleum roll vs liquid cork lino
All figures are given in weight (grams) per square meter. With roll-form linoleum, experience shows that, given modern construction methods featuring curved shapes, cutting waste is well over 10%. The table above is based on a cutting loss of 15%. In both cases, this includes all materials required for one square meter of installed flooring.
Corques Liquid Lino is made with cork. Sheet linoleum contains only wood flour and more mineral filler, making it considerably heavier per m² than Corques.
The comparison shows that using Corques can result in a weight reduction of more than 40%. To reiterate: Sustainability also involves preventing the unnecessary use of (non-)natural raw materials and minimizing the environmental impact of transportation by using lighter materials.
