Has anyone used the marmoleum click floor over hydronic radient floor heat? If so, is it efficient?

I've had my Marm Click (2nd generation) in for almost 2.5 years. I love it and would do it again because I love the colors and the way the pattern enlivens and makes my kitchen/dining area feel "spread out." I think it's important to go into with caveats so you have the right expectations:

1) You need a competent, experienced installer and a level floor. Our installers did not level the floor properly and we have separation between the tiles in places.

2) Pet urine stains did not come out. We were fostering puppies and did not realize there was some urine under the mats in their pen. I don't know if the puddle was there days or over a week? Cleaning up right away does not cause a problem.

3) You need chair leg covers to avoid dents in the floor. I like the ones that are like "socks" for chairs.

4) We do have some surface scratches after 2.5 years of heavy household activity. You can't really see them unless you are looking.

5) I used the floor refinish after about 2 years and it looked nice and shiny again! I didn't realize how dull it had gotten little by little.

Ugh, can't find a picture but it looks awesome!

@m_gabriel, probably sounds weird to ask, but does it feel cool underfoot in hot weather? I notice so many Marm lovers comment on how nice it is because it feels warm underfoot, but I prefer cool (I'm in SoCal).

We have MCT marmoleum tiles (glue down) in our laundry room, which we put in this past May. As others have said, the installer was key-he was the only Marmoleum certified installer in our area. He was great, and did an excellent job.

We have no pets currently and although it seems like I do a lot of laundry for just 2 adults, the room isn't heavily used. We have had no problems with it at all.

One reason we used the MCT tiles is that the store was selling some colors for $.50/square foot. So we could almost not do it.

Here's a pic. It's a super small area so we did a random pattern . . .

Yes, it is cool underfoot. Although, we do have air conditioning so it's not typically very hot in the house. Regardless, I would not say the floor is "warm" except I guess in comparison with very cold tile.

@m_gabriel, thanks for the input and the pic! And 50 cents SF, yowza. I'd probably cover my walls in it too, at that price. :)

Hi everyone! Can anyone speak to whether the noise of dog nails is bad on Marmoleum click? For me, wood and laminate are no-goes because my dogs nails are loud on them. (Don't worry--it's not a trimming issue.) Tile seems to be fine, but I am wondering about Marmoleum.

I think the sound would be ok. It's a soft surface that would probably absorb the noise.

Thank you @stillpitpat.

We have a largish dog that always needs her nails trimmed. We can hear her quite well on the wood floors. She’s considerably quieter on Marmo click

I want to know how the marmoleum Click tiles compare to the sheet goods and glue down. I have met with 2 contractors who don't think the click tiles are a good choice. I LOVE the look of sheet goods, but it sounds like we will have to go down to the joists and re-build in order to give a smooth enough floor.

Click tiles need a pretty flat subfloor too. There is zero tolerance at the seams since they are cut flat and square to give the appearance of sheet goods once installed. We have had major issues with subsidence, but we leveled the floor underneath so ours is pretty good, but we have a couple places where the seam is noticeable. Fortunately these are in places there isn’t much water or I would be concerned about it getting through to the core of the flooring, which is susceptible to water.

Yes, our contractor used floor leveling compound, too. Our cork click planks (the off white floor in the blue bedroom above) had the option of coating the floor with a great product sold at icorkfloor.com. It had almost no odor and he did three coats in a day or a day and a half. I still would not use this kind of floor in a full bathroom unless the manufacturer recommends it.

Agreed, you need a flat floor for either. We have ours floating on our relatively flat Douglas fir subfloor with a layer of insulation in between, and you can still see little bumps in the Click tiles where an odd nail here or there is higher than in other places. So I would want to do the same level of (very good) subfloor prep for either. We have Click and our neighbors have sheet on nearly identical subfloors. Theirs is holding up much better, but we have kids and a dog, and they have neither, so it's hard to truly compare. (Ours is 10 years old and theirs is about 14.) Re: dogs, the nail clicking is much quieter than on hardwood, but our Click is pretty banged up from our 90-pound dog's nails. We filled the early holes and later just gave up. I don't know if sheet would fare better for that, though.

We had sheet marmoleum installed like 15+ years ago and LOVE it. I think we did the special cleaning once after 2 years then basically just blew it off and treat it with NO respect and it still looks good after 3 dogs, 2 kids and little attention. We did have very skilled old-timer do the installation who (sadly) is no longer around. So I'm thinking of going with Cinch Loc 3 for new house as I dont trust people

to REALLY know how to install and we want to go over existing floor.

We have sheet that’s been in our kitchen for 10 years. It was poorly leveled and laid by the store’s installer. A friend has a 100 ridgeback who walked around the floor and left nail impressions imbedded in the floor. Although we have pads on all furniture, impressions are still noticeable from the table.

Okay, so I have read all 232 comments from the past decade, and I still have a question. Who can tell me how water-resistant marmoleum click really is? I live with my brother who is blind, and he sometimes spills water when no one else is home and it sits for a few hours. Would that be a problem on the seams of the click tiles? I like the look and feel of marmoleum but I’m not opposed to just going with vinyl or another type of click tile if it’s more waterproof. Thanks!

We have kids that drop ice and leave it. Sometimes it dries up before we find it. In 1/2 years, the only time we’ve had a problem was when an absolutely soaking towel was left on the laundry room floor for I don’t know how long. Maybe a day or so? There was some swelling at The seam on one plank but not the adjacent one, and when it dried it flattened out. No promises that will always happen, but that’s our experience.

I don’t know if my stories are among those you’ve read already... We had a puppy who liked to chew water bottles, full or not. He chewed one under a desk so that it had tiny teeth holes in it. We found the partly full bottle the next day and whatever water spilled was dry, but the seam was swollen. It flattened when it dried, but wasn’t perfect. It was when we had an insidious, tiny leak at one spot in our dishwasher door seal that caused a strangely sudden, irreversible hump that we had to replace the flooring. We have click together LVT now, so I don’t have to worry about water with that at all.

I'm so glad to have found this thread. I bought 8 boxes of click flooring last year (in 2 colors) for our basement bath (tiny bath with a shower stall that gets light use) and laundry room. I did a TON of research and read it was approved for kitchens, bathrooms etc. There is even a pic of a bathroom on the CLICK page! Green building also specifically says it can be used in a bathroom, around a toilet, etc. We let this project sit longer than I wanted and finally opened the flooring and it says not to use in bathrooms! I am so upset! We are now past our return window. It is $800 worth of flooring and I thought about trying to sell it but we have read so much conflicting information, we have decided to just install it. It is floating and I figure worse case we can replace a few tiles or just replace the whole floor if it doesn't hold up. I really appreciate this thread. I am trying to decide how I want to run it in my laundry room. Basement on concrete slab with a 1960s glue down linoleum (I'm going to say probably asbestos flooring/glue) that we are NOT removing because it is glued down well and we don't want to abate. I'm wondering if I should run the click floors under my front load washer/dryer that sit on pedestals, or run the click floor right up to them but not under. I'm reading conflicting info on whether or not a washer and dryer (which sit on 4 adjustable feet) can be used on a floating floor installation. Some sources say no and some say yes (because it is just 4 feet making contact with the floor). Floors are very level and solid. I am also debating on under layment. Some say no, some say yes. We have no moisture in these floors coming up, they already have a glued down floor "sealing" them but I'm still feeling like maybe we should use an underlayment. Anyhow, I hope to get some replies, but if nothing else, I will try and update this on how it works out, and how long this floor lasts. These rooms are small and we will most likely replace the click with new plywood underlayment and tile at some point, but since we already have the floor, we are going for it. I also did not realize you can't put a bathroom cabinet on a floating floor, so we are modifying our cabinet to run the flooring around it (and this will honestly make it easier to replace tiles or the whole floor at some point). Very frustrating with the lack of flooring options out there. Part of the reason I went with marmoleum was for the color. I don't know why manufacturers aren't making vinyl sheet flooring in color/tile prints more! - Emily

1) Subfloor: concrete or wood?

Subfloors are usually made of concrete or wood (plywood, OSB, chipboard). Proper installation requires that the subfloor be clean, dry, flat, smooth and free of dips and bumps. Cracks and sloping subfloors need to be filled and leveled; this can be costly, as it usually requires professional installation. A plywood underlayment may also be needed on top of the subfloor.

Note: Marmoleum sheet and tile cannot be glued directly to underlayment or subfloors made of luan, particleboard or chipboard because these materials expand and contract too much and are not stable.

Marmoleum Click panels and squares are the only type that can tolerate slight unevenness in the subfloor, up to 3/16" over an 8' span. Larger variations in your subfloor will cause too much stress on the click mechanism and eventually wear it out. Click panels and squares can even be applied over most vinyl or ceramic tile. If you have asbestos tile, before installation please consult with professionals who provide asbestos abatement.

2) Installation: new construction or remodel?

In older homes, click panels and squares are preferred because they're easier and faster to install than sheet or tile, and they require much less floor preparation. If you install the flooring directly over another floor such as vinyl, ceramic or hardwood, you can save time and money because there's no tear out required. This is possible with Marmoleum click because it requires no glue or nails, and it floats over the existing flooring or subflooring.

Proper vapor barriers are required such as Moisture Block; however, old sheet vinyl can act as a vapor barrier.

From: https://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/Learning-Center/Flooring-Marmoleum-LC/Marmoleum-Buyers-Guide

HU-276030709, I hope your project goes smoothly. I installed click planks in my kitchen. When I talked to someone (I believe from greenbuildingsupply) they told me the planks click together so well that they are essentially waterproof (not sure of his exact wording). But he did advise to caulk around the entire perimeter. What you should do around the toilet....maybe call them regarding this situation. Good luck!

I used two different click products - one Lino (Nova brand from Europe in 2003) and the other cork (from iFloors in 2018) and they also said that the click products were almost water tight. The first product had my installer add some glue when placing planks and the second product had us add three coats of almost odorless sealer. The sealer is sold on the iFloors.com site.

That's interesting, Nancy. I did not use a sealer (or glue).

I see now that I floor went out of business so I can’t link you to the product we used to seal. The glued plank floor I had installed in my kitchen in 2003 was glued at the seams, applied maybe to the tongue or groove just before being clicked together.

I DO see a waterproof cork floor offered at Green Building Supply here: https://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/All-Products/Waterproof-Cork-Flooring-by-Amorim-WISE

We have Marmoleum click tiles in our laundry room and rec room. I love the look, but we recently had flooding in that area that went undetected for about three hours, and took us another couple hours to clean. A number of the tiles are lifting, and I imagine the cork backing will be developing mold issues. Not sure whether to replace the damaged area only or rip it all up and try something different. And yes to the previous post that noted easy staining under chair and table legs. Sigh.

I've been researching the type of flooring I would like to replace in my whole house. The house is 1948 bungalow. The main house is slab on grade with cement under the carpets, tile, and laminate. I was looking at the marmoleum sheets. Now reading through these posts I am not sure I want to go forward. DO you put a cushioning pad underfoot to make it softer on cement? Who knows what type of condition the cement slab is in?! I've also read that I might have to build a subfloor over the cement for many flooring options. Self leveling layers might work for some flooring choices maybe. I wanted something very durable. We have two large labs (100lbs-70lbs). Non toxic products are important to me as well. My husband would like hardwood, so I am also looking into strand woven bamboo and hard maple or walnut for their durability. Any suggestions? I am so over carpet and dogs....Help...

@Amy Reeder We had an 80-pound lab for a decade with our Marmoleum Click. Would not do that again--it is littered with gouges from his toenails. If you are super religious about trimming nails and do not have an excitable dog, you might be okay, but if you have a typical lab, I would keep looking. (Maybe sheet would perform better too--not sure there.) We did put WhisperWool under ours (on a wood subfloor that was only in so-so condition) and were happy with that--don't know if it would help with a floor that really isn't level, though. (The Click is also a floating floor that is very forgiving of subfloor imperfections, which I don't think is true of the sheet.) I am getting ready to have our 11-year-old Marmoleum refinished so we'll see how it cleans up, but overall we would not choose it again, and it has definitely not been durable in a house with dogs and kids.

@Amy Reeder We've had Marmoleum for a couple of years now. Here are some thoughts.

We had sheet Marmoleum put down on our concrete floor. The concrete foundation hasn't been a problem except where we had a pipe break and flooded. There we do have a bubble, but it isn't terrible. I think the cure might be worse than leaving it, so I haven't done anything about it and don't know if I will. We had tile in the kitchen chipped off before we installed the Marmoleum, so we did need some leveling done there, but it wasn't a huge deal. I was told that it is more important to have a perfectly level surface if you're using Click. Also, using the glue specifically meant for moisture protection is a good idea for concrete.

Indents and scratches do happen to Marmoleum floors, but I think these show up much more on dark flooring than on light. You can also end up with scratches on a wood floor, tile can get chips and cracks, carpet wears down and isn't good for allergies, so no floor is perfect. I guess it is which flaw you don't mind putting up with. We took out the living room and bedroom carpet and the kitchen tile. Most of our Marmoleum floor is still in good condition, except where we have brought in too much sand from the beach. It certainly isn't impervious to all wear, haha. We've also got dents from using a ladder to get into the attic.

I really love the way Marmoleum looks in bungalows. I actually think it helps the rooms to feel more open and airy, whereas wood flooring can feel a bit stuffy in a bungalow, depending on the texture/color of the wood. Just a personal preference. Mostly I don't mind the flaw in the Marmoleum too much. I think of it as more like a patina as it ages, but I do want to refresh my kitchen floor as it is looking too dull, not just matte.

And, the floor has been much more comfortable under our feet than we could have hoped for. It is cool in the summer, not too cold in winter (although I use slipper socks), and isn't loud at all. We didn't use any cushioning under our Marmoleum. If you stand for long periods in the kitchen, you might want to use one of those foam mats or wear your shoes, but I think that's true for any hard flooring.

I highly recommend using a Dyson or similar vacuum specifically made for picking up dog hair. If you have super shedders, it makes it super simple to keep the dog hair from piling up in large drifts. I couldn't believe how the dog hair was so much more visible on the Marmoleum than it was on carpet!

This is mainly in response to Amy Reeder. I have Marmoleum click in my kitchen and love it there. However I would not use it in main living areas for a couple reasons. I have Cali Bamboo (floating, self installed) in my living and dining rooms and stairs. Installed approx. 5 years ago?? Natural color. I don't have dogs, just cats with claws. It looks brand new. Only dent is where a hammer fell lol.

I’m considering these colors from the MCT 13” square glue-down line (Forbo) via Green Building Supply. Grey dusk and Polar bear. I would do a diagonal checker layout in my small ~200sq ft kitchen and tiny mudroom. I have 2 medium size dogs who like to play around and I am not fastidious about cleaning ALL. THE. TIME.

My question is if y’all think this thinner glue-down tile would be better than the Click LOC Cinch in terms of durability, water spills, dog nails, etc. Also — is it really slippery, or does it have any texture that prevents slipping and sliding around??

Here’s a pic of the tile samples and my vision board for the new kitchen design. The pic of tiles in the mood board isn’t the same color combo btw. Also, welcome other comments or suggestions overall!! I’m excited about this redesign.

Btw the ones I used in the mood board are black hole and cloudy sand which I now realize don’t match up in terms of the style product they come in… all the Forbo mix and match color/product combos has been confusing!

@Carrie Hearne I love your mood board! Did you make it yourself? I want to make one but only use basice google docs or mac pages.

Thanks @spagano yes I used a basic Google doc (I’m not a pro designer so just using basic freebie tools I know how to use!)

We had Marmoleum Click installed in a kitchen and laundry room and have had nothing but problems. Our installer is going to rip it out and start over. He suggests using 13 x 13 MCT. We chose click in the first place because we liked the noise reduction qualities of the cork backing. So, we are considering a cork underlayment for the new installation. Has anyone had experience using cork underlayment with Marmoleum MCT 13"?

At almost 80 degrees the Marmoleum is cracking badly as the installers work with it. its a disaster. Very experienced crew has worked with lineoleum but this stuff is incredibly brittle.

Interstesting! We suspect that very warm weather may have been part our problem with our installation, too. The temps at the time of insstallation were in the 90s and even topped 100! (No cracking of the product but coming apart at the seams.) From what I understand, linoleum expertise simply does not translate to expertise with Marmoleum.

No satisfactory reply from Forbo. Said that it was stored appropriately. I just tested a 6x9 sample and it was incredibly flexible relative to the tile I was shipped. Forbo said the tile shouldn’t have been brittle but it was and it cracked as it was picked up in a loose loop and again on applying adhesive. Because of ”ambering” it still, one week later, doesn’t match the sample I relied on, but it is closer. If you are expecting true blue, you may find it tends toward turquoise.

Hi all!

I have read through most of the comments and found almost all the answer for which i was searching. One question I still have: Is it advisable to install click lock under a fridge and oven or should the flooring be framed around those large appliances?

Hi Mimi! We installed our LVT under the fridge and range. I've heard arguments for and against this, but the main reasons we did it this way were 1) to make it easier to move those appliances forward and backward (if/when needed) and 2) to provide an extra safeguard against water leaks if the fridge supply line ever leaked. (Note that our LVT is supposedly guaranteed to be waterproof and DH is super paranoid about water damage - we have a water sensor, automatic shutoff, etc., and he still wanted the LVT under the fridge!)

We installed click loc under fridge, dishwasher and oven. We siliconed around perimeter of kitchen as advised by Forbo if concerned with water.

We also installed Click under all of our appliances for the same reason Salex notes. We also put it under our cabinets and I think I wouldn't do that again--it looks likely that we will replace the floor before the cabinets so that is going to be a bit of a pain--but I don't think it's a huge issue either way; pros and cons to both options. (Click is decidedly not waterproof, but it hasn't been a big issue even with occasional fridge/dishwasher leaks over the years.)

We recently moved back to our home that had sheet marmoleum installed in the family room/kitchen over 25 years ago. Over the years the home has been used as a primary family residence, as well as a rental. It’s seen dogs, grandkids, and just about every abuse you can imagine. I can only remember re-finishing the floor as recommended one time. We clean it with water or a water/vinegar combo. Other than some half moon cuts from metal chairs without feet, and dents from heavy furniture, the floor is in amazing shape. It’s SO easy to maintain and clean and because of the pattern and color, hardly shows any dirt or spills. We are in the process of replacing it with new sheet Marmoleum and hope to get 25+ years out of the new floor as well. I love, love, love it and would recommend the sheet product to anyone. Fyi - our floor was installed directly over our concrete foundation. It does get cold in the winter (slippers!), but feels great in the summer. We have it in two of our bathrooms (also 25 years old) laid over plywood sub flooring, and the floors still look brand new. No need to teplace those!

My installer wants to use a floor leveler called Ardex under click marmoleum in my kitchen. The leveler is going over a pine subfloor that has cracks between several of the boards that expand and contract with changes in humidity. I worry that the Ardex, which has portland cement, will prevent the hoints from moving, thus causing pressure under the marmoleum and making it buckle. Does anyone know is my fears are justified?

There is absolutely no way i would use marmoleum click in a kitchen. We installed it and removed it after a couple of years. It just isn’t a good product

@nshippen, I don't think you need it, assuming your floor is generally level. We have Marmoleum Click II over a 110-year-old douglas fir subfloor (which is to say--mostly but definitely not perfectly level!) with lots of gaps and lots of expansion and shifting. We did put a layer of WhisperWool over the subfloor but that was more to protect the subfloor in case we decided to refinish it in the future. I have many mixed thoughts on the durability of Click overall, but none of them related to any issues with how it sits on the subfloor. No buckling at all. (It's been in for 11+ years.)

@HU-276030709, you said there's no way you'd install Marmoleum Click Lock in a kitchen again. Just wondering - do you feel the same about Marmoleum (glue-down) tiles and planks?

I had sheet Marmoleum installed in my kitchen in 2000 (over a wood subfloor) and I have been very happy with it. I’m not sure I would do it again though, mainly because it dents and scratches fairly easily. I notice the dents and scratches, but most guests don’t notice unless I point them out. The subtle patterning helps hide the scratches.
I absolutely LOVE the color (the floor is red - “Bleekerstreet”). That’s what initially attracted me.

Would it work to do marmoleum click in a nice treehouse? Or would the changes in humidity pose issues?

Changes in temperature and humidity can cause the tiles to separate. Then they get dirt in the cracks--and pose tripping hazards. We have that problem in a kitchen where we installed marmoleum click. This photo shows where the tiles separated and lifted at a thresshold. But our treehouse has a nice, durarable redwood floor!