Marmoleum Cinch Loc Review (Non-Sponsored)

I interviewed Meg about her experience with Forbo Marmoleum Cinch Loc Seal, Forbo’s newest version of their click-together Marmoleum. They claim it is waterproof and also made without a formaldehyde binder. It’s a floating floor so no glue is used to install it.

At the time of the interview, Meg has had the floor installed for 8 months so she has some experience with it.

I also looked up all the reviews I could find online and will be adding in other folks’ experiences with this flooring (especially since Meg does not have pets).

This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What made you choose Marmoleum click-together over hardwood, engineered wood, vinyl plank, or other options?

Reading your article on non-toxic flooring gave me hope that we could do this project without having to suffer through chemical smells. We replaced vinyl in the kitchen, carpet in the living room, and laminate in the hallway with Marmoleum Cinch Loc Seal panels.

The exact flooring is Forbo Marmoleum Striato Trace of Nature 11.81″ x 35.43″ Click Linoleum Panel, Model Number: 933573.

Hardwood was not an option because of the price and we did not consider vinyl after I read about how bad it is for the environment. 

We ordered samples of engineered wood, cork, and Marmoleum. We ended up going with Marmoleum Cinch Loc Seal click-together flooring because of the price and because I thought it would be warmer in the wintertime than the engineered wood.

Also, I liked the fact that they use Marmoleum in commercial settings and I thought it would be the most durable. No nails or glue needed was also a plus.

How was the installation process?

A friend of ours who is a handyman did the installation. He said he had helped his uncle put in flooring but he had never done Marmoleum before. Unfortunately, I don’t think he researched ahead of time how to install these panels. He and his helper had difficulty in the hallway and now there is still a small pucker that they were not able to push down all the way.

Also, he misjudged how much flooring we needed and we ended up being short a few planks. We gave him the go-ahead to jerry-rig a few of the scraps against the wall where we have our dining table. It ended up working out okay but you can see those small pieces don’t fit together as tight as the rest of the floor.

Needless to say, next time we will hire an official installer.

How was the initial odor of the flooring and how long did it take to go down if you did notice an odor?

I am sensitive to chemical smells. I have not been diagnosed with anything but have a nose like a bloodhound!

I opened one package a few days before the installation and let a panel sit out in our living room. The cork side had a slight odor but I thought it was pleasant and did not bother me at all.  I smelled it during the installation and for about a day after and have not smelled it since.

Has there been any separation in the tiles?

Besides the tiny pieces against the wall I mentioned earlier, the rest of the tiles fit great and are tight together.

Has it been stained by anything?
There are no stains.

Are there any scratches, and did it seem to scratch easily?

There is a scratch in the kitchen (see photo below) that occurred while the fridge was being moved back in place. I have not been able to rub it off. Note from Corinne, I have done the same with vinyl sheet flooring when moving a fridge, this is quite easy to do with any flooring type.

Other than that there haven’t been any scratches from chairs and a footstool being moved around daily.

There were a few black scuffs but they were removed easily with a nylon scrubber.

Have you spilled water and did the product swell up?

We spilled a small amount of water in the kitchen but wiped it up right away. There was no swelling.

Do you use protection under chairs and sofa legs to prevent indents?

There are cushion pads on the legs of our dining chairs. No special pads under our sofa or heavy oak dining table and there are no indentations under either.

What do you use to clean the floor, is it easy to clean?

I use Forbo Marmoleum Neutral pH Cleaner and a spin mop. It’s easy to clean.

Do you like how it feels underfoot?

We ran around barefoot this summer and it feels great. It feels cooler in the winter so we wear slippers.

Other Reviews

Installer problems:

While the click-together version of Marmoleum gives you a tad more grace in the condition of your subfloor you still need to mind the installation instructions and make sure your subfloor is even and level enough.

One reviewer said “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.”

Pet urine problems:

One person said that urine left under a mat for some time left a stain. However, if they caught it and cleaned it right away there would be no problem.

Pet nail problems:

One person said that the nail clicking from their pet dog is much quieter compared to hardwood, but their Marmoleum click-together is banged up from their 90-pound dog’s nails. Another person with an 80-pound lab confirmed that they did have gouges from their dog’s nails which they were not religious about trimming (and that their dog was excitable).

Not totally impervious to dents and damage:

One reviewer advised to use chair leg covers to avoid dents in the floor.

Another Marmoleum owner said their floor is still in good condition, “except where we have brought in too much sand from the beach”….”We’ve also got dents from using a ladder to get into the attic” they added.

One reviewer who has had Marmoleum for 25 years said that they have some half-moon cuts from metal chairs without feet, and dents from heavy furniture.

Waterproof?

Please note that the Cinch Loc Seal version of Marmoleum is new and this version is waterproof as well as formaldehyde-free. They offered a click-together Marmoleum before this version which they did not claim was waterproof or formaldehyde-free so beware of old reviews and make sure you know which floor type they are reviewing. (There are also tiles and sheet forms).

Where to Buy

Buy Marmoleum click-together, sheet and tile forms from Green Design Center. You will get expert support through them as well.

Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.

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