After 150 Years Linoleum Is Still A Popular And An Affordable Flooring Choice

By Greg Garner

In 1860, English inventor Mr. Frederik Walton noticed linseed oil form a layer as it floated in his paint can. A light bulb went on over his head and linoleum was born. Five years after the patent went through; Walton was shipping his linoleum to exotic places like the U.S. From that moment on, linoleum never looked back until after WWII, when vinyl flooring hit the scene and was cheaper to use. Linoleum never really went away though. It became the preferred choice of the rich because of its extraordinary patterns and durability. Twas beauty kept the beast alive. Today, linoleum is making a comeback. Here are the reasons.

— It’s durable and withstands heavy traffic

— Safe for kids

— It resists moisture

— Comes in an Eco friendly variety

— Grows stronger as it ages

— It is extremely flexible

— Made of organic materials

— Can be amazingly beautiful.

Three Types Of Linoleum Flooring

Linoleum is a very durable sheet of flooring that can be laid down like a blanket or put down with adhesives. It also comes in tiles that use sticky adhesive. The easiest to install are the linoleum planks with click and lock technology. They snap together to form a floating floor with no sticky chemicals to inhale.

Colors That Cannot Fade Or Wear

Linoleum flooring is very beautiful and just about any pattern or color can be achieved. The beautiful thing about the beauty of linoleum is that the colors and pattern run throughout the linoleum, or all the way through it. This means that the color and pattern cannot be worn off. There are not many floor materials that can make this beautiful claim. As long as you polish your linoleum flooring from time to time, putting less polish on the least trafficked areas, it should look like new for a long, long time.

So Flexible It Rolls

Linoleum that is made of strictly organic material is eco-friendly and there are no harsh chemicals to harm our little rug rats as they crawl about on them. A sheet of linoleum is so flexible that it can be rolled up and is, in fact, shipped and sold in rolls. The standard size for a rolled sheet of linoleum is six feet six inches squared. Linoleum is moisture resistant, however, this does not mean that you can allow standing water as it may get through any small cracks or the seams where the linoleum sheets or tile meet and do some damage. Place rubber backed rugs or mats in front of outside doorways and in front of sinks. While linoleum is sturdy enough to use on cement basement floors, it is not recommended on or near drains.

What’s In It

Linoleums flexibility comes from the binding agent pine rosin that is mixed with the linseed oil. Wood or cork flour is added to bind those colors in, so that they never fade or wear. This is what makes linoleum so unique. Flexible flooring that can be rolled out, tiled, or planked should be popular as it is the only flooring of its kind. Its popularity after 150 years should attest to this. While you can find linoleum in many places, it is particularly popular in the mobile home industry, which uses it in kitchens and bathrooms in millions of trailers, found mostly in the south.

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