What is linoleum?
Linoleum is a type of floor covering invented by Frederick Walton, who set up the first factory to produce the material in 1859, in Staines, England, and patented the formula for making this covering by 1860. By the end of the 1860s, the floor covering was becoming particularly popular and Walton’s factory made a steady business of selling the product to both English and American consumers. Walton’s basic recipe for linoleum combined linseed oil, also called linoxyn, with either wood or cork dust, and then backed this material with canvas or burlap. This recipe produced some of the most durable flooring available, which was water resistant, easy to clean, and a great replacement for carpet or wood flooring. Covering especially kitchen floors with linoleum soon became popular, though many people also used the floor covering in bathrooms or to protect hallway passages or to surround carpeted areas. There are some interesting uses of linoleum that bear mention. The most durable and high-g
Genuine linoleum, not to be confused with vinyl, is a classic, invented nearly 150 years ago and still completely relevant today. Environmentally preferred linoleum is made from natural, raw materials. Linseed oil, which comes from the flax plant, is the primary ingredient. (In Latin, linum is the word for linseed and oleum means oil.) Other ingredients include wood or cork powder, resins and ground limestone. Mineral pigments provide the rich colors. The ingredients are mixed together, then rolled out between two cylinders (a process called “calendaring”) onto a jute backing. The linoleum is then cured in ovens for 14 to 21 days. Some manufacturers bond a high performance coating to the surface to improve the floor’s ability to resist stains and scratches, and to make cleaning easier. The resulting floor is then rolled on cores, ready for installation. Sheet linoleum is available in many thicknesses. 2.5 mm is suitable for residential use. It is sold in a two-meter (or 6′ 7″) width si
Genuine linoleum, not to be confused with vinyl, is a classic, invented nearly 150 years ago and still completely relevant today. Environmentally preferred linoleum is made from natural, raw materials. Linseed oil, which comes from the flax plant, is the primary ingredient. (In Latin, linum is the word for linseed and oleum means oil.) Other ingredients include wood or cork powder, resins and ground limestone. Mineral pigments provide the rich colors. The ingredients are mixed together, then rolled out between two cylinders (a process called “calendaring”) onto a jute backing. The linoleum is then cured in ovens for 14 to 21 days. Some manufacturers bond a high performance coating to the surface to improve the floors ability to resist stains and scratches, and to make cleaning easier. The resulting floor is then rolled on cores, ready for installation. Sheet linoleum is available in many thicknesses. 2.5 mm is suitable for residential use. It is sold in a two-meter (or 6′ 7″) width siz
