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What kind of floor is this?

rachel1882
14 years ago

Our house was built in 1882, this week we pulled up the carpet in what we were using as the master bedroom and this is what we found:

http://picasaweb.google.com/racheljonesphotography/BedroomFlooring#

it's a type of linoleum, but it is not glued down- it's loose and held down with tacks. I think it's super cool, but would like to know if it's worth anything. My husband's not crazy about having a circus on our bedroom floor, so if it's not worth anything we will just cut it and take it up in sheets to put somewhere else. It's 9' x 12'.

Comments (8)

  • macv
    14 years ago

    here is a link to it

    Here is a link that might be useful: floor

  • rachel1882
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    thank you! I didn't notice I could do that.

  • kframe19
    14 years ago

    I can't see it right now because of the various restrictions on hosted images at my office, but...

    It was very common for lino to be held down with tacks. Because of the composition, essentially linseed oil and cork and other products, glues weren't know for sticking well to it.

    Lino came in an incredible array of designs and patterns.

    As for value, that's always a very tough question to answer.

  • calliope
    14 years ago

    I'm old enough to remember linoleum (real linoleum and not vinyl) and they usually weren't glued down. That's why you see so many old tongue in groove and plank floors painted in a rectangle around the wall areas only. LOL. The occupants had an old wood floor and didn't want to refinish it, and it was that era's equivalent of just installing carpet over it.

    My parents only had linoleum in the kitchen and put down the big oriental-style carpets. Wall-t0-wall was unheard of (at least with common folk).

    That's a super cool pattern and was likely for a child's room. Our bedroom when I was very young was in a cowboy and Indian motif. What a blast from the past.

  • kframe19
    14 years ago

    Wow. That is SO cool!

    That just SCREAMS 1940s/1950s to me from the illustration style.

    One neat thing about linoleum, true linoleum, is that it's antibacterial. The linseed oil base has some sort of antibacterial properties. It's still used in hospitals because of that.

    Linoleum, true lino, is still made overseas. I don't believe there are any makers in the US.

  • karinl
    14 years ago

    That is very cool, and the paint that matches it really makes a statement :-) - is that pre-existing or did you accidentally match the floor you didn't know was there?

    If you spin around the internet looking for "vintage linoleum" or "vintage flooring" you might find some informative links, and maybe watch Ebay to see if anything similar is listed, and what it goes for.

    I would certainly handle it with care, and if you actually do want to sell it, it doesn't hurt to put it out there, on Ebay, or CL for offers, and see what happens. Around here, the movie industry sometimes picks up things like this for props. You might find some such companies on line and offer it to them.

    Me, I think I'd live with it for a while; it is SO cool. But I sympathize with your husband about it not being everyone's style, and it's hard not to be curious about the condition of the floor underneath. Could be trash, could be treasure.

    KarinL

  • rachel1882
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I actually just painted and then pulled the carpet up, so not intentional. :-)

    I found this website and sent them an email- this was the response:
    I'm in the middle of moving my store, so very difficult to answer all your questions. I think I know that lino, and it's from the 50s. Any flooring that's used is worthless to me, but if you can save it for yourself, it may be worth the effort. Very difficult to move or save. You need to heat it up before you try anything, I use an electric blanket.

    So I think what we've decided is to leave it covered for a couple years until we have the attic done and then put it on the floor up there. If we can't get it to bend without breaking then we will cut it (gulp) and attach it to plywood or something similar and hang it on the wall. My husband likes it... just not in our room. Makes him feel like he's a little kid. It makes me feel like we live in an old house- but that's ok, it's his room too. :-)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Second Hand Rose

  • karinl
    14 years ago

    Well that was nice of her to answer you and a useful answer too, and how cool that there is still vintage lino on the market! Nice that you may be able to accommodate it somewhere in your house.

    I really do like the paint colour, and what an amazing coincidence that you matched the lino. I'm considering something not that different for the next room I do, in the attic, and my neighbour's living room is also similar... and looks good too!

    KarinL