Curious flooring uncovered
We pulled up some old sheet linoleum in the entrance hall and upstairs hall of our 1890’s 2 family and found this underneath and we’re wondering if anyone else has this flooring, what it is (it seems like a very thick type of linoleum, it’s not tiles, and has this curious inlay of glittery gold…
We pulled up some old sheet linoleum in the entrance hall and upstairs hall of our 1890’s 2 family and found this underneath and we’re wondering if anyone else has this flooring, what it is (it seems like a very thick type of linoleum, it’s not tiles, and has this curious inlay of glittery gold stars (with real glitter!). We like it, it’s kind of quirky and cool, and want to clean it up (there’s some old paint and adhesive in some spots) but don’t want to damage it. Any advice? (and please excuse the dirty floor…we’re renovating!) thanks everyone!
I pulled up a corner of our carpet in the den of the ’63 ranch house we’re renting (and hope to buy) and discovered the same pattern you’ve pictured just a few days ago. I desperately want to rip up the carpet and shine it up as I think it is a beautiful vintage/retro pattern and a solid surface flooring would be so much more suitable to our lifestyle with two kids and multiple pets. Did you ever find a way to clean it up?
“As opposed to phony limo-liberal version of ecological like ripping out everything, throwing the debris in a landfill then installing cork floors and calling it “green” building.”
Well said!
i agree, you should shine this sh*t to perfection and love it. don’t put down some new hideous pergo and start bleaching all your floors so when you start popping out little kiddies you can breed super germs like all the other super moms out there.
keep the floors! they’re great.
Leave it to the newbie old house owners to be all about new-new-new. They never lived in an old house before they buy their brownstone and turn up their nose at anything that’s not new and perfect.
Old things have a “patina”. It’s a certain aesthetic many people, especially artists and writers, embrace. That patina is called “dirty” by certain people, but frankly I’ve always found those kinds of people really very boring. OP, it’s your house and if you want to have a touch of original details in YOUR house, go for it. It’s also genuinely ecological to keep this material and restore it. As opposed to phony limo-liberal version of ecological like ripping out everything, throwing the debris in a landfill then installing cork floors and calling it “green” building.
I have to agree with the minority here — you might be thinking this floor is a treasure just because you found it in YOUR house. If you walked into an open house and saw this stuff, you’d be calculating the cost to rip it out and replace it so you could reduce your offer by at least that much… if you didn’t just turn around and walk away altogether.
Well, one good thing, it will hide the dirt cuz its pretty nasty and dirty looking all by itself, Yuuuuck.
If it is in fact real Linoleum…from Armstrong:
floor care: http://www.armstrong.com/resflram/na/linoleum/en/us/fc_list.asp
maintenance: http://www.armstrong.com/resflram/na/linoleum/en/us/article18262.html
I have not tried these myself yet, but intend doing so – have a a kitchen floor project in my near future.
I need to be the contrarian voice and say I think it looks ugly and dirty. Rip it up and give yourself a nice floor treatment.
I believe these older, heavier linoleums were referred to as “floor cloths” and were sometimes, due to their weight, merely laid on the floor, not glued. I think they are incredibly cool and am looking forward to an entire line of them at the Restoration Hardware that I hear is opening in 345 Adams over the weekend.