What was once old is new again. And that adage fits linoleum flooring, a type that is making a comeback. When you are choosing a new flooring for your home and considering linoleum , you are leaning towards a good decision.
Linoleum flooring, no matter where you place it in your home, is durable and can last for many decades. Linoleum is made from non-toxic and natural components. This means that at the end of its long and useful life, it is biodegradable. This type of flooring has many great features, like
- Affordability, compared to wood flooring
- Easy of maintenance and cleaning
- Durability
- Environmental “correctness”
- Color goes all the way through the material
And of course it has a few bad features too.
- Affordability, compared to vinyl
- Not a luxurious look
- Hard to install
Linoleum floors are made from all natural materials, like linseed oil pressed from the flax plant, pine resin, wood flour, cork powder, natural pigments and jute. Based on these environmental factors, this type of flooring is increasingly chosen before vinyl. Because of its durability, there is more being installed in kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms than we’ve seen in a long time. Its toughness and comfort compliment each other, making it a solid investment.
Invented in England in 1863, linoleum was one of the most popular flooring choices for many years, until vinyl flooring. There are many people to this day who confuse it for vinyl because of their close competition in vinyl’s early years of marketing. Partially due to its growing popularity, it is being manufactured all over the world.
When you get tired of the linoleum flooring you have, you have various decorating options, such as painting it with a pattern or just a different color. By painting it, don’t have to get involved in removing your flooring. What a great environmental decision! It can be more expensive than other floorings such as vinyl, but the cost is worthwhile because of its durability. Because of its environmental attributes and longevity, it’s worth the effort of installing.
Did you know you can even use it for countertops? If it holds up to being walked on, it surely will endure kitchen abuse; I love my linoleum countertops! One advantage is that the color goes throughout the material, it’s not just a thin top layer. That means when it’s scratched or nicked, the damage isn’t as obvious because the same color comes through as is on the surface.
Of course with any type of flooring, there are a few drawbacks that may cause people to think twice about buying linoleum flooring. The price may be a little too high for some people because it is more expensive than the average vinyl. Installation is can be difficult, causing many people to hire a professional installer, adding to the cost.
If you take the time to compare the pros and cons of linoleum you will see that the pros outweigh the cons. It is a great choice for any room in any home. Go retro, and choose the long-lasting environmental flooring that will look great for decades to come.
