Ben There, Done That for Feb. 16, 2022
Lowdown on lino’
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Linoleum. What comes to mind? Old plastic-y flooring that lasts forever? The floors of schools, offices, airports? Perhaps you even “showcase” linoleum in your bathroom or kitchen. Many decades ago, this flooring was an extremely popular choice with colorful, bold designs. While linoleum or “lino” was out of vogue for years, a surprising resurgence is occurring. To understand why, we need to take a look at the fascinating story of how this material came to be.
The story begins in 1855. An English inventor by the name of Fredrick Walton observed an unusual gummy layer forming on the top of a can of oil paint. The strange amber-colored goo was linseed oil, the primary ingredient or “binder” in the paint that had oxidized. Oil painters are familiar with this process, oil paints do not dry in the sense of losing water, rather oxidization hardens them. This why oil paint takes so long to dry and is so durable, but I digress. So, Walton became obsessed with this unusual substance, thinking he could utilize it for practical purposes. After a number of failed attempts to use the goo for waterproofing, varnish, and a considerable number of other things, he finally cracked the code. This inventor mixed the linseed oil with cork dust, sticky gum, and pigment. Next, the resulting goop was spread onto a cotton cloth for backing. Just like that, Mr. Fredrick Walton invented a new type of flooring.
Linoleum, the new invention’s name by merging the Latin words for “flax” and “oil,” was quickly patented by Walton. With great gusto, Fredrick formed a company to manufacture and began to market the product like mad. Linoleum was basically a miracle flooring: quiet and warm, more durable than floor cloths (the precursor to carpet). Plus, an array of colors and designs made lino very desirable, fitting any taste or preference. The hardwood or marble floors were challenged by lino’s excellent qualities.
This modern, amazing flooring exploded into international fame. In fact, Walton even created an entire town to make linoleum on Staten Island with the incredibly creative name “Linoleumville.” Because of the rise in popularity, other companies sprouted up all over the globe to manufacture this “luxury flooring.” Believe it or not, the Titanic used linoleum heavily throughout the entire ship. Even as the ship sits on the bottom of the sea floor, video of the ship taken with submarines reveals that the linoleum appears to still be intact and in good condition. Remarkable!
By the 1950’s, linoleum was becoming very inexpensive to produce and was, in turn, becoming very affordable. Reasonable prices plus easy consumer installation equaled an irresistible choice. Linoleum was becoming commonplace: durable, easy to install, easy to clean, what was not to love? Sadly, its popularity signaled demise; lino was perceived to be cheap. Additionally, its amazing durability meant as styles changed, lino patterns stayed around long after they went out of date. Linoleum did enjoy a minor revival as a printmaking medium and as an urban dance surface, but neither could preserve its previous popularity levels.
Then suddenly, against all odds, after several decades away linoleum is back. Featured in trendy furniture, chic shops, countertops, cafes, and so many other places, we appear to be in a lino renaissance of sorts. So beloved in the past, a new generation is discovering and loving it anew. However, linoleum flooring is now appreciated for reasons Frederick Walton never dreamed. Linoleum is extremely eco-friendly and completely renewable because of its plant-based raw materials. In fact, lino is so green and non-toxic you could technically eat it, although it must be said, this is not recommended. So, the next time you spot a trendy new design featuring the plastic-y covering, you’ll know the comeback story of the fantastic flooring called linoleum.
