If you're someone who loves to go barefoot around
the house, think about adding linoleum to your
kitchen floors. There are a number of reasons, but
in a nutshell, linoleum is warmer on bare feet,
easier on ankle and knee joints than tile, comes
in a huge variety of patterns and colors, is
cost-effective, water-tolerant, and is a natural
product.
I know, your grandmother's house had linoleum, and
it was dull, cold, lifeless, and hard to keep
clean. But that's all a thing of the past. The new
linoleum has a great deal to offer. Let's look at
some of linoleum's advantages.
First, let's examine the composition of linoleum
as opposed to vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring is
made of chlorinated petrochemical materials, while
linoleum is made from linseed oil combined with
wood flour or cork dust, ground limestone, and
color pigments, over a burlap, jute, or canvas
backing. In fact, the very name linoleum is
derived from the Latin names for two natural
materials: flax (linum) and oil (oleum).
Given their difference in composition, vinyl
flooring will melt if someone accidentally drops a
cigarette or a match on it, but linoleum won't.
The pattern on vinyl flooring is imprinted onto
the top surface of the material, but a linoleum
pattern goes all the way through. That means that
as a vinyl floor wears down, the pattern gradually
disappears. However, the same amount of wear to
linoleum only reveals new color, since the color
goes all the way to the bottom.
Linoleum is also very durable and can last up to
forty years, even in tough, high-traffic
commercial situations. Ironically, it was that
very durability that led to the decline of
linoleum use in homes. People simply got tired of
it long before it had outlived its usefulness.
Over time, vinyl flooring, which came in many more
patterns and colors, made serious inroads into
replacing linoleum as America’s favorite kitchen
flooring material. But that didn't mean it was
superior to linoleum. Since it had a cork backing,
linoleum was quieter, provided insulation that
made it warmer on bare feet, was more forgiving if
someone dropped a dish or coffee cup, was easier
on the legs and backs of women who spent lots of
time in the kitchen, and was easy to keep clean.
If you're an environmentalist, linoleum wins over
vinyl, hands down. It's made of completely
renewable natural materials, and no toxins are
released into the environment during its
manufacture. That's one major reason why linoleum
is making a strong comeback in new construction
and remodeling projects.
It's not the same stuff your grandmother had on
her kitchen floor. It's vibrant, dust-resistant,
environmentally friendly, and will probably
outlive the people who install it. What could be
better than that?
Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher
Jeanette Fisher, author of interior design,
real estate, and credit books teaches five ways to
makeover your home and office for happiness and
productivity. Free Design Psychology information:
Design Psychology
Permission granted to publish this article as
long as the bio remains intact with a live link to
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