Eco-Friendly Flooring...the New Linoleum

I know, I know...think linoleum, think your mother's kitchen circa 1970 with the strangely patterned and dingy yellow floor and that hideous wallpaper - it brings shivers to my spine (but that's another posting). Linoleum has really made a comeback as a "green" alternative for those eco-conscious folks looking to save their wallet as well as the environment! And, they are coming in new colors and styles your mother never saw. Linoleum is all-natural and has always been "eco." Oxidized linseed oil (or a combination of oxidized linseed oil and tall oil) and rosin are mixed with other raw materials, such as wood and cork flour, to form linoleum granules, which are pressed onto a jute backing, making linoleum sheets. These are then hung in drying rooms and allowed to cure to acquire the required flexibility and resilience. All materials used are renewable and the finished product can be easily recycled at the end of its life, which, by the way, is typically 25-40 years. The new millennium linoleum is available from several manufacturers:

• Marmoleum from Forbo is getting a lot of attention by creating better indoor environments.
• Armstrong offers linoleum to a new generation of consumers; their flooring carries FloorScore certification.
• Mannington Mills used their expertise at making hardwood floors to create linoleum in the most popular wood styles and tones.

photo courtesy of the Linoleum Store