While the principles and suggestions on home furnishing and decoration
set forth by Mr. Parsons on the preceding pages are fresh in our minds,
let us see how they may be applied specifically to the selection of
floors in the modern home. According to Mr. Parsons, if properly
designed and selected to harmonize with its surroundings, modern
linoleum is not only suitable but desirable as a floor for every room
in the house. Let us first define the various types of linoleum,
and then, going from one room to another, learn how to use linoleum
floors effectively and artistically, keeping in mind the fundamental
principles that Mr. Parsons has explained to us.
[Sidenote: What Linoleum Is]
Linoleum was invented in England in 1863. The name comes from two Latin
words, _linum_ (flax) and _oleum_ (oil). Thus linoleum takes its name
from its principal ingredient, linseed oil. Before it can be used in
making linoleum, however, the linseed oil must be oxidized by exposing
it to the air until it hardens into a tough, rubber-like substance.
The oxidized oil is then mixed with powdered cork, wood flour, various
gums, and color pigments; and the resulting plastic mass is pressed on
burlap by means of great rollers that exert a pressure of hundreds of
pounds to the square inch. The “green linoleum” then passes into huge
drying ovens, where it is hung up in festoons to cure and season. This
curing process takes from one to six weeks, depending on the thickness
of the material.
There are several varieties of linoleum, designated as follows:
(_a_) Plain linoleum--of solid color, without pattern--the heavier
grades of which are used for covering the decks of battleships and
hence are known as “battleship linoleum.”
(_b_) Jaspe linoleum, which is like inlaid linoleum in that the colors
run clear through the fabric. It is made in plain colorings, with a
pleasing graining in two tones of the same color.
(_c_) Inlaid linoleum, in which the colors of the pattern go through to
the burlap back.
(_d_) Granite linoleum, which is also a variety of inlaid. It has a
mottled appearance, resembling terrazzo.
(_e_) Printed linoleum, which is simply plain linoleum with a design
printed on the surface with oil paint.
Turn for a moment to the colorplates at the back of this book, and
note the illustrations of various types of linoleum floors. Your local
merchant has actual samples of linoleum, and will be glad to show you
the different grades.
[Sidenote: Used for Years in Europe]
As Mr. Parsons has suggested, the use of linoleum floors all over the
house is not new; it is one of the excellent ideas in home building
that has come to us from Europe. There the designing of linoleum, for
many years, has been given particular attention; and linoleum floors
have found ready acceptance in bedrooms, living-rooms, dining-rooms,
etc., not alone in homes of persons of moderate means, but just as
frequently in those of the rich and well-to-do. European architects are
accustomed to specify linoleum floors in new buildings instead of other
materials less desirable.
The European housewife takes particular pride in keeping her linoleum
floors in spick-and-span condition by waxing and polishing them. And,
as the years pass, linoleum floors soften in color and deepen in tone,
taking on a finish not unlike that of wood which has been mellowed by
age.
[Sidenote: Growing Use in America]
In America, the makers of Armstrong’s Linoleum were the first to
give attention to the designing of linoleum patterns that would lend
themselves to acceptable use in the modern American home. Skilled
designers were brought from the best European establishments and given
_carte blanche_ in the development of designs particularly appropriate
to American ideas of home decoration and conditions of living. As a
result, we can state with confidence that for beauty, attractiveness,
and general utility the Armstrong floor designs now available are not
excelled either in Europe or America.
Miss Rene Stillman, a writer on interior decoration, in discussing
recently in the Philadelphia _Public Ledger_ the change from unsanitary
carpets to the use of fabric rugs speaks also of the change in
linoleums and their relation to modern interior decoration. She says,
... “and then the new linoleums, not the old kitchen kind, but modern
floors which have become works of art, some of which are not unlike
the floors in old palaces. Not long ago I went to an exhibit given by
a number of prominent interior decorators. There I went through one of
the most charmingly decorated houses you ever saw, and every floor had
linoleum upon it. It was a house of Spanish architecture, and there was
a central court, with fountains and foliage--an unpretentious, but very
beautiful, little court. And, would you believe it? it was paved--I use
the word advisedly--with linoleum of the large black-and-white blocks,
for all the world like large black-and-white marble tiles. The other
rooms were also covered with linoleum, which toned with the woodwork
or the walls or the general scheme of the furnishings. But these rooms
were also covered with fabric rugs, some of them large central rugs,
allowing the linoleum floor to show about the edges. In other rooms,
the rugs were smaller and scattered over a larger surface of the
linoleum. Of course, it was very good linoleum, mostly cork I think,
and the pattern went all the way through. I was charmed with the subtle
colors, the often exquisite designs.”
As a matter of fact, in the last few years many leading architects
and interior decorators have used linoleum floors in homes they have
planned, particularly because of the decorative effects it is possible
to achieve with linoleum floors, as contrasted with other materials.
Where the problem is to redecorate a house, linoleum is being more
and more widely used to resurface worn wood floors. And, in many new
homes, owners and architects have specified linoleum floors instead
of wood; they have used linoleum not alone because of the economy in
dollars and cents but because linoleum floors are so _very much easier
to take care of_. Especially where the housewife has to do her own
work, or good help is difficult to obtain, linoleum aids materially in
solving this almost universal household problem.
The portfolio of colorplates and black-and-white reproductions included
with this book will give you an excellent idea of just how linoleum
floors look in modern homes. If you are planning to build a new
house, you owe it to yourself to investigate the possibilities that
linoleum floors offer you in making the home unusually interesting and
attractive.
[Sidenote: For the Hall]
The hall is the first place in your home that visitors see. It must
be kept speckless and spotless. A linoleum hall floor proclaims the
neatness of the housewife to all visitors the moment they cross the
threshold because it is so easy to keep such a floor fresh and inviting.
And no matter what the decorative treatment of your hall, there are
patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum that will harmonize perfectly with
rugs, walls, and furniture. For a formal vestibule, there are exclusive
designs that will appeal to all tastes. For instance, Pattern 350,
which is a six-inch block design of alternate black and white squares,
suggests marble tile. Or there is an interesting Persian tile, Pattern
No. 232, in cream, red, and black. The newer designs in marble and
tile inlaids permit many interesting combinations. In an entrance
hall proper, you may prefer wood effects. There are several linoleum
parquetries which, waxed and polished, make splendid floors for halls
and reception rooms, as well as living- and dining-rooms.
The durability of good linoleum should always be kept in mind. The
number of footsteps it would take to wear it out cannot be estimated,
and dripping umbrellas and wet rubbers do not damage it.
[Sidenote: For the Living-Room]
Linoleum for the living-room? Remember, we are now speaking of linoleum
as a floor and not as a covering. There is a vital distinction. Over
linoleum installed as a permanent floor, naturally, you will lay your
fabric rugs, whether they are domestic or Oriental. And you will select
your linoleum floor carefully, because it must serve as a background
not only for the rugs placed upon it, but for all the furnishings of
the room, just as the wall-covering is a background for the pictures
or draperies hung against it. The general rule is that the linoleum
floor should be darker in tone than the walls and woodwork. It is the
foundation upon which the whole plan of furnishing is based. Thus
you will select your linoleum floors, keeping in mind the type of
furniture, the woodwork, and the general effect you wish to produce.
For example, if the woodwork is dark and the furniture tends toward the
massive in style, one of the darker tones of plain brown, the brown
jaspe, or a parquetry linoleum floor is appropriate. If the woodwork
is white or ivory, the floors may be selected in softer tones of gray,
green, and light brown, depending on the character of the furnishings.
[Sidenote: For the Dining-Room]
Linoleum is truly the logical floor for the dining-room. Every
practical consideration persuades its use. In the dining-room,
cheerfulness and individuality are the prime requisites. A thoughtful
selection of the floor in relation to the furnishings may be made to
contribute not a little to the charm of a room. The newer linoleum
designs offer many interesting suggestions; for instance, a marble
tile, with contrasting interliners, or one of the carpet inlaids of
all-over pattern, permits out-of-the-ordinary floor treatment. Pattern
No. 201, a little three-inch tile of alternating black and gray blocks,
is reminiscent of Italian influence. In the woods, Parquetry No. 600
is particularly good. Or, for the average home, nothing is better than
the jaspes in browns and grays, or a plain linoleum in appropriate
coloring.
In any room, a nice balance in the use of figured and plain surfaces
is always desirable. For instance, if a plain coloring or a jaspe
linoleum is used for the floor, figured rugs and wall coverings may
well be chosen. If, however, a patterned linoleum floor is employed,
the fabric rugs and wall coverings should be plainer, or of small
all-over pattern. Avoid overemphasis of pattern or, conversely, too
much monotony of plain surfaces.
The cheerful tile designs in Armstrong’s Linoleum are particularly
appropriate for the breakfast alcove or sun porch now found in many
homes. In a recent issue of _The Delineator_, Martha Hill Cutler,
writing on “Linoleum Floors--Durable, Smart,” after saying that
“linoleum has now ‘arrived’ as an artistic as well as a practical
possibility for every room in the house,” speaks particularly of the
use of linoleum in the breakfast-room.
She says, “In a breakfast-room or sun-parlor one can do daring things.
There are fascinating possibilities in a linoleum design of brilliant
colorings, the black-and-orange, for instance, the green-and-white,
green-and-black, or blue-and-green.
“Breakfast-rooms are almost always so small that rugs are not
absolutely essential, but plain rugs against these brilliant tiles
as backgrounds are very effective. Brilliantly colored curtains to
harmonize, an unusual chintz or cretonne, and painted furniture can be
combined with them with colorful results.”
[Sidenote: For a Group of Rooms]
By using the same linoleum floor through a series of rooms, it is
possible to gain unity and a feeling of spaciousness. On the second
floor, not infrequently the rooms open from a central hall or top
stair landing. There are a number of colors and designs in Armstrong’s
Linoleum that are specially suitable for groups of rooms because they
lend themselves as a background for the draperies in each room, and yet
bind all the rooms together as a unit. The gray jaspe, plain dark gray,
and light gray linoleums are particularly appropriate with old Colonial
painted woodwork in white, ivory, or soft gray; the brown jaspe, plain
dark brown or tan, the parquetries, and certain carpet patterns are
equally appropriate with oak, cypress, gum, or chestnut woodwork in the
natural finish or painted woodwork in buff and tan.
[Sidenote: For the Bedroom]
For the bedroom, no floor is so sanitary and so easily cared for as
linoleum. It appeals to the most fastidious. And linoleum is not a
cold floor--in fact, it is as warm as any wood surface. We have said
that linoleum is made largely of cork and linseed oil. Cork is widely
used for heat insulating purposes. Engineers regard it as good, if not
a better heat retainer than wood. And a linoleum floor has certain
advantages over wood floors. There are no cracks or crevices to catch
dust or harbor germs. The oxidized linseed oil, moreover, has known
germicidal powers that actually tend to destroy bacteria.
There are some very dainty small designs in delicate colors in
Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum that are particularly suitable for
bedrooms--blue-and-white, pink-and-white, green-and-blue, and
green-and-white. Bedroom floors like these, or of plain light blue,
rose, or light gray are very charming.
Over the bedroom linoleum floor you will, of course, use small fabric
rugs beside the bed, in front of the dressing table, or before the easy
chair. You would not leave a wood floor bare. Let us emphasize again
that linoleum is a floor--and not merely a floor-covering.
Perhaps in your home bedroom floors have been a problem because they
are of soft wood, which must be repainted frequently and which are
always hard to keep looking well. Linoleum offers you new floors for
old--and at relatively slight expense, far less than the cost of
putting in new wood floors. Remember that linoleum floors do not need
periodical refinishing, as does hardwood. This is an additional saving.
[Sidenote: For the Sleeping-Porch]
Many people do not consider a house complete nowadays unless it has a
sleeping-porch. Here, again, to secure a thoroughly satisfactory floor
is a problem. But linoleum solves it nicely and economically. Granite
linoleums, which resemble terrazzo, or a neat tile effect will be
especially pleasing.
[Sidenote: For the Bathroom]
Water is always being spilled upon the bathroom floor. It rots wood;
it gets into the cracks of tiling and, in time, may cause the tiles
to come up. What is needed in a bathroom, therefore, is a floor that
is proof against moisture, easy to clean, sanitary, comfortable, and
exceptionally durable. If laid properly--that is, cemented down with
waterproof cement--a linoleum floor in a bathroom will last for years.
The designs of Armstrong’s Linoleum which are offered for the bathroom
combine cleanable, sanitary, comfortable, durable, and beautiful
qualities in the highest degree.
[Sidenote: For the Nursery]
In decorating the children’s playroom, a linoleum floor, chosen in
pattern to harmonize with the color scheme, gives one an opportunity
to work out a charming relationship between the floor, the furniture,
and the draperies, to suit the playroom idea. In Armstrong’s Linoleum,
there are a score of designs in pleasing matting and wood effects and
carpet patterns especially appropriate for such a room. And the floor
need not be expensive--Armstrong’s Printed Linoleum will last through
childhood’s romp and play. And, when the toys and games are put away
for more mature interests, the room may be refurnished at slight
expense.
[Sidenote: For the Attic and Sewing-Room]
In many homes, the attic is being changed from a store-room into an
attractive, comfortable spare room at little expense. The skillful use
of odd pieces of furniture, the pleasing blending of draperies, and the
covering of the floor with an attractive linoleum pattern will easily
make this room one of the most interesting in the home. Whether the
room is used as an extra sleeping-room or for sewing, the advantages
of a linoleum floor are obvious. It is so easy to clean; cuttings and
threads are easily swept up; they do not stick to the smooth-surfaced
linoleum. For a very small outlay, you can transform the attic in your
home into a usable, attractive room.
[Sidenote: For the Kitchen, Pantry and Laundry]
If your kitchen or pantry floor is the kind that requires you to spend
hours with water pail and scrubbing brush and back-breaking labor to
keep it clean, it is time you change to a linoleum floor. And, even
with linoleum floors, many women find it hard to get away from the
scrubbing habit. Most people scrub linoleum entirely too frequently. A
plain or inlaid linoleum floor should be thoroughly waxed with liquid
floor wax. The wax provides a coating which prevents the dirt from
being ground into the surface. Such a floor needs only to be swept and
then wiped with a damp cloth, and the wax renewed every five to six
weeks. Varnishing a printed linoleum floor will add to the life of the
linoleum and make it easier to keep clean. All these considerations
hold equally true for vestibule, laundry, and closets. There are many
bright patterns in Armstrong’s Linoleum for the kitchen or pantry from
which you can make a selection that will exactly fit into your idea of
what these rooms should look like.
[Sidenote: The Advantages of Linoleum Floors]
By way of summing up, consider for just a moment what the qualities are
that you really need and demand in the floors in your home. Certainly,
you want your floors to be durable. And is there any floor you can
think of--cost considered--that can approach a good linoleum in wearing
quality? Next, you demand sanitation. Do you know of any floor that
excels linoleum in that respect? Most assuredly, you want floors that
are easy to keep clean. Have you not found linoleum easy to clean? And
you must have comfort. Is not linoleum easy underfoot?
But, you say, we must have warmth, too. Certainly, you must. But you
would hardly think of leaving the wood floor in your bedroom and
living-room bare, would you? No, you use rugs. Follow the same course,
then, with your linoleum floors; and you will find them equally as
comfortable as hardwood. In fact, thickness for thickness, linoleum is
a better non-conductor of heat than wood is.
Then, finally, you demand beauty and economy in your floors--and justly
so. As for color harmony, hardwood has distinct limitations. Shades of
brown and tan are about the only colors that are available. But, with
linoleum, the range of colors and patterns is well-nigh unlimited, and
your floors can thus be made an integral part of your general color
scheme. On this point, the colorplates that accompany this book speak
for themselves.
As to economy, linoleum floors of good quality are less expensive
today than the cheapest hardwood. And they cost less to maintain,
too. Given reasonable care and proper treatment, linoleum floors will
last indefinitely, without the periodic refinishing that all hardwood
requires.
So you can see for yourself, once you analyze the subject, how
remarkably linoleum does combine each and every one of the qualities
you want the floors in your home to possess.
[Sidenote: Bureau of Interior Decoration]
Naturally, we want you to be thoroughly satisfied with your floors of
Armstrong’s Linoleum--not only as to wearing quality but in respect
to pattern and color as well. And, since the selection of suitable
linoleum floors to harmonize with the different types of furnishings
and color schemes involves the application of the principles of
interior decoration, we have organized a Bureau of Interior Decoration
to answer any questions you may care to ask about the use of
Armstrong’s Linoleum in your home.
If you are planning to refurnish or redecorate your home, write our
Bureau of Interior Decoration, describing your furniture, wallpaper,
rugs, and the color scheme you have in mind. Our Interior Decorator
will be glad to make suggestions that may be helpful to you, and will
send you lithographs of linoleum patterns that will make suitable
floors for your home. There is no charge or implied obligation for this
service.
[Sidenote: How To Get Armstrong’s Linoleum]
First, get in touch with the merchant in home furnishings with whom
you are accustomed to trade. If he does not have on hand an adequate
assortment of Armstrong patterns to suit your taste, ask him to show
you his copy of the Armstrong Pattern Book, which contains colorplates
of all of the two hundred and fifty designs and colorings in the
Armstrong line. From this book, you can select your first, second, and
third choice; and doubtless he will be glad to place an order for the
pattern you desire.
Certain patterns, including plain colorings, jaspes, and carpet
inlaids, are carried in the factory in our Cut-Order Department; and
the merchant can order exact room sizes for you.
If, however, you have difficulty in getting just what you want, please
write us, not forgetting to include the merchant’s name and address.
Then we shall do all in our power to see that you can secure what you
require through some good store near you.
As manufacturers, we sell only through the regular trade channels,
and, therefore, we cannot quote you prices. In fact, it is really to
your advantage to buy through your dealer, as he purchases Armstrong’s
Linoleum in large quantities, and thus the transportation charges are
much less than if a small quantity of linoleum were shipped direct from
the factory.
[Sidenote: Our Guarantee]
Every yard of Armstrong’s Linoleum is fully guaranteed to give
satisfactory service. Your merchant will be authorized to make good to
you any defect in manufacture, either by replacing the linoleum or by
making an adjustment satisfactory to you.
[1] _Armstrong Bureau of Interior Decoration._
_How To Care for Linoleum Floors_
A linoleum floor, properly cared for, is easier to clean and will
retain its new and attractive appearance longer than any other kind
of floor. Linoleum has a smooth, unbroken surface, without cracks and
crevices to catch dirt and germs. In Armstrong’s Linoleum, the colors
used are bright and clear and will retain their luster and brilliancy
for years.
As every housewife knows, linoleum floors require less attention than
wood floors; but it is possible to lessen materially the work of caring
for linoleum floors by observing the simple rules set forth in the
paragraphs following.
[Sidenote: Waxing Inlaid and Plain Linoleum]
When you install a new inlaid, jaspe, or plain linoleum floor, it
should first be washed carefully with tepid water and pure soap and
then, before it is tracked up, waxed with a liquid floor wax, rubbing
the wax in very thoroughly.
After that, you will care for your linoleum floor just as you would for
a waxed floor. A weighted brush, such as is used for wood floors, is
convenient for polishing; or a heavy brick, wrapped in a soft cloth,
will serve.
The daily care of a waxed linoleum floor is simple. Ordinarily, all
that is needed is to go over the floor around the fabric rugs with
a dry mop. At doorways, or where the traffic is greatest, the wax
coating will wear away, and should be renewed at those points as often
as appearance demands. Given this sort of care, it is not necessary
to scrub or wash linoleum floors, except at rare intervals. Muddy
footprints may be wiped up with a damp cloth, as occasion requires.
Any good floor wax, such as Johnson’s Liquid Wax or Old English
Brightener, is suitable for use on linoleum floors. Most people prefer
to use liquid wax because it is easier to apply than paste wax and
permits evener distribution on the linoleum. Whether you use liquid or
paste wax, apply it very sparingly and be sure to rub it in thoroughly.
If you put the wax coating on too thick, it will not harden properly.
As a result, the excess wax will absorb and hold the dirt. It will look
greasy and unsightly, and the floor will remain in a slippery condition.
[Sidenote: Varnishing Printed Linoleum]
Many people find that printed linoleum wears better and retains its
original freshness of coloring longer if given a coating of varnish
or clear white shellac. It is economical to use only a high-grade
waterproof varnish or a clear white shellac, as the cheaper grades are
likely to scratch or turn white under water. Such varnishes as Valspar
or “61” Floor Varnish are recommended.
Before varnishing or shellacking, the linoleum must be cleaned
carefully and should be thoroughly dried. The varnish should be applied
as evenly as possible and allowed to dry twelve hours before the floor
is used. At least two coats should be applied over new linoleum;
thereafter, the varnish need be renewed but once or twice a year,
according to the wear on the floor. Care should be used in revarnishing
to avoid streaked and spotty effects.
[Sidenote: Washing Linoleum]
In the kitchen, pantry, or bathroom, where water is spilled and there
is naturally more dirt, owing to the ordinary household activities,
than on other floors of the house, washing linoleum will, at times,
become necessary. However, going over the waxed linoleum floor with
a dry or waxed mop will usually keep it clean. As previously stated,
scrubbing linoleum should rarely be necessary. In washing the linoleum,
warm, sudsy water, made with a mild soap, such as Ivory, will clean
a linoleum floor thoroughly. It is best to wash and dry only about a
square yard at a time, rinsing the linoleum with clear water and wiping
it up thoroughly. Never flood the surface of the linoleum with water,
nor allow the water to stand around the edges or seams.
[Sidenote: Avoid Alkali Soaps and Powders]
Contrary to the idea held by a good many housewives, certain advertised
cleaning soaps and washing powders are not good to use on linoleum.
Practically all of these cleansers contain strong alkali or caustics
which are positively injurious. More harm is done to linoleum by the
use of such agents than in any other way. The chemical action of these
substances disintegrates the oxidized linseed oil and cork in linoleum
just as it destroys the varnish on hardwood. A good rule is to avoid
the use of soda, lye, or potash cleansing powders and strong scouring
soaps altogether. A good mild soap is all that is necessary.
[Sidenote: Polishing Linoleum]
After washing with soap and water, inlaid linoleum, particularly,
should be polished with a soft cloth or brush. The wax finish may be
dulled somewhat by the washing, but is quickly restored by a brisk
rubbing. Where the wax has been removed by washing, it should be
renewed at once.
[Sidenote: Heavy Furniture on Linoleum]
The casters ordinarily used are apt to cut into linoleum if the
furniture is heavy, therefore it is best to use glass or metal sliding
shoes which have a wide bearing surface and no rough edges. They are
made in several sizes, have a shank similar to that on a regular
caster, and will fit the same sockets. Heavy felt casters may be
purchased at the furniture stores which are also recommended for use on
linoleum floors.
Always lay a piece of carpet on the floor, or a board, just as over a
hardwood floor, when moving very heavy furniture, to prevent marring
the surface of the linoleum.
_How To Lay Linoleum Floors_
In the past, linoleum has been regarded by many as a temporary
floor-covering. Not much care has been used in laying it. But you want
well-finished floors in your home that will need a minimum amount of
attention as the years go by. For this reason, we strongly recommend
that you have your linoleum floors installed by the merchant from whom
you buy the goods. Experience has taught their layers how to cut the
linoleum so as to avoid waste and how to lay it to prevent buckling and
cracking, conditions which result from faulty workmanship.
[Sidenote: Skilled Workmanship Required]
Insist that your linoleum be laid right. If the merchant does not
employ skilled mechanics to do this work, go to a merchant who has
a staff of layers and who will guarantee his laying. He will make a
charge for the cost of labor and materials; but, in the long run, it
will prove greater economy for you to pay well to have your linoleum
laid properly than to have the laying done in a makeshift manner in
order to save a few cents per yard.