Wayback Machine 1936: Linoleum
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.22.08
I love linoleum; it is completely natural (made from linseed oil and flax), durable and nice looking. About the only knock against it is the energy used to bake it. Modern Mechanix describes its manufacture in 1936; little has changed since.
"In 1863, Fredrick Walton, a youthful inventor of Yorkshire, England, made a great discovery in an open paint pot, over the contents of which the usual scum had formed. Turning his inventive genius to the matter of a use for this tough scum, he developed the idea for a new material which brought fine floors within reach of the average family for the first time."
By mixing a small quantity of gum with the oxidized linseed oil, which he had discovered in the paint pot, Walton found that he had a very satisfactory binder for ground cork and color pigments when pressed onto a backing of burlap. So began the great industry that today extends into every country. He called his invention “linoleum”—from linum, the Latin for flax, and oleum, oil.
Linoleum “cement” is made from linseed oil and certain resins, which properly combined and treated, form a tough, rubber like material of great strength and endurance.....
The materials are all carefully weighed and then poured upon a moving belt which carries them to the mixer below, then rolled upon burlap or cut to the design patterns and pressed upon the burlap base by hand.
From the rollers, the linoleum passes directly into huge ovens, fifty feet high, for the “long bake.” These are fitted with racks, from which the linoleum is hung in enormous folds. Each oven will accommodate more than a mile of linoleum. At constantly maintained temperatures, the linoleum is cured for a period varying from three to six weeks. Not until laboratory tests have proved it thoroughly cured is the oven allowed to cool."::Modern Mechanix See also ::Marmoleum and ::Armstrong Brings Back Linoleum, Renewing a 140 Year old Tradition
Wayback Machine: "Our National Flower is the Concrete Cloverleaf"
|
US Presidential Candidates' Environmental Records
|
that is amazing. i had no idea how linoleum was made!
Not so sure about Linoleum.
Here in Europe a lot of the 60s commie-block type of apartment buildings had linoleum fitted in them. Most of the old linoleum contains asbestos so whenever I want to purchase an apartment build in the 60s or 70s and see a linoleum floor the alarm bells start ringing!
Asbestos is dangerous and Linoleum brought it into our homes.
Linoleum is ugly and in a lot of old apartments the linoleum is even dangerous to remove.
This seems almost tongue-in-cheek to me. You're claiming that linoleum is an improvement from what it replaced? Which was what, beautiful original wood flooring? It looks, feels, and smells like ugly unnatural plastic. Today, it gives the impression of cheapness and dirtiness, and the last time I saw it used outside of bathroom flooring it was in a trailer home. It's cool to learn how it's made though.
I have no idea what they used in Communist-era apartment blocks, but people commonly use the term "linoleum" to describe what is actually vinyl flooring (which did tend to contain asbestos). Vinyl pretty much put real linoleum out of business shortly after WWII.
Asbestos in floor tiles, adhesives, caulking and the like are called NOB, or nonorganically bound compunds. It's pretty much not friable, ie chances of airborne particles are virtually nil in handling and removal. The dangerous stuff is chrysatile asbestos, the flaky white stuff used in pipe insulation, fire proofing sprays and even drop ceiling tiles for a while.
John's got it right about asbestos. While many houses here in Connecticut built in the late 40's, early 50's still look good allowing periodic paint jobs. The newer aluminumn siding is fading and crappy. The vinyil is final sometimes flies off the walls in heavy winds. I would have to agree that manufacturing the stuff is the killer.
Great article.