Linoleum flooring starts with a selection of natural ingredients. The seeds of the flax plant are pressed to create
linseed oil, the principal ingredient of linoleum floors. The linseed oil is oxidized, forming the base of the linoleum
mixture. This occurs either through exposure to air, which gives the oil a malleable consistency, or heat thickening until
it forms a rubbery mass. This altered linseed oil is then ground up to be mixed with the other elements.
Oxidized linseed is combined with pine rosin, a binding agent that gives linoleum floors extra flexibility and strength.
Wood flour is added to guarantee a smoother surface and bind pigments together so your linoleum floors will never fade. Cork
flour and ground limestone are sometimes included as well. Pigments sourced from natural materials are added to create
unique colors and patterns.
This mixture is known as linoleum cement.
The linoleum cement is calendared, a process in which two cylinders roll the mixture out onto the jute backing. This
essentially creates the floor, rolling the surface out until it's smooth. The final step is curing, in which the linoleum
floors are dried in ovens for three to six weeks. These ovens are made up of racks which can reach fifty feet high, and some
can accommodate rolls of linoleum up to a mile in length. The curing process gives linoleum floors their resilience and
flexibility.
Linoleum flooring is ready to be installed after being rolled onto a core. While some linoleum floor types are
manufactured with a protective pyroxylin lacquer finish, many are not. You will likely have to polish your linoleum floors
to help prevent staining and give your floor some extra shine. Newly installed linoleum floors may have variations in shade
and color which will dissipate within a few weeks as your floors acclimate.
