Since humans first began to upgrade from dirt/earthen floors, some type of flooring has been underfoot. Stone, tile, concrete, and even carpet have been around for thousands of years. Obviously, the quality and craftsmanship has improved over time as technology and manufacturing processes evolved. Hardwood flooring did not get its start until the 1600s, but it has remained one of the most … [Read more...]
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Flooring: Concrete
Decorative ConcretePhoto by Decorative Concrete King on Flickr Starting around 5600 BC, the ancient Romans began using a material that was very similar in composition to modern concrete. They used this form of concrete to build the Colosseum, the Parthenon, and other structures. Concrete is typically composed of ground up rocks, sand, and fly ash that is then mixed and held together with a … [Read more...]
Flooring: Cork
Cork Photo by PIRO4D from Pixabay Cork has been manufactured and used since ancient times, but cork flooring has only been around for a little over a century. Cork floorings’ heyday was in the 1950s. Cork flooring is made from the outer bark of evergreen oaks. Evergreen oaks AKA cork trees grow in the Mediterranean region, and they are able to be harvested about every 10 years. The bark can … [Read more...]
Flooring: Vinyl
Vinyl plank Photo by In Loving Memory Bluebear and Lani on Flickr Vinyl flooring was first manufactured in the 1930s, and its popularity skyrocketed after World War II. Vinyl – which is frequently confused with laminate and linoleum – is made out of plastic. Vinyl is available as a sheet or in planks/tiles. Sheet vinyl can be glued down, or is can be floated. The planks/tiles are stiffer … [Read more...]
Flooring: Natural Stone
Natural stone floors have been around since the beginning of time. As long as people could quarry the stone, they have been able to use it as flooring and building material. The most common types of stone flooring is made out of granite, marble, slate, limestone, or travertine. Each stone has its own unique look, and comes with its own list of pros and cons. GranitePhoto by Matty Farah on … [Read more...]
Flooring: Carpet
CarpetPhoto by Mike Burke on Unsplash Carpeting has been around since 5,000 BC, but did not become popular until the early 17th century. The first carpeting mills in the United States were built in the late 1700s. In the beginning, carpets were made from sheep and goat wool. While wool is still a very popular type of carpet, synthetic materials such as nylon, olefin, and polyester have … [Read more...]
Flooring: Linoleum
LinoleumPhoto by Steve Snodgrass on Flickr Linoleum was invented in the mid-1850s when an Englishman noticed that a rubbery skin comprised of solidified linseed oil had formed on a can of oil-based paint. Linoleum flooring began to be manufactured not long afterwards. Linoleum flooring is made from natural materials – including solidified linseed oil (extracted from flax plant seeds), … [Read more...]
Flooring: Bamboo
Bamboo FloorPhoto by seier+seier on FlickrOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA While bamboo has been used for countless products and projects for thousands of years, bamboo flooring only made its debut in the early 1990s. Bamboo flooring is typically made out of moso bamboo. Bamboo – which is part of the grass family – grows and matures a lot faster than trees. Moso bamboo is harvestable in 3-7 years. … [Read more...]
Flooring: Wood
Wood FloorPhoto by Tom Woodward on Flickr Hardwood flooring got its start in the 1600s as unfinished planks. Wood floors were not mass produced until the mid-1800s. In the early 1900s, the introduction of tongue-and-groove construction allowed for the leveling of planks before installation. Wood flooring comes in either solid or engineered form. Solid wood is exactly what it sounds like – … [Read more...]
Flooring: Laminate
LaminatePhoto by Gareth Rushgrove on Flickr Laminate flooring was invented in Sweden during the late 1970s. Laminate flooring is a photographic reproduction of another type of material (usually wood, stone, or tile). The pattern layer is coated with a clear coating to protect the image and prevent moisture penetration. Beneath the pattern layer is a fiberboard layer and a backing layer to … [Read more...]
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