These 15 designs are manufactured using the same process
as vintage designs in place for at least 34 years,
likely longer
Breaking news: Azrock — the same company that manufactured the beloved Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze VCT flooring, the classic 1950s-style streaking vinyl composite tile that I put into my kitchen — has created a new line of flooring using the exact same process that includes a whopping 15 designs. The new line is called Azrock TexTile. Colors are a low chroma greyed out (no pastels), but, hey, I am not complaining: 15 colors = fantastic. I spoke to the Azrock brand manager for this flooring line on Friday, and interestingly, she told me that Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze has been in the lineup for at least 34 years — as long as she’s been at the company. Yes: This is a classic, classic floor for 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s homes — and beyond. And now: It’s coming back full force into the lineup again — hurray!
For this story, snaps to Sarah, who alerted me a few weeks ago that her flooring salesperson told her that Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze was going to be discontinued later this year. When I finally connected with the right person at the company, I was able to clarify: Autumn Haze is not going to be discontinued. The real story is: Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze will no longer be marketed to residential customers, but it will still be available to commercial customers. That means: If want it, you can still get it. Sarah, your salesperson wasn’t wrong per se — retailers have been told to start removing it from their displays, etc. — they will say it’s discontinued; but it’s not. In any case: See the TexTiles. Same process, same look, many more colors!
Thank you, Sarah, your tip led me to this discovery of the new TexTile lineup.
In any case, now we not only have Autumn Haze, we have a bundle more colors — with a bundle more undertones (not just beige/brown) to choose from.
Remember: If you get this floor, you must strip, polish and buff it regularly. I think that it’s most aesthetically pleasing if you install it in quarter-turns, tesselated. And one downside: The floor will last forever — that is, you will be sick of it well before you ever need to replace it.
The company sent me full-sized samples of each of the tiles — they exceeded my expectations. They are way more beautiful than shown in these images. This is a great lineup!
Link: See all the 1950s style Azrock TexTile vinyl composite tile flooring designs.
I was browsing their website a few days ago and noticed this new textile line, I love that there are more options for us retro fanatics now! What I found even cooler, and I think deserves a shout out are the ‘Karim shapes’. Azrock has 4 different shapes available besides square! They have triangles, hexagons, this wave shape, and the ‘node’ shape (it looks like a biore nose strip). The node shape can make a groovy curvy stripe effect. It’s perhaps not truly authentic vintage but having more design options makes me so much happier and the results are very groovy. Very fun for 60s and 70s spaces.
These tiles are are beautiful. I still have the original VCT tiles from 1963 in my laundry room. Just thinking, would I have the grain/design go the same direction or alternate?
Leslie – Definitely alternate for a true retro look!
Great news!!! Since my kitchen is small, I’m still gonna go with the Corlon sheet, but this is a wonderful option! Bit-by-bit companies are coming back around to mid-century looks
I love the idea of using something like this in our basement, which is currently painted concrete. So many projects, so few hands!
As I’ve come to understand… One must use a hardcore paint stripper if you want to glue a flooring on painted concrete. This sounds like a pain and a mess! I have a painted concrete floor in my sunroom and my solution is to use that garage floor epoxy coating with those color chips. And you are not stuck with using the chips that come in the box, you can custom make a mix online. This solution is very cheap and can mimic the look of retro flooring. ( mine is sage green with pink yellow and ivory chips)
Readers: Consult with professionals.
With what kind of adhesive is used on these floors? Pam, you mentioned you have this kind of floor. I like the look and colors. Our floor currently is vinyl and needs to be replaced. But I’m concerned about glues, smells, etc. because I am very sensitive to chemicals such as those in paint. I always buy non-VOC paint and it has changed my life! Can anyone help me with this?
Linda, you need to check the recommendations from each manufacturer. I am sure this would be on Azrock’s website…
This is going to be a weird question, but I don’t know where else to ask it, where so many folks who live with this type of flooring might see it.
I have four little dogs who spend the day in my kitchen when I am not home (they have run of the house otherwise).
They are housebroken, but one is getting elderly (14) and can’t always hold it until she gets outside before I get home. Would frequent “puddles” harm the professionally applied finish on this floor, or would it hold up to this kind of “christening” on a fairly regular basis? Anyone know?
Andi, I recommend you ask the pros — the company that made your floor….
Vct is used in hospitals and schools for a reason, easy to clean and lasts forever! : )
We have this in our 1964 basement, in black, I have been wanting to change it for years and years, but it is still in perfect shape in most spots. Just last week, I finally came up with a design for the basement, a low cost finish. It included just polishing up that floor and adding a colorful outdoor rug to brighten it up. There is one spot in the utility area that needs patchiing, and here we have a source!
My family’s summer cottage was built by my father in the early 60′s and the entire floor is of the streaky tiles supposedly to mimic marble. It’s held up beautifully all these years with extremes in temperature changes (this place is not winterized and there is some serious cold weather), lots of visitors, dogs, traffic, etc. Wouldn’t change it for the world!
This is going to make a lot of vintage Airstream owners very happy! I’ve seen many renovations where a modern day VCT is used, but it just doesn’t have the same vibe of these streaky ones. Perfect!!!
Love the Azrock in my kitchen. (See Suzanne’s kitchen floor on this website.) Easy to clean with a dollop of white vinegar in cool water. Just make sure to wax it right after it’s installed & before you move in your vintage kitchen furniture & appliances.
–Suzanne
We just had the Azrock TexTile line installed in our 1960 kitchen/dining room combo. We chose the first one pictured in your blog entry, TT-280 Raw Silk. It’s been shined, but it’s getting its final buff this morning (they had to come back with a smaller, less-industrial sized buffer (thankfully)). When we moved in, the floor was black stained concrete, and although we did have to have the floor stripped, it was worth it in the end! I love it already! Combined with the other retro-fitting we did, it’s transformed the kitchen from a batchelor cave back into the cute 1960s kitchen it deserves to be! I found this line looking for the Autumn Haze so thanks Pam for all your continued great tips!
YAY!!!
Our kitchen rehab is in progress and we’re using some similar streaky tiles that are made by Marmoleum.I just wanted something that was easy to clean and didn’t want to stand on porcelain tiles in the kitchen – too hard on aging back ,knees & arches.The color is supposed to go all the way through the tile not just on the surface like vinyl.It’s supposedly considered a green product.Pretty pricey so I hope it’s durable!..
update on marmoleum–It is yummy to walk on , silkly smooth not slippery.Maybe the problem about these and the vct tiles as far as availability is because the warranty may only cover professionally installed flooring.Maybe that’s why only contractors can sell it….it’s not a diy item like vinyl tiles…..
Johnsonite has updated its page for these tiles: http://www.johnsonite.com/FlooringProducts/VCT/AzterraProductDetails/tabid/1378/Default.aspx
Here we are with a bad economy. You would think that a company would be glad to do business witha man who wants to renovate his kitchen. However, this company told me that they dont sell to individuals; only to distributers. So I called one of the distributers and they told me that they only sell to contractors. Whats next, only whites can buy? One things for sure, I can shove it up my ahh as far as this company is concerned. Good tiles, very poor service.
I got mine from a regular old flooring store. I’m guessing the issue is: The mass market for this style of floor tile is commercial. We retro folk are the only “residential” market that’s interested. So the distribution network is really geared to handle us. Again, though: I DID get mine from a regular, retail-oriented flooring store — it was no problem. I even saw it at another local flooring store a few weeks ago. And I live in dinky middle of nowheresville.
I had this same problem.The floor person at the Home Depot told me that if there was an Azrock distributor in the area they(Azrock) would have an exclusive contract with those dealers.Here in Richmond we have two such distributors,both comercial and unwilling to sell to a mere citizen.Maybe shopping a floor store in an area with no distributors nearby.I’ll try that tomorrow and if that fails I’ll consider myself beaten.And Sad.
Call Azrock customer service.
Hi, I have these tiles, original in my 1950s Chicago mid-century modest ranch. What type of company would know how to strip, seal and buff? BTW – I’m new to this site, and am loving the resources – thanks!
I found the small company that takes care of my floors by asking at my dentist’s office. I noticed they had the same kind of floors – and they were all shiny and pretty — and sure enough, they gave me a recommendation that worked out great. Please recognize: Old tile floors like this may contain asbestos; consult with a properly licensed professional to determine what’s in your floors and how you want to handle…
I have streaky-looking tiles installed in a checkerboard pattern in my kitchen, and they are VCT and have not held up well (They are probably 20 yrs old now- I did not install them). Lot of cracked corners and even cracked through the centers of tiles. What my flooring contractor told me is that this material is best in industrial use where it will be installed over concrete, not in a house with wood framing and wood subfloor b/c as the wood expands and contracts seasonally with temperature & moisture changes, and VCT does not. Just a little warning.
That’s very interesting, I have never heard this before. I have had my VCT in my kitchen for about 6 years now. The only place where there are issues is where the subfloor had a little bump in it — so I very much agree, that the subfloor needs to be silky smooth.
Pam, your floor was probably installed better than mine. Mine is over 1×5 diagonally-laid subfloor planks, no pywood, and then a layer of vintage real, linoleum (I could still smell the linseed oil when it was cut through to put in central heat vents 75 years later), and 2 other layers of floor flooring, plus the house has settled b/c it’s in earthquake county…Most of the cracks are along one central beam under the house.
Interestingly: The floor we replaced was vinyl sheet. The kitchen, in the 1970s, was expanded into the former-mudroom. There was concrete foundation wall at the point where the former-mudroom met the former-kitchen. There was a huge crack in the vinyl all along this foundation line. I think the issues related to settling and any kind of subfloor anomalies have the potential to affect almost any kind of thin flooring laid on top…and if your house is still shifting, all the more. Even so, it is interesting to hear what your contractor said and to take note of this issue / concern.
Hey Pam, I know this is an old post but if you have time, check out the wacky vintage flooring that’s being used as drawer and cupboard liners in my house. They were in my drawers/cupboards when I bought the house so I don’t know the story behind them. You can see them at my blog at atomictraveller.blogspot.com