Retro flooring
Here are some basic recommendations for retro-style flooring products. Important: We all care very much about managing environmental and safety issues properly, so when undertaking your restoration project, be sure to familiarize yourself with and use recommended best practices. For example, the EPA hosts a website on lead in the home and a website on asbestos in the home. Consult professionals regarding these materials, and also about the proper disposal of debris, etc.
Vinyl tile flooring
- Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze – I used this in my kitchen
- Armstrong – classic black same as it ever was – and Linotesta
- Fritztile and Amtico flooring: Faux laminate and solids with sparkles
- Slubby/streaky Congoleum
- Armstrong ‘colonial brick’ sheet – I like it!
- Earthscapes Rivulet – looks like a small mosaic
- In general, readers: Look at the “commercial” tile section of manufacturers’ websites
True linoleum, rubber and cork
- Armstrong Marmorette
- For linoleum, also look at Forbo Marmoleum
- Rubber tile from Burke Mercer
Ceramic tile flooring – mostly for bathrooms but some for kitchens, too
- Daltile mosaics – really nice – click here
- More Daltile – click here
- Nemo Appiana mosaics in 60 color combos — also fabulous — click here
- Nemo octagon and dots in 13 color combos — click here
- Many varieties of porcelain mosaic floor tile from American Universal — click here
- Porcelain mosaic floor tile in 33 colors from mosaictile.com — click here
- Penny rounds from Modwalls – click here
- Porcelain ceramic in many retro colors and styles from American Universal – click here
- American Olean Chloe is a nice choice – click here
- I love the 60s and 70s style tiles from S.J. Masters – click here
Wood floors
- What color stain to use on mid-century oak flooring – click here
Design tips
- 88 ways to arrange floor tile from Dal-tile – click here
Yummy historical examples
- 50s Kentile
- 1963 Armstrong marketing materials
- Romany Spartan mosaics from the 60s
- Historical tile design for your retro bathroom #1
- More ways to combine floor tiles for a retro bathroom design #2
- More ways to combine #3
- The design of Anna’s floor
- Mixing solids and mosaics for effect
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
looking for congoleum fashioflor circa 1978, pattern union square #2592. anyone have any ideas?
Hi Pam and all,
What do you think about this Congoleum flooring for a 60’s ranch?
http://www.congoleum.com/res-products.php?product_line=Ultima
It’s top of the line, has a pebble look in great colors and comes in 12′ widths.
Jean
What do you think of the Brookside White Shale?
Looking for vintage-look flooring… “cabbage rose” linoleum, circa 1940’s… HELP!
Kate, the only place I’ve seen that sells vintage linoleum is SecondhandRose.com on the Web. And it’s very expensive. As far as I know, no one is making new stuff that looks like the old stuff, except for the marbleized swirly look you see in modern Marmoleum.
Kate, Femme1 is correct, I think. This stuff is not made any more.
We are thinking about putting cork flooring in our living room/dining room space. It is all one room except that the living room is two steps lower than the rest of the room. This space gets the most traffic in the house, and we have three cats, two of which are accomplished pukers. Does anyone know of a brand of cork flooring that would work in a high use space like this?
Thank you!
Well, those turkeys had better wake up, and start making us some nice old fashioned linoleum/vinyl stuff. Don’t they recognize a goldmine when they see one ? Personally, I want some pink sparkly flooring, or a starburst pattern. Oh, and you wouldn’t have to twist my arm to talk me into some cabbage rose. My grandmom had THE most wonderful old linoleum. Hers resembled an old oriental rug,or flowers.Between her flooring, and wallpaper, I was always in heaven.
I have to replace a section of asphalt tiles on the basement floor and I went to Azrock’s site to see if I could match up the dark brown tiles. Samples are coming my way.
Point is, if Pam had not posted these sources here, I wouldn’t have had a clue on where to find MCM style flooring.
Cheers, Pam!
Thanks, sablemable — be sure that you consult with a pro re old floors and asbestos. Link to the EPA website at the top of the page.
I did, Pam, TY for the tip! Thankfully, it is just the asphalt tile.
I still have to search further, as the dark brown sample I ordered didn’t match the original dark brown tile. Drats.
I am soon to be moving into a 1940’s house. It has many of it’s origional features, But I would like to turn the kitchen back to 1940’s so need advice on flooring and appliances. I would also like som hel in choosing a carpte for the front room that would fit the time period as well. The rest I can do with aot of sandpaper!!!! Regards tamara
Welcome, Tamara, why don’t you send me some photos when you get a chance? retrorenovation [at] gmail [dot] com. Meanwhile, please take care with DIY renovation work – be sure to research environmental and safety issues such as lead and asbestos. Links to the EPA website are at the top of the Retro Flooring page, for example.
My mums house was built in 1965. Just a highset chamfer board nothing flash. Bathroom and toilet has a poured floor of some sort. I would like to know what it might be? It has been poured over the timber floor and it has a pale blue coloured border around about 4 or 5 inches and the rest is a white colour. all with the look of like stone or marble chips through it.. Smoothe polished finish all one piece.Like you would pour a concrete floor.
Terrazzo, Gina?
From what I have been researching it could be. I just thought Terrazzo was a very expensive fancy flooring in flashy buildings. I thought there may have been a take off from Terrazzo that was used at the time. It is the best floor to have with stood even cracking as the house has moved over the years and still looks great. As I explained mums house was a simple one and I guess I would not have expected real Terrazzo.