Here is a flooring question that keeps coming up:
Where can I buy a red-and-white checkerboard floor?
While I know of at least three suppliers of black-and-white checkerboard flooring that comes in big, wide one-piece vinyl sheets, the only way I know to do red-and-white checkerboard is to use individual tiles. In the photo above, reader Donna used Marmoleum tile — linoleum — to create the red-and-white checker board kitchen floor in her delightful 1965 kitchen. She edged it in charcoal linoleum. A second choice for resilient squares is vinyl composite tile from places like Armstrong — a very inexpensive solution. And, you have actual ceramic tile, arranged in checkerboards, as an option, too. One of the advantages of the black-and-white checkerboards on wide vinyl sheets is that, among the options, there are a variety of different sized squares. With the linoleum or vinyl tiles required for red-and-white, you are limited to 12″ squares, as far as I know. Back in the day, linoleum and vinyl squares were most often 9″, as far as I know. You can get this look for resilient tiles — but talk about work, I think you have to buy sheet flooring, then take it to a special water-cutting company to have it cut neatly into smaller squares.
Maryanna’s black and white ceramic tile checkerboard floor 
John’s kitchen before-and-after: Linoleum tile flooring transforms the room 
More Karndean 12″x12″ vinyl tile floors with retro and retro-modern style 
Glitter vinyl floor tile — we found a source! 
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Armstrong VCT tile is what you are looking for:
Reds:
http://www.armstrong.com/commflooringna/products/vct/red/_/N-75hZ6vr
Whites:
http://www.armstrong.com/commflooringna/products/vct/white/_/N-75hZ6vs
Hi Pam,
LOVE your blog! Why am I having troubles finding out who wins the giveaways? The vintage bulb wreath is my favorite prize every year 🙂 One of these years, maybe I’ll win!
Kimberj, Usually I post the name of the winner as an update to the original giveaway story. Or, at least I try. Sometimes I’m on to next things…
What type of wood are those kitchen cabinets that are in the first photo regarding the red and white checkerboard floor?
If you are looking for Marmoleum like in the picture you need to find a flooring store that carries Forbo Marloleum(Linoleum) tiles.
I used the Armstrong vinyl tiles in my last house. They are really inexpensive and they were easy to install. They looked great when I put the shiny floor stuff on them, but it was hard to keep them looking that way. I don’t think I’d use them again–would probably try Marmoleum next time.
I love checkerboard floors (though had not ever considered red) Armstrong has a line called “Marmorette” that is REAL linoleum tiles, the bio-degradable not-vinyl stuff, and a colour called Firebird.
No white to alternate with though. Sort of a letdown.
I had thought I had been totally settled and decided on a black/white floor though and now you have me thinking of options again. Green and white? Could be cute. Oh no, marmoleum comes in some really cute greens!
How freakin’ cute are some of the pink VCTs Armstrong files under “red” though?! I shouldn’t have looked, I’ll never be allowed a kitchen floor that’s 50% pink tiles no matter how neutral the grey or white with them is.
I did a light green and off-white checkerboard — Armstrong VCT — in my 1912 Colonial in the 1990s. It looked great.
I love the Armstrong VCTs in green, I loved one of your posts with them in a solid floor but I had never considered green checkerboard! Gives me a lot to think about. 🙂
I love this site.
Pam- do you remember exactly which color you went with for the off white? I like the little green apple color by Armstrong but am having the hardest time finding an alternate, they are either too gray or too fleshy. Also, did you put the shiny stuff on your floor as well? Thank you!
Sorry, I just noticed you did That back in the 90’s so you probably wouldn’t remember 🙁
I LOVE this look! Just not enough to have white on the floor again. I currently have black/white checkerboard and it is the WORST to keep looking decent – especially with kids/dogs.
I’ll opt for something else in my kitchen when it gets remodeled…. probably something more “dirt” colored! LOL.
Yes, the Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze is a lovely dirt color. Don’t think that wasn’t part of my triangulating to make the decision to use it. Thanks for the reminder, T3, that I want to do a story early in 2012 about flooring that hides the dirt vs. shows it. An important topic!!
I used Armstrong vinyl tiles in my tri color (red, gold and white) kitchen floor project and they are very inexpensive and wear well. They are easy to clean and look great. In addition to the website that Joe provided, you can also order them from Lowes. They have samples of all of the colors and patterns and will special order them for you and then let you know when they come in to the store. I didn’t have to pay any shipping because I went and picked them up myself.
we have armstrong vct in our laundry room and our friend that put it in for us suggested 9″ squares instead of 12″ since it was the common size back in the 50’s. he had a special cutter that he used to cut them down and it actually didn’t take long at all. i love the look of the smaller tiles.
http://digadig-home.blogspot.com/2011/04/back-to-school.html
Just ordered some samples of the Biobased tiles, which states:
EQ Credit 4.3 – Low-emitting Materials
MR Credit 4.0 – Recycled Content
MR Credit 5.0 – Regional Materials – depends on project location
MR Credit 6.0 – Rapidly Renewable Resources
Found the 2 colors to do my kitchen floor in and hoping the price will not be too much.
The house I grew up in had a red & cream (?) checkerboard kitchen floor. I hadn’t thought about that in a while.
My kitchen had red/cream tiles in the kitchen, too. I found 2 big pieces in the hall closets so I have real time examples of the color. The cream has yellowed with time I am sure, but even as is it is so pretty. I am looking for a company that offers these or similar colors. Anyone have ideas?
linoleum tiles? try marmoleum, armstrong and johnsonite, who all still make true linoleum. armstrong and other companies also make vinyl tiles in similar colorways; vinyl is much less expensive.
I just came across this red and white checkerboard sheet vinyl:
Almeria 515
Bubblegum and Liquorice Collection
Avenue of Styles
IVC Group
Click on “complete collection”
http://www.ivcgroup.com/language/en-gb/en-uk/collections/avenue/collection/collectionid/115#
Looks like it’s only available in the UK , though. I wonder if there would be a way to get it here?
http://www.remlandcarpets.co.uk/vinyl-flooring/bubblegum-liquorice-bubblegum-liquorice-528?7279
Can you help me with locating vinyl flooring green and white checker board! I’ve found a ton of black/white!
Thank….deparatlly looking!
I don’t know of a sheet flooring with this pattern. However, you could make it with 12″ squares of either VCT or linoleum. Good luck.
I was going to go with a green and cream checkerboard in my kitchen but at the last minute went with a black and off white. since my walls are yellow, it just looked cleaner. Anyway, I found mine through home depot. You have to special order them but they had a couple of really pretty sagey green colors, my problem is that I didn’t want the cream to come off as “flesh” tone and I couldn’t find a cream that didn’t appear that way to me. I ended up with black and mint masquerade vinyl composite tiles which looks almost creamy but not fleshy in the least bit. I am SO happy with it. We ended up doing about 180 sq ft in our kitchen and spent about $300 for everything. Very happy I went this route!! Good luck!
Where do I find red and white tile
For resilient sheet flooring, I do not know… You can buy individual tiles, though. See this story — https://retrorenovation.com/2015/02/10/23-companies-flooring-cork-linoleum-midcentury-house/
Would like infor on retro apple red&white checker floors for kitchen/living room floors
janet, we do not sell anything here. refer to the sources profiled in the story and also check the comments – readers made suggestions
Be careful if you are going the vinyl sheet route. I just finished my new kitchen done in sage green and black and white check. My vinyl SHEET flooring is now rippling up and showing seams of the subfloor below. The installer said that the vinyl sheet goods will do that on any floor. Kinda sounds like a “SPIN” to me. He wants me to change my floor pattern and that will ruin my whole kitchen. I’m not researching where to get black and white check tiles instead of sheet goods. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!
I am not an expert on this. Perhaps it would be wise for you to talk to another installer; seems like “subfloor preparation” is crucial. I tend to think there are products to help with this…
doing a retro flip house.
vct too labor intensive and was thinking gray and white vinyl sheet instead of black and white . a little softer i thought.
cant find it anywhere!
I think manufactures should make the sheet vinyl in red, green, gray ect…. they are missing out on a whole catagory of people who
dont want stone/ everything!!
anyone seen colored check vinyl besides black???
I have not, but here’s a list of companies to start searching; be sure to look at their commercial sections as well as their residential: https://retrorenovation.com/2015/02/10/23-companies-flooring-cork-linoleum-midcentury-house/
Looking for the red and white,can’t seem to find it trying to put 1940 Bungalow as it might have looked then.I would settle for the red with different colored splatters or with just the white splattered.I would love the floor to be shiny and most of the tiles are a matte finish.Do you think I am asking for to much.
I don’t know of any way to do it except by piecing together red and white VCT or linoleum tiles. To get shiny, you’ll may need to polish the floors – check manufacturers’ recommendations.
See our Kitchen Help / Flooring category for resources. Also this story https://retrorenovation.com/2015/02/10/23-companies-flooring-cork-linoleum-midcentury-house/