These 15 VCT floor tile 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.
UPDATE: Azrock now part of Tarkett, see the retained lineup of products ala Textile here. 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!
Azrock Cortina Autumn Haze is NOT discontinued
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 [<-website link] 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.
TerriLynn says
Is VCT any good for bathroom floors. I have never seen it mentioned, must be a reason?
vladdy says
We are buying a home in the country that we want to make look as retro as possible — have not even decided on a period yet — totally starting from scratch. Clould you give us a step-by-step plan for how to even start what will be a lifetime projec?
P.S. We cannot go by the year it was built, which is 2001! However, it is a very simple doublewide with finished basement, 3 BR, 3 bath, on 28 acres with 4 ponds and a stream and as such, does not already have a “21st century” look but lots of potentual.(Really, it llooks like any other house, inside.You probably know that, but it sure shocked me!)
Robin, NV says
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
Alison Schmidt says
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.
pam kueber says
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.
Alison Schmidt says
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.
pam kueber says
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.
Virginia says
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!
pam kueber says
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…
Anthony says
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.
pam kueber says
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.
georgia says
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.
pam kueber says
Call Azrock customer service.
The Editing Fool says
Johnsonite has updated its page for these tiles: http://www.johnsonite.com/FlooringProducts/VCT/AzterraProductDetails/tabid/1378/Default.aspx
Marjie says
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!..
Marjie says
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…..
Jennifer says
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!
pam kueber says
YAY!!!