A short pause today, to reflect upon and ogle the linoleum pattern that we believe was The Single Most Popular resilient floor pattern in midcentury American houses: Armstrong No. 5352. So far in my research, I have found No. 5352 in Armstrong catalogs as early as 1935 and reader Scott says that it was still being sold at Sears in the mid-1990s! That is quite a run!
March 2020 update: Armstrong Flooring is reintroducing the 5352 design — dubbed Heritage Brick — this year. Read the full story here.
- Also read my 2020 story on the history of this pattern — from my interview with Mark Zeamer of Armstrong.
Originally, Armstrong No. 5352 was available as real-deal “Embossed Inlaid Linoleum”. Mark Zeamer told me (in interview story listed just above, “The 5352 pattern lasted a long time in many different commodities, starting out in linoleum to Coronelle to felt-backed Imperial Solarian and then jumped to vinyl into the 1970’s. It was in the 70’s that it was revived as a Rotogravure printed product in Sheet Goods and Tile.”
I have been reading Jane Powell’s excellent book, Linoleum (affiliate link). “Inlaid” means that workers actually sifted different color mixtures — up to 38 different colors per design! — onto the linoleum-sheet-in-progress. “Embossed” means that the entire piece was then pressed to create texture — in the case of No. 5352, the divits suggesting grout. Incredible workmanship required for such a “humble” material.
Here’s more detail on how embossed inlaid linoleum was manufactured, as described by Armstrong in 1949 (above):
- WIDE COLOR RANGE: As many as 38 colors may be used in a single design of Embossed Inlaid. The use of mottled colors creates unusually rich effects. Armstrong’s Embossed Inlaid Linoleum patterns have long been famous for their wide color range and their subtle shading.
- DISTINCTIVE DESIGN: A finely granulated mix is sifted through stencils onto the backing material. The intricate stencil shapes reproduce every line of the artist’s design and make possible the beautiful patterns available…
- KEYED TO BACKING: An adhesive coat on the burlap or felt backing helps to bond the mix and backing securely together under the pressure and heat of the giant presses.
- DURABILITY: Under the repeated pressings, the granulated linoleum mix is formed into a dense, unified sheet. After the final pressing and long baking in the maturing stoves, Embossed Inlaid has the long-wearing quality for which Armstrong’s Linoleum is known.
- STREAMLINE EMBOSSING: The top face of this press has an embossing plate which depresses parts of the design, creating a textured effect…. The unique streamlining of Armstrong’s embossing assures ease of cleaning.
Precautionary Pam notes: I also want to relate that in her book, Powell says that while linoleum is known today for its use of renewable resources (cork, linseed oil, namely), heavy metals such as lead may have been used in the manufacturer of old linoleum. In particular, she points out that lead and other heavy metals such as cadmium and chromium may have been used in the pigments used for coloration. Resilient flooring made from other materials may have contained other hazardous materials such as asbestos; check adhesives, too. So — Precautionary Pam repeats: Be sure to test the materials in your old houses for vintage nastiness like lead, asbestos and more — get with your own properly licensed professional to determine what’s in your house and its layers, so that you can make informed decisions about how to handle. For more info and links see our Be Safe / Renovate Safe page.
Armstrong 5352 — why was it so popular?
Back to Armstrong 5352: Why was it so popular? I will theorize that 5352 resonated for decades because so many American kitchens were “traditional” in overall character, year in and year out. This floor design — with its warm, essentially neutral colors — and with its evocation of timeless brick flooring — would have fit into many a kitchen.
Armstrong pointed to its versatility, describing it as a “Tile effect with a warm informal look. Good choice for a small room, hall, den, kitchen, living room, or dining room.”
I am pretty sure that 5352 lasted well into the 1970s, at a minimum — see the photo below, Jon & Trixi found it in their 1960s house, covered up. By then, the material likely changed to vinyl or some sort of vinyl composite; test this old stuff and adhesives underneath for vintage nastiness such as lead and asbestos, too, please.
To be sure, I can envision it successfully complementing dark wood cabinets and avocado and harvest gold appliances, too. Armstrong No. 5352 had legs. Oh, how it wish it were still available today!
These old linoleum floors — amazingly amazing.
UPDATE: Reader Hannah sent this photo of vintage Armstrong linoleum in the 5352 pattern and left this comment on the Retro Renovation Facebook page:
I have two partial rolls down in the basement a friend gave me. It was left in HER basement when the original owners sold them the house. Not sure what I want to do with it though. It’s not enough to cover any floor we have. I just knew I WANTED IT!
Kelly says
This was in our kitchen growing up, so when I was first introduced to my husband’s parents long ago, and saw the same floor, I think that sealed the deal. The house we bought 2 years ago had a very nice inlaid embossed linoleum that was too damaged to keep, but I recently saw it featured in an ad from an old magazine I picked up at an estate sale. It was very hard to find a suitable replacement similar for the era of our house, but we settled for Mannington Adura vinyl tiles. It would be really great for Armstrong to bring back a few.
Fred says
Did this pattern come in other colors? I think my grandparents had this in their laundry room — house built in 1974.. however i remember it in shades of yellow, grey, and maybe a little bit of orange? I know that it’s still underneath the tile we stupidly put on top of it in 2004-ish, before I knew better. 🙁
pam kueber says
Yes, we are sure it came in other colors throughout the years…
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
I love this, and it’s a linoleum I’d dare to use. We’re contemplating new flooring and I want to get something that not only fits the style of our house, but that will wear well and that we won’t get sick of in a few years.
Anne says
I am almost certain that I used this linoleum or something very similar in a remodeling project in 1981. We put it in our kitchen and adjacent dining area.
Jennifer Kepesh says
What a terrific tribute! I really appreciate you describing the way the old linoleum was made. Question: Anything made by gigantosaur machines can’t count as “artisan.” Yet the machines are just an artisan’s tools, and such a product shouldn’t be mistaken for bad quality or poor design because it’s mass-produced and automated….what term might we use to describe high quality and great design when it isn’t…Etsyish?
Laurence says
This is what we had in the kitchen growing up in the late sixties. All the appliances, including washer and dryer, were Poppy Red!
Marianne says
I was scrolling down the article, and got to the avocado green sample, and thought, “my, that looks familiar!” Sure enough, I still have it in my avocado green bathroom, (not to be confused with my harvest gold kitchen.) My house was built in 1978, so this wonderful pattern has had a good, long run.
RetoSandie says
Pam, I had the same flooring but in the avocado green. It was installed in the early 70’s and may have been discontinued then, but I loved it anyway and put it in even though no-wax floors were the “thing”! I had light green barn wood style paneling (maybe 1 1/4 walls), avocado painted green cabinets and woodwork, white Decor-brick backsplash, butcherblock Formica counters, Avocado green sinks and appliances. It looked so pretty no matter what time of season, because any colors went with the greens. The kitchen was small (built 1949), having 1 door with window, 1 doorway, 2 full windows. I changed curtains and accessories seasonally: Red gingham in winter, bittersweet and brown in fall, yellow gingham in spring, plain white cape cods or blue gingham in summer. That floor-loved it! Wash, Butcher’s Wax and my mom’s Regina buffer-there you go!
pam kueber says
Sounds fantastic!
Jill says
Wow! You just described my dream kitchen circa 1973! And I would trade in my “modern” 2015 kitchen for it in a heartbeat. Why did color become passé in kitchens? Stainless steel appliances and white cabinets are just plain boring! And when did cute kitchen curtains go out too? Funny but if you look at the whole century of kitchens it’s only recently that the antiseptic look has become the norm. As for the Armstrong floor….I had it in the beige, my dad in the brick and my mother in law in the green! Always looked great and warm!
MCM is Grand says
So happy to see the tribute! We have this in the kitchen of our 1955 house…I actually thought about replacing it but eventually (with the help of this blog) woke up to the fact that it is 1) durable 2) classic 3) hides dirt 4) still looks new 5) does not need to be clogging a landfill 6) is in character with the age and style of our home.
Thanks for this informative post!
pam kueber says
yay, MCM is Grand! And ya saved some money, too!
Allen says
Pam Is this the same floor that Jon and Trixi found in their house in avocado green? That is a beautiful floor!
pam kueber says
Yes, Jon confirmed!