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!
Jami Ferrell says
This flooring was installed in my parents home in 1967. Not changed until around 2014. It held up great over the years. My son doesn’t like the new flooring.
Katie Palmer says
I have the embossed inlaid 5352 . Does this have asbestos?
Pam Kueber says
Hi Katie, I am not an expert on this question — you need to get it tested to know. Be aware: Hazards can be found in layers, material and products — for example, as is mentioned in the story above, check adhesives and other layers too. Bottom line: Get with your own properly licensed professional to assess what you are working with so that you can make informed decisions. For more info see my Be Safe/Renovate Safe page — https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe/
Madeline Petersen says
Our Tahoe home was built by my grandparents in 1935 and the great room floor is covered with 5352. It has some holes and a few cracks but otherwise is still going strong and polishes up marvelously!! Still holding out hope that someone will create a likeness we can use.
John Larsen says
I would love to find a piece of Armstrong linoleum for sale for a vintage camper I am restoring. The dimensions I need are 7′ X 19′. If anyone has some for sale please let me know! Thank you.
Pam Kueber says
Hi John, no buying/selling in comments or else it would be chaos. Give Linoleum City in Los Angeles a call — maybe they have something for you.
And, to see all the retro-style flooring I’ve found for consideration see this category: https://retrorenovation.com/category/kitchen/flooring/
Good luck, Pam
John Larsen says
Thank you!
John
Madeline Petersen says
I WISH ARMSTRONG WOULD RE-ISSUE THIS WONDERFUL AND DURABLE PATTERN!!!!
Leslie says
Perhaps if we all wrote and nagged them. . . Not just this pattern, but so many of the beautiful old colors and patterns. What they have now is awfully bland.
Madeline says
I totally agree!!! If you could find out the most direct person to address our pleas to, I bet we’d all write!!!!!
Leslie says
Oh, drat! I just wrote to them to ask a question about their linoleum and also to suggest that they make retro patterns, and part of the reply was this: “Unfortunately we are discontinuing our genuine linoleum products.”
Given that I just read an article about how much safer and healthier and better for the environment linoleum is as compared to vinyl, it seems very odd. Linoleum needs a press agent!
Pam Kueber says
Try Forbo/Marmoleum
Leslie says
They have at least one that I think is rather pretty: https://www.forbo.com/flooring/en-us/products/marmoleum/marmoleum-striato-color/bbelf8#5221
Most of ’em look pretty bland, I have to say. Though you can do some special orders where they cut and insert pieces, it looks like. I’ll bet that costs a pretty penny.
Wendellyn Plummer says
We built our first home in 1978. We had the more brown colors, pattern # 5352. We had it in the kitchen and the dining room area. When my daughter and her husband bought their home, built in 1973, in 2013, they had the lime green and yellow pattern in their kitchen. Now they have a reclaimed bowling alley floor in their kitchen and eating area.
Jim Fischer says
I work for the studios and bought the reproduction from Linoleum City in Hollywood. They did a beautiful job installing the floor.
The floor is not embossed as original and has no sheen or gloss, so studio lighting doesn’t create a problem. We used floor wax, and It looks fine. It is a softer material than original, but the color appears to run deep through the product. It was around 3000.00 installed for our small kitchen in nearby Altadena Ca. We LOVE it, and get compliments on it all the time. Jim Fischer
Madeline Petersen says
I understand that pattern 5352 is no longer made. But, is there an upgrade using the same pattern but with different materials??
Pam Kueber says
No, not that I know of. You can’t even get red brick resilient designs these days, everything is gray or greiged out.
Madeline says
Thanks, Pam! Too bad! I am SO NOT a gray person! Can you please ask Armstrong to make that pattern in updated materials!! (Just kidding)
Judy Parks says
Does anyone know if you can buy the Armstrong 5352 vinyl flooring any longer?
Pam Kueber says
You cannot.
Colleen says
This was the linoleum in the house I grew up in which was built in 1977 by an architect for his family. For some reason, however, they moved and my dad snagged the house. It was an open floor plan/loft house on the Puget Sound with soaring ceilings, white walls and a spacious kitchen. The rest of the house had deep red shag carpet. I always assumed the linoleum was from the 70’s. Look at the colors.
That is until last year when I bought a house built in 1946. Lo and behold, lining the cupboards was this same red linoleum pattern. I’m almost certain it was original to the house. It makes this house, which I love, feel even more like home.