how are linoleum floors made?
Linoleum flooring starts with a selection of natural ingredients. The seeds of the flax plant are pressed to create linseed oil, the principal ingredient of linoleum floors. The linseed oil is oxidized, forming the base of the linoleum mixture. This occurs either through exposure to air, which gives the oil a malleable consistency, or heat thickening until it forms a rubbery mass. This altered linseed oil is then ground up to be mixed with the other elements. Oxidized linseed is combined with pine rosin, a binding agent that gives linoleum floors extra flexibility and strength. Wood flour is added to guarantee a smoother surface and bind pigments together so your linoleum floors will never fade. Cork flour and ground limestone are sometimes included as well. Pigments sourced from natural materials are added to create unique colors and patterns. This mixture is known as linoleum cement. The linoleum cement is calendared, a process in which two cylinders roll the mixture out onto the jut
