DATE DUE .i^^f^ ^f^^^% i ^^,^0^^- int^feftf^'to 91« JH^tf-fr-i-'-H^rttA...*. k Ift^" CAVLOfiO ritlNTCOINU.S A. ^lOicy x:iaii LINOTILE FLOORS "..- ,1A i 1 J r ' P Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924016059879 LINOTILE Trade Mark FLOORS For Offices, Churches, Banks, Theatres Stores, Museums, Libraries Kitchens, Pantries Elevators, Etc. The Floor That's Built to Fit the Room Armstrong Cork & Insulation Co. ^ PITTSBURGH, PA., U. S. A. Branches in the Principal Cities of the United Stales and Canada ROCHESTER OFFICE 808 POWERS BUILDING. A73 Copyright, 1914, by Armetrong Cork & Insulation Company Pittsburgh, Pa. fr I/O r ■ r Linotile Floors HE floor problem is always a vexing one. Nowhere is it more troublesome than in offices, banks, stores, churches, lobbies and other places of public or semi-public character, although the flooring of certain rooms in private residences — such as billiard rooms, kitchens, pantries and laundries — presents a problem that is equally difficult of solution. Experience shows that all the floors, or floor coverings, in general use at the present time, fail either in one or more respects to meet all the requirements of an ideal floor for such purposes. Certainly, to lay claim to such distinction, a material should possess at least the following characteristics: It should be I. Resilient 2. Non-Slippery 3. Silent Under Foot 4. Warm 5. Sanitary 6. Easy to Keep Clean 7. Odorless 8. Artistic 9. Readily Applicable to any Type of Base 10. Durable II. Moderate in Cost Linotile more nearly approximates these requirements than any floor that has yet been devised. ■:mS Field No. 2-GHK— Border Plain G Size of Tiles and Width of Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor What Linotile Is Linotile is composed of clean, powdered cork — procured from our own manufacturing plants in Europe and America — pure linseed oil, various gums, and suitable color pigments. The several ingredients are thoroughly mixed, then compressed into sheets one-quarter inch thick. These sheets are next subjected to a seasoning process until they are thoroughly cured. The material is then cut into tiles of the desired shape and size. The Merits of Linotile I. Linotile is Resilient. The substances of which Linotile is composed are naturally elastic. Examina- tion of a small sample of the material or, better still, to walk on a Linotile floor, Is ample to demonstrate its resilience and elasticity. Linotile is remarkably easy under foot, even installed on a concrete base, but it is particularly so if laid over Nonpareil Corkboard. (See page 23.) It is especially well suited therefore, for flooring banks, theatres, ticket offices, lobbies, etc., where people constantly have to stand. 2. Linotile is Non-Slippery. Nothing is more objectionable in a floor than slipperiness. The powdered cork and other ingredients in Linotile pro- vide a surface that overcomes this undesirable feature, which is characteristic of so many floors heretofore in general use. Falls on highly polished wood floors, marble, etc., are almost daily occurrences. The installa- tion of Linotile will, in large measure, eliminate such accidents, as it affords a firm, secure foothold. It is especially adapted on this account for flooring serving pantries, restaurants, elevators, ramps, stair treads, landings, steamer decks, etc. 3. Linotile is Silent Under Foot. Owing to the natural elasticity of the materials of which it is com- posed, Linotile is practically noiseless to the tread. Nothing is more essential in libraries, churches and art galleries, or more desirable in offices, banks and stores, than the elimination of noise. Linotile does much to accomplish this end — not only by diminishing the noise of foot traffic, but also by absorbing and deadening sounds arising from other sources. 4. Linotile is Always Warm and Comfortable. One of the chief objections to terrazzo, marble, and glazed tile floors is their coldness. These materials are all heavy and dense, and therefore, good conductors of heat. Linotile, on the other hand, is a non-conductor of heat and hence is a warm, comfortable floor to work on. Unlike rubber tile, however, Linotile does not "draw" the soles of the feet, or make them hot and feverish. For offices, barber shops, ticket offices and restaurants, no floor is more conducive to health and comfort. 5. Linotile is Thoroughly Sanitary. To be sanitary, any floor must be non-absorbent and free from cracks and crevices for dust and germs to collect in. It is here that most of the floors, or floor coverings, in general use, are found wanting. Linotile, on the other hand, fills the bill in both particulars. The character of the materials of which Linotile is composed and the great pressure to which it is subjected during the pro- cess of manufacture, combine to render it practically non-absorbent of moisture. Proof of the non-absorptive qualities of Linotile is found in the fact that grease or oil spilled on the surface may be readily washed off, no stain whatever remaining. Even ink leaves no trace, provided it is not allowed to dry, but is wiped up immediately. In laying Lino- tile, the joints are sealed effectually with Nonpareil Waterproof Cement, a perma- nent, durable com- pound which is unaffected by moisture, and by ordinary heat and sanitary Cove and Base cold. Rounded sanitary cove and base are also fur- nished, if desired, thus eliminating corners, which serve as gathering places for dust and germs. An additional feature which adds to the sanitary qualities of Linotile is the germicidal action of the Field No. 1-IK— Border Plain I Size ot Tiles and Width of Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor linseed oil, which is one of its chief ingredients. This property of linseed oil has long been known, but, only recently, investigations conducted by a German scientist* have apparently demonstrated that the oil, even in the altered form in which it appears in Linotile, retains its bactericidal properties for years. On this account, Linotile makes a particularly desirable floor for hospitals, dispensaries, kitchens, laundries, etc. 6. Linotile is Easy to Clean. The surface of a Linotile floor being smooth and even, with no open joints, the task of keeping it clean and, what is more, clean-looking, is an easy matter. The latter is par- ticularly true if the proper color combinations are specified for rooms where there is a great deal of passing to and fro. Daily mopping, with an occasional scrub- bing, is all that is necessary. This fact alone makes * Dr. Ludwig Bitter, in "Zeitschrift fur Hygiene." Linotile a very satisfactory floor for hallways, church aisles, elevators, stair treads, etc. 7. Linotile is Odorless. By this is not meant that the material is entirely free from odor when first installed. Within a few days, however, all traces of odor disappear. In this respect, Linotile stands in marked contrast to rubber tiling, whose peculiar odor frequently persists for long periods. On account of its freedom from this objectionable characteristic, Linotile is very desirable for museums, art galleries and steamer saloons and cabins, which it is difficult to ventilate thoroughly. 8. Linotile is Artistic in Appearance. Any floor to be genuinely artistic in appearance must possess individuality and lend itself readily to harmonious treatment, both in design and color. How thoroughly Linotile meets these requirements is apparent from an examination of the attractive and unusual designs shown in this book. The number of combinations possible from the eleven colors and thirteen sizes in which the material is manufactured is endless. Those submitted here arc merely suggestive. Linotile aff"ords the architect unlimited opportunity to provide floors that are distinctive in character and in thorough con- sonance with the interior decorations, furniture, etc. Every Linotile floor Is built to fit the room. 9. Linotile Can be Laid Over Any Type of Base. For some forms of flooring a special base must be installed. With Linotile, this is not the case. It is laid with equal readiness over concrete, wood or metal. All that is necessary is that the base should be perfectly smooth and level. The Linotile is held in position by means of Nonpareil Waterproof Cement — a permanent, 10 Field No. 3-EJ— Border No. l-FJ Size of Tiles Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor waterproof compound. It is warranted not to curl up at the edges or to come loose. The material itself does not contract or expand appreciably within the range of temperatures ordinarily encountered. The joints in Linotile floors, therefore, remain tight. While not essential, it adds materially to the resil- ience of Linotile floors if they are laid over a base composed of sheets of *Nonpareil Corkboard one-half inch thick. In this case the corkboard is nailed or cemented to the base and the Linotile then laid on top in waterproof cement. For the convenience of archi- tects, specifications covering the installation of Linotile over this type of base, as well as over concrete and wood are given on pages 22-27 oi this book. ^Nonpareil Corkboard consists of pure granulated cork compressed and baked in board form. The natural gum or rosin hoids tiie particles of cork together. It is used extensively for cold storage insulating purposes. u 10. Linotile is Remarkably Durable in Service. The inherent wearing quality of Linotile is beyond question. The material has no grain like wood, and hence does not splinter. It is not brittle or rigid like cement, and hence does not crumble. It stays "put." Even under the heaviest sort of foot traffic, Linotile will wear for years if properly installed and cared for. 1 1 . Linotile is Moderate in Cost. While not a cheap floor in any sense of the word, Linotile is not expensive when its long life in service and other merits are taken into consideration. Its cost is less than half that of interlocking rubber tile and is about the same as that of plain marble and quarry tile. It is somewhat more expensive than terrazzo or so-called composition floorings. -k#Ur\j 3 !■■ WL IHH HI !■■ ■■: Field No. 1-AJ — Border No. 2-AB Size of Tiles and Width of Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor 12 Where Linotile Can Be Used While not intended to DC by any means exhaustive, the following list will indicate some of the many places where Linotile can be used to special advantage: Art Galleries Motor Boats Banks Museums Barber Shops Offices Bath Rooms Pantries Billiard Rooms Passenger Cars Churches Platforms Court Rooms Porches Dining Rooms Ramps Elevators Restaurants Ferry Boats Schools Grill Rooms Serving Pantries Stair Treads Hotels Steamer Cabins Hospitals and Decks Kitchens Stores Landings Table Tops Laundries Theatres Libraries Ticket Offices Lobbies Vestibules Lodge Rooms Yachts 13 C( Linotile is manufacti light gray, dark gray, lig Dlue, dark blue, light gr and black, as shown here and clear, yet mellow ir glaring or discordant, remarkably smooth. Color A — Light Gray Color C — Light Brown Color E— Light Blue jrec htl een 1 tc rhe rs i in eleven shades, viz: 5rown, dark brown, light , dark green, red, white All the colors are bright ne; full of life, but not ; surface of the tile is Color B — Dark Gray Color D — Dark Brown Color F— Dark Blue 14 HI ^H Color G— Light Green Color H— Dark Green B " '. ^%k^^.-\-K'L^'lk Color I— Red Color J— White ^B 1 s i Linotile is 3eing yi inch Squares: 2' [o"x 10", 12" X Oblongs: 2" Strips : For 4" and y&" wio upplied. Sanitary Cov n all the eleven Color K — Black Sizes supplied in the follow thick: x2,3 x3,4 X 4. , b 12" and 16" X 16". X4", 3"x6", 4"x8", 6" XI interlining between squares c e. For borders, any desire " and Base: Standard heigt colors in which Linotile is ing sizes — all ' X 6", 8" X 8", 2" and 8"xi6". )r oblongs — }i". d width will be It 6" — furnished made. IS Designs IN this book are shown a number of designs for fields and borders, suitable for a variety of different rooms. The size of the individual tiles should be determined, of course, by the area of the floor. Border strips are adjusted in every case so as to center the design and make the figure come out even on all sides of the room. It should be understood that the designs shown in this book are not the only ones that can be furnished. An endless variety can be obtained with the eleven colors and thirteen sizes in which Linotile is manufactured. Our designers will be glad to co-operate with architects and owners by preparing individual designs — especially adapted to meet particular conditions. This service, which includes the submission of sketches in color, will be rendered without charge or implied obligation. Id V7777-A Field No. 1-CJ— Border No. 3-CDJ Size of Tiles and Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor Field No. 2-GHC— Border No. 4-DCGH Size of Tiles and Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor 17 Field No. 1-JC— Border No. 5-CD Size of Tiles and Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor Field No. 3-EF— Border No. 4-JBF Size of Tiles Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor 18 '-'^k^^hB KSf ^HHh^ .^^^^^^^ .^BHBwi. ^kKs'^-' Field No. 3-GH— Border No. 7-HG Size of Tiles Sliould Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor Field No. 3-JK— Border No. 8-KJ Size of Tiles Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor 19 Field No. 4-CDJ— Border Plain D Size of Tiles and Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor Field No. S-IK— Border No. 11-lK Size of Tiles and Interlining Strips Should Adapted to the Area of the Floor Be 20 Field No. l-JK— Border No. 10-AK Size of Tiies and Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor Field No. 2-CDJ— Border No. 9-HCD Size of Tiles and Interlining Strips Should Be Adapted to the Area of the Floor 21 specifications for Linotile Architects desiring to specify Armstrong's Linotile will find the following specifications of material service. They cover the furnishing and laying of Linotile Over Concrete Base Over Wood Base Over Special Base of Nonpareil Corkboard Sanitary Cove and Base Over Concrete Stair Treads Over Wood Stair Treads Over Metal Stair Treads RC QUARTER ROUND-^ LINOTILE FLOOR- TIlE-x, ^ WATEf^PROOF CerlENT-, \ Specification No. 1 Furnishing and Installing Linotile Over Concrete Base The concrete base, to be furnished and installed by another contractor, shall be brought up to within }4 inch of the finished floor level and troweled to a perfectly smooth and even surface. After the concrete is thoroughly *dry and well-seasoned, a Linotile floor, of a design to be approved by the architect, shall be fur- nished and installed by the Arm- strong Cork & Insulation Com- pany or its duly accredited representative. All Linotile shall be of good durable quality and even color- ing. The entire back of each piece shall be coated with Non- pareil Waterproof Cement and the tile thus secured firmly in position. All joints shall be sealed with the same compound and made tight. The lines between the tiles shall be straight, so as to preserve the sjmmetry of the design, and the surface of the finished floor shall be cleaned and left true and level. Note. // Sanitary Cove and Base are desired, add Specifica- tion No. 4. ^ S^ Ti-P d %" CONCRETE .^•■a-.*--//.*!^ i Fig. No. 1 *It is absolutely cisentlal that the concrete base be allowed to dry out thoroughly before the Linotile i.s laid. 22 Specification No. 2 Furnishing and Installing Linotile Over Wood Base The wood base to be furnished and installed by another contractor shall consist of dry and well-seasoned T. & G. boards, not less than Y^ inch thick, driven up tight, and left with a per- fectly smooth, even surface yi inch below the finished floor level. On this base, a Linotile floor of a design to be approved by the architect, shall be furnished and installed by the Armstrong Cork & Insulation Company or its duly accredited representative. ^Qu/«RTER ROUND ^jj Linotile shall be of good, NOTILE FLOOR TILE ^^^^^^^ j.^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^j^^. ^WATERPROOF CEMENT ^ ' , r 1 ing. The entire back ot each piece shall be coated with Non- pareil Waterproof Cement and the tile thus secured firmly in *■'*• ^°- ^ position. All joints shall be sealed with the same compound and made tight. The Knes be- tween the tiles shall be straight so as to preserve the symmetry of the design, and the finished floor shall be cleaned and left true and level. Note. On account of the possible expansion or contraction of the wood base, it is always preferable to install yi-inch Nonpareil Corkboard first and then lay the Linotile as per Specification No. 3 below. If Sanitary Cove and Base are desired, add Specification No. 4. Specification No. 3 Furnishing and Installing Linotile Over Special Base of Nonpareil Corkboard Over a perfectly smooth and even wood (or concrete) base, brought up to within }4 inch of the finished floor level, the said base to be installed by another contractor, '-^-inch Nonpareil Corkboard shall be furnished and installed by the Armstrong Cork & Insulation Company or its duly accredited representative. The sheets of corkboard shall be securely nailed to the sub-base of 23 wood (or cemented to the sub-base of dry and well-seasoned con- crete with Nonpareil Waterproof Cement). All transverse joints shall be broken and all joints made tight. On the corkboard base, a Linotile floor, of a design to be approved by the architect, shall be furnished and installed by the same contractor. All Linotile shall be of good, durable quality and even coloring. The entire back of each piece shall be coated -LINOTILE BASE LINOTILE SflNITASr COfE JNOTILE FLOOR TILE fW/ATERPffOOF CEMENT r^NDtiPfiREtL CORXBOAKD LINOTILE BASE LINOTILE SANIT/tR-Y COVC^ LINOTILE FLOOR TIL^, W^TCfi'Pfi'OOF CEMENT-i 1^ NONPAREIL COfflCBOAffD- kVATERPROOF CEMENT-, Fig. No. 3 with Nonpareil Waterproof Cement and the tiles thus firmly secured in position. All joints shall be sealed with the same compound, and made tight. The lines between the tiles shall be straight so as to preserve the symmetry of the design, '"*■ ^°' * and the finished floor shall be cleaned and left true and level. Note. // the sub-base is of wood, strike out the words "or concrete'^ and ''or cemented to the sub-base of dry and well-seasoned concrete with Nonpareil Waterproof Cement." If the sub-base is of concrete, eliminate the words ''wood'" and "nailed to the sub-base of wood." If Sanitary Cove and Base are desired, add Specification No. 4. Specification No. 4 Furnishing and Installing Sanitary Cove and Base of Linotile, in Connection with Linotile Floors Sanitary cove and base 6 inches high, made of Linotile, shall be furnished and installed by the same contractor. The surface 24 of the walls and the intersection of the walls and floor where the Linotile cove and base are to be applied, shall be left perfectly true and even and free from dirt and foreign matter, by the contractor who applies the wall finish. LINOTILE BASE LINOTILE 3.^NIT/^RYCOVE -LINOTILE FLOOR TILE rtVATERPFfOOF CEMENT Fig. No. 5 I'he sanitary cove and base of Linotile shall be secured firmly in position with Nonpareil Waterproof Cement, the cove to make a neat and tight joint all around the Linotile floor. The surface of the cove and base shall be carefully cleaned after in- stallation and left true and even. Note. This specification should be used in conjunction with Specification No, 7, 2 or J. LINOTILE BASE — LINOTILE SAWTARY COVE- LINOTILE FLOOR TILE- WATERPROOF CEI-IENT-, ;,.vii«tjji;^^tj>a;; ■}VX\'!i<-:ii l^llT^:-^ CONCRETE i^%.^-<>%ff Fig. No. 6 Specification No. 5 Furnishing and Installing Linotile on Concrete Stair Treads The concrete treads to be furnished and installed by another contractor shall be brought up to within % inch of the desired level and troweled to a perfectly smooth and even surface. The edge of each step shall be protected by a cast iron riser (or T iron nosing) extending up ^ inch above the concrete tread, the said riser (or nosing) to be installed by the same contractor. After the concrete is thoroughly dry and well-seasoned, Linotile, of a color to be approved by the architect, shall be furnished and installed by the Armstrong Cork & Insulation Company or its duly accredited representative. 25 All Linotile shall be of good, durable quality and even color- ing. The entire back of each piece shall be coated with Nonpareil Waterproof Cement and thus secured firmly in position. All joints shall be sealed with the same compound and made tight. The surface of the finished treads shall be cleaned and left true and level. LJNOTJLE TRE/(D-,\ ^ "'., yyi»»!;:t-'>t;..J.;;.J..^ta.l.\,P /> V *, f CONCI?ETE Fia. No. 7 W/' Linotile floors :for offices, churches, 3 1924 016 059 879