Gregory's ServerI was today years old when I learned that linoleum is an all-natural product not derived from fossil fuels and plastics. Wild - I had always mentally associated it with really tacky looking plasticky floors in houses from the 80s (and of course the NOFX song). Nope. Linseed oil (something I'm learning is in so many great things) and pine resin. And apparently it can actually be made to look quite good and artsy, just, almost nobody seemed to have done so in any house I ever set foot in with it.
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@klardotsh It seems there are also wood particles in some variants (the ones used to engraving/carving). @0gust1 oooooooooh that would look nice in a floor I suspect π to add some more natural variation than the tiling patterns a lot of linoleum floors have Lincrusta, which has an even worse name, is a similar linseed oil product invented by the same dude, and it can be really beautiful! which, if you are a chemist minded person like me, is a reminder that there is a pretty blurry line sometimes between artificial and natural @failedLyndonLaRouchite fair point - "naturally derived" is probably closer to reality @klardotsh Yup. Linoleum. Lin ole um. Linseed Oil. The challenge was figuring out a process to manufacture it at scale.  @klardotsh Of course: lin-oleum. Well, that makes me feel better about wanting to get into lino-cuts at some point in the future.  @klardotsh @KatS note that many places will sell you plastic-based alternatives; iβve learned that at Blick the thing to order is βbattleship greyβ if you want biodegradable @klardotsh yeah, and if you leave water or other icky stuff standing on it (because you think it's only plastic), it matters and discolorates. ask me how i know it π  @klardotsh @klardotsh I treated myself to a very nice desk with a linoleum surface #MadeInGermany a few years ago and it was one of my best large purchases: https://faustlinoleum.de.  @klardotsh @epicdemiologist Caveat that from the 1920s to 1970s linoleum flooring was made with asbestos. π¬ @klardotsh@merveilles.town you can also do printmaking with it! @klardotsh@merveilles.town We just bought some locally to re-floor a closet. Sadly, the store owner says the various lovely patterns of the last 100+ years (example) are no longer available in linoloum, only vinyl.
 @klardotsh and... vinyl flooring != linoleum. if you are thinking "70's kitchen" it's prolly vinyl. @klardotsh Pine resin? Usually it uses sawdust/cork dust as the material the linseed oil coagulates around?  @klardotsh I have seen hundreds of shit linoleum floors, and a couple of great ones. I never connected the "lin" with linseed and the "ol" with oil, until your post tho. Duh. @klardotsh Marmoleum is a variety of linoleum and we did our entire place in blue π |
@klardotsh ... huh
yeah i always associated it with like, car dealership floors and other things like that