This just in. We well remember pulling up layers of linoleum in our first apartment in China Town, trying to get down to the nice wood floors. It seems a whole new generation of building owners is using this cheap cover up again....
I wanted to let you in on a very unfortunate trend I've noticed this past month. I've been apartment hunting like crazy in Brooklyn, trying to find an affordable place to rent.
Many of places are renovated--but they're renovated up the wazoo with linoleum.
I'm talking linoleum in the kitchen, living room and bedroom! It's awful and it kills me that these places just won't spring for the cash for new wood floors. 10 of 20 places I've seen have it! It's destroying perfectly fine apartments. Has anyone else experienced this?
Thanks, Kelly
i've been living in a one bedroom for the past 2 years, that is entirely floored with linoleum. if my rent wasn't 785 a month, i would've never moved in. i'm actually moving upstairs in the building, where the previous tenant ripped up the linoleum and put down plywood and painted it. looks even worse. i've talked the landlord into putting in new wood flooring, even though he still doesn't understand what's wrong with painted plywood.
ugh.
There was an apartment on a broker website for weeks and weeks that was done entirely in black & white linoleum/tiles. It was dizzying to just look at the pictures.
It just goes to show that most landlords will take the cheap way out whenever possible, even if it would improve the apartment.
Dunno about the whole apartment lino-look which could be hideous, I'll grant, but I've lived in places where it was in the bath and kitchen or both, in one case original to the 1940's built place.
Looked ok ( better'n hideous vinyl patterns), was easy to clean, took wear well, was easy on the feet (warm and resilient)and dropped dishes. (And it comes in 4 billion colours, or so)
Not as classy as spiffy wood, or stone, or some tiles (tile on floor...ugh.) but it can be pretty nice and is practical. I've even seen it used as counter top material, worked fine.
From a landlord's perspective, linoleum is without question a more efficient way to lay down a floor; however, it really would be worth it in the long run for that landlord to go the extra mile and put down ceramic tile or hardwood floors where appropriate -- said landlord could charge a little more in the rent to make up for the cost, which, from a tenant's perspective, would be worth it to avoid the crap-tastic and ghetto-tabulous look of a linoleum layout.
NYC tenants don't live in trailers (where linoleum is predominantly found) nor do they desire to replicate that look and feel. Landlords please take note and have at it!
In the SF Bay Area, they tend to cover up the lovely wood floors with horrible carpeting. And then add horrible metal venetian blinds. Ugh.
Only major flaw in my studio is the floor- fake wood grain linoleum (or maybe it's not true lino, but vinyl) in the main room, and newer, but not really better vinyl tiles in the bath and kitchen.
I 2 large area rugs to cover it up, but it's really sad since my apt is really cute, pre-war details, marble fireplace and mantle, lots of molding etc.
I rent, and the rent is cheap, so I am not going to try and rip it up to see what's below...
oh and randomly- there is carpet in my closet.
Linoleum is one of the few alternatives that allows the installer to cover up warped, uneven floors, because of its resiliancy. It also wears better than wood in rentals, and does not have the same weight (or need for specific underlayment) that is required for tile installation. Also on the plus side, it muffles sound better than wood or tile. Maybe cork is an acceptable alternative, but not sure how it wears... and let's face it, fellow renters, none of us is as easy on our apaprtments as we would expect if WE were the landlords...
True Linoleum is a rarity these days. Most of what is used is vinyl based resilient flooring. the real stuff is made of ground up linseed hulls, their oils, limestone dust, and glues and set in a mesh of jute fiber. It is tougher to roll up and harder to install. Plus it isn't as easy to maintain as vinyl as it can absorb moisture and stains if it isn't sealed and topped up with new sealer 1-2 x per year.
I just had some Dutch Forbo brand stuff put in the bathroom. It is beautiful and eco friendly.
I manage over a 100 apts in the Bronx and I disagree NOTHING holds up better than hardwood floors (and ceramic). I ALWAYS rip up the old linoleum on a vacancy (usually 2-5 layers). Although many landlords use it (or carpet) for a "quickie" rehab, it is the TENANTS that are mostly responsible for the Linoleum you see.
I agree all of our apartments are renovated back to wood - alot nicer and less costly in the long run-
I love linoleum... the real stuff jonathan d. is talking about. It has a really satisfying tactile feel and great color. Considering cost, I would choose it over fake wood or low end-tile...
read up on linoleum vs. vinyl...
www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/interiors/article/0,16417,202857-3,00.html