Old School, natural, and still a good choice — — Known for its vivid, saturated colors, linoleum is available in traditional marbled patterns, solid colors, contemporary flecked designs or graphic patterns. In an older home, linoleum can complement the original interior design. In a modern setting, linoleum can be custom-cut to create beautiful and creative patterns on the floor. Linoleum is naturally beautiful, made from environmentally responsible materials that are biodegradable and anti-bacterial. The original resilient floor is a very modern decorator floor indeed! Genuine linoleum, not to be confused with vinyl, is a classic, invented nearly 150 years ago and still completely relevant today. Environmentally preferred linoleum is made from natural, raw materials. Linseed oil, which comes from the flax plant, is the primary ingredient. (In Latin, linum is the word for linseed and oleum means oil.) Other ingredients include wood or cork powder, resins and ground limestone. Mineral pigments provide the rich colors. The ingredients are mixed together, then rolled out between two cylinders (a process called "calendaring") onto a jute backing. The linoleum is then cured in ovens for 14 to 21 days. Some manufacturers bond a high performance coating to the surface to improve the floor’s ability to resist stains and scratches, and to make cleaning easier. The resulting floor is then rolled on cores, ready for installation. Sheet linoleum is available in many thicknesses. 2.5 mm is suitable for residential use. It is sold in a two-meter (or 6' 7") width size.