Restoring the finish on real linoleum?

[Stuart Wheaton]

I recently purchased a house built in 1948. Under the kitchen carpet (Why would anyone carpet a kitchen?) that was glued to a layer of peel and press tiles, was the original linoleum floor. Most of it is in pretty good shape, and I like the look, plus I'm hemmoraging money so I'd like to keep it for at least a year or so. I've heard I can refinish it with linseed oil, but I haven't been able to get specifics about prep, application, and so forth. If anybody has experience on this stuff, please share!

Thanks very much.

Stuart

[Unisaw A100]

Forbo still makes linoleum. Maybe pop a question or two their way?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It became somewhat popular in the '70s when Indoor/Outdoor carpeting became available. My guess is that the marketing department got a silver star for selling that idea, a gold star for getting people to put it in bathrooms. I cannot imagine having it around the toilet. Ed

[Ron Bean]

I asked my landlord the same question-- he said "it seemed like a good idea at the time". But he's been removing it from any unit he renovates.

How exactly did they sell it? The drawbacks seem pretty obvious to me.

[Charlie Self]

Ron Bean asks:

They sold it as "washable," which it is, outdoors where you can scrub in a cleaner and hose it off. Not the hot set up in your average kitchen or throne room, unless there are no splashers in the house.

Charlie Self "The test and the use of man's education is that he finds pleasure in the exercise of his mind." Jacques Barzun

[Roger Martin]

As a complete aside, linoleum has natural germ killing properties - many third world hospitals still use lino and dont have the problems with exotic bugs like golden staph that thrive on vinyl surfaces.