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​​🏠 All About Houses: A Brief History on Flooring

By Andrew B. Consoli

🔹 The Very First Floors

Most early homes had dirt floors — only the wealthy could afford actual flooring.
That’s where the term “dirt poor” comes from.
These dirt floors were compacted by animal waste and blood.

("The good old days!" as Andy wryly puts it.)

🔹 Colonial Wood Flooring & The King's Trees

Pilgrims were forbidden to cut white pine trees marked by the King of England.

These trees (24" diameter or more) were reserved for ship masts.
Mark: vertical line + upside-down "V".
Wide floorboards from such trees were called King’s Boards.

🔹 Early Flooring Materials

First materials: flagstone, slab stone, marble, cork.
In Colonial America:

Wood planks were most common.
Floors were unfinished, waxed, or sealed with orange shellac.
Painted in bright colors, not the shiny finishes we know today.
Scatter rugs were used to protect floors.

🔹 Big Changes in the 1800s and 1900s

1860: Battleship linoleum invented

Made from linseed oil, cork, gums, and pigments.
Used everywhere (even actual battleships) until the 1970s.

1970s: Wall-to-wall carpeting became the norm.
1990s: Carpets gave way to factory prefinished wood floors:

Factory floors = 5–8 coats of finish (vs. 3 coats applied in-home).
More durable and wear-resistant.

🔹 Ceramic Tile & Linoleum

Early 1900s: Ceramic and porcelain tile were used in kitchens and baths.
Lost popularity due to the low cost of linoleum.

🔹 Modern Flooring Trends

Past 15 years: Laminate and Engineered Flooring became popular.

Laminate:

Image of wood on fiberboard.
Protected by a durable finish.
Least expensive, and for good reason.

Engineered Flooring:

Thin veneer of real wood on composite.
Often more scratch- and dent-resistant than solid wood.

🔹 Where "Threshold" Comes From

In homes with dirt floors, hay (or “thresh”) was spread on the ground.
A board was installed at the base of the doorway to keep the hay in.

That board became known as the threshold.

📧 Have a flooring or house-related question for Andy?
Email him at: info@abchomeinspection.com

 

ALL ABOUT HOUSES BY ANDREW B. CONSOLI