Synthetic Floor Coverings: Synthetic Floor Coverings
Among the floor coverings made from combinations of synthetic materials may be mentioned vinyl, linoleum, rubber, cork, and asphalt tile. Vinyl is a plastic used extensively for floor tiles. It has a hard, slightly resilient surface and is reasonably resistant to denting, scratches, grease and acid stains. It is very suitable to heavy wear and particularly in kitchens and other service portions of a house. It is manufactured in variously dimensioned square and rectangular tile sizes of %th and l/12th inches in thickness, and in many colors, marbleized and wood-grained effects. It can be laid in patterns of contrasting shapes and colors and is often alternated with ceramic tiles or brass strips. It is also used as a binder in making tiles of cork, asphalt and asbestos.
Selection and Laying o£ Rugs and Carpets
In nearly all rooms of the house, with the possible exception of entrance halls and sunporches, it is preferable to cover the floor with rugs, carpets, or other forms of covering. Floor coverings add warmth, dull the noise of footsteps, help silence any possible echo, and by their pattern, weave, or color, make an important contribution to the general scheme of decoration. Floor coverings should generally be considered as backgrounds for the furniture, and although patterned materials may be used, these should never be obtrusive. Strong color contrasts between pattern and field are psychologically uncomfortable to tread upon, and as a general rule plain-colored floor coverings should be subdued in tone. The floor covering, whether patterned or plain, should always have its color or colors repeated elsewhere in the room. A floor covering that is in a colored pattern usually will not permit the use of other important colored patterns on the wall or larger pieces of upholstered furniture. Plain rugs and carpets have been woven only since about 1900 and they have consistently grown in popularity since that date. Texture mottling, pepper and salt effects made by twisting different colored threads in the pile, and patterns produced by contrasting pile heights have served to give them surface interest. |
