Linoleum is a durable flooring material made from natural materials like linseed oil, cork dust, and wood flour, pressed onto a backing of canvas or burlap. For over a century, linoleum covered the floors of schools, hospitals, and homes because it was tough, easy to clean, and relatively inexpensive.

Invented in England in 1860, linoleum became enormously popular because it could withstand heavy foot traffic and was simple to maintain with just a mop and water.

If you've ever walked through an older school building with floors that have a slightly soft, springy feel and come in solid colors or speckled patterns, you might have been walking on linoleum. Today, many floors that people call “linoleum” are actually vinyl, a similar but synthetic material. True linoleum is still made and valued for being biodegradable and long-lasting, sometimes holding up for 40 years or more.

The word can also refer to a printing technique called linoleum block printing or linocut, where artists carve designs into blocks of linoleum and use them like stamps to create prints.