Edwardian terrace bathroom floor.

[plasticpigeon]

Hello all. I am planning to refit the bathroom in my 1903 terraced house this summer. The room is pretty small around 6ft by 6ft or maybe a bit less. It is original to the house as Birmingham had pretty good sanitation thanks to the vision of Joseph Chamberlain and even many small houses had bathrooms. I have some simple Doulton sanitary ware that looks to be a little art deco in style and we plan to keep things quite simple with white tiles and perhaps a few black or coloured edging tiles. The floor is floorboards, and we wish to put a covering over like lino. Would this be a traditional floor covering for an early 20th C bathroom, or is there something else I should consider?

many thanks.

 

[paulb33]

We faced the same quandary in our 1901 home. We have a couple of small 'washrooms' off bedrooms, now 'modernised' with plumbing, sanitaryware etc.

These washrooms were designed to receive a pail of hot water brought up from the kitchen, by the maid. Each washroom had two doors: one from the bedroom and from the landing (for privacy).

Anyhow, they're constructed as suspended timber floors - floorboards. Both had traces of linoleum flooring (linseed oil and powdered cork on a cotton back), leading me to think it was likely original. So, we fitted genuine linoleum (now manufactured by Marmoleum) flooring about 10 years ago. This looked great at first, but needs a lot of maintenance to keep in top shape. Of course, the servants used to polish it weekly. Our kids have since destroyed it: it doesn't like standing water!

So, I'm back to scratching my head over the floor finish. I suspect that modern plastic 'lino' would have 90% of the look of linoleum with 100% waterproof finish. Perhaps Marmoleum is purism gone too far. If it was me, I'd resist the temptation to go black/white tiles, unless you're determined to go 30s art deco.

By the way, if anyone wants to see how lovely original linoleum can really be: check this boozer in central London. The Duke is authentically Art Deco as the day it was designed in 1938. Its a hidden gem that few know exists down the end of a mews street - untouched by time.

 

[88v8]

My only experience of an old bathroom, other than the one we created in our previous house, was in Wales in the 70s. I stayed in a farmhouse B&B, the bathroom seemed large to me, more accustomed to a just-about-get-a-bath-&-basin-in size bathroom, and the floor was bare pine boards. It sticks in the mind because it was my first experience of soft water and I couldn't understand why I couldn't rinse the soap off :shock:

Other than this, as you say, linoleum, or perhaps its more fragile predecessor, oilcloth.

http://www.thekitchn.com/ugly-kitchen-floor-change-it-w-94617

http://www.messy-me.com/products/oil-cloth-by-the-metre

I would think by the early 20c, lino wold have superseded oilcloth for economy flooring. Now, however, I believe that genuine lino is no longer cheap.

Oddly enough, hadn't realised until I just read the Wicki entry, that anaglypta is/was made from a form of linoleum.

Ivor

 

[paulb33]

I do like those floorcloths, Ivor. Thanks for the link.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Thanks for the replies. I am glad lino sounds like a traditional finish, but since Paul found it high maintenance it seem logical to try and find a vinyl floor covering that looks like lino. Paul why would you say to avoid black and white? I haven't seen many Edwardian bathrooms, but I have been on one or two old pubs with original bathrooms and these are almost always white tiles with some black. An incredible pub not for from me called the Bartons Arms, which has to be seen to be believed, is the most gaudy but fantastic Edwardian pub, but even the bathroom there is subdued.

http://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/pubs/historic-pub-interior-entry.asp?pubid=167

 

[paulb33]

Paul why would you say to avoid black and white?

http://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/pubs/historic-pub-interior-entry.asp?pubid=167

Great pub. Lovely bogs.

I just associat the black and white with later deco. likely my ignorance of such matters.

 

[Feltwell]

An incredible pub not for from me called the Bartons Arms, which has to be seen to be believed, is the most gaudy but fantastic Edwardian pub, but even the bathroom there is subdued.

http://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/pubs/historic-pub-interior-entry.asp?pubid=167

Great pub, I know it well, shame it's in Newtown really!

Have you been in The Woodman, on New Canal St, opposite the old Curzon St station, behind Aston University? It always was (and I mean was - 20 years since I frequented it regularly...) a really lovely authentic Victorian working man's pub, pretty much unchanged from the day it was built. It was closed for quite a while, it's now reopened and I would suggest is well worth a look. Hopefully it's survived fairly intact - it is Grade 2 listed I believe. Everything around it has gone, only The Woodman and the old station building have survived...

 

[plasticpigeon]

Yes the Bartons arms was on the news recently because some guys were shooting at a police helicopter from outside the pub while it was hovering above. Not the best area. Shamefully i haven't been to the Woodman. I must go if it as you say it is. I have been in the fox and grapes, and the first question I got asked was "what team do you support?" The answer i gave may have saved my life.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Ours is bare pine boards - the suite the previous owner ripped out was put in in the 30s but I suspect it was always a bathroom in that room, for 1820 BC had very advanced water harvesting pumping and drainage. Just found out our rainwater chamber is original to the cottage - will put up some pics.

I painted our bare boards which looked nice initially and is easy to keep clean. It's now looking a bit scruffy, I've got the same dilemma as yourself PP as to what to put in. The other tiny loo, which was put in in the 30s and is in very good order, has the 19th C Ancaster stone flags - I think this is the best flooring for here as it looks timeless and breathes. But the lino is very attractive too!

 

[lordmulberry]

We had Karndean flooring in our bathroom and en-suite. Karndean is like Amtico but less expensive. The flooring contractor levelled the floor with 1/4 inch or thereabouts plywood to give a smooth surface before laying. We chose white marble effect tiles with a black and white diamond edging for the bathroom and wood effect for the en-suite. Both floors have worn well so should be OK for bathrooms. The floors have been laid for at least 10 years.

 

[Penners]

When I were but a young stripling, we had cork floor tiles in our bathroom. Despite the gaggle of four children in the house, I don't remember them looking shabby or suffering from water damage - although at that age I don't imagine I would have paid much attention to such things. I do remember, however, how lovely and warm they were for bare feet.

In terms of authenticity, I reckon they'd be about right for the age of your bathroom.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

I forget which National Trust house it is, but the Nursery Bathroom has a lino floor depicting Nursery Rhymes--- possibly Claydon.

I love the oil cloth link, it might just successfully add the finishing touch to our updated bathroom.