5 Mid Century Modern Flooring Options That Stand The Test of Time

1. Mid Century Modern Flooring : Terrazzo

The most luxurious of floors is Terrazzo. The process of pouring a Terrazzo floor is similar to a concrete floor, where a mixture is blended with an aggregate like glass or rocks, then polished to form a hard, durable, and smooth surface. You’ll see this in larger commercial buildings and imitated using large pre-casted tiles to reduce installation labor. If you have radiant floors, it transfers the heat most directly and will hold the heat longer, although it will take longer to heat up.

2. Mid Century Modern Flooring: Polished Concrete

Polished concrete floors can be offer a soothing warmth during the winter months if you have radiant heat still active beneath the floors.

For old homes, the previous flooring material is removed and holes and cracks are patched with an epoxy, then multiple phases of sanding occurs until the surface has reached the desired finish.

Durable and easy to maintain, concrete floors could be perceived as the next best thing to Terrazzo, but less glamorous.

3. Mid Century Modern Flooring: Cork

Cork flooring was originally an option in Eichler homes. These days It comes in a variety of finishes ranging from the natural cork look, so dyed coatings that resemble stone or tile.

They can be ordered in various sizes and can be installed using a tongue-n-groove-style of floated installation. The cork layer is mounted onto an engineered substrate and is relatively affordable.

Cork is a great insulator, so in the winter, the flooring is great for bedrooms, keeping down noise, and soothing on bare feet. On the flip side, it’s less durable than a hardwood or tile, so you can expect some wear and tear to show.

4. Mid Century Modern Flooring: VCT Tile

VCT (vinyl composite tile) is one of the best options for mid-century flooring options, as it is notably inexpensive, durable, and can resemble Terrazzo to provide impressive finishes.

In residential installations, it can be ordered in 12-18” square tiles and glued to the subfloor.

Variations of VCT are:

• SVT (Solid Vinyl Tile) - Made from a solid block of vinyl and the design is printed onto the tile and finished with a protective layer, and offers an overall higher durability.

• LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) - Made from a base vinyl tile, but adds an, optionally, printed laminated layer that is designed to resemble wood or stone. It often comes in plank sizes to add to the realistic nature of a hardwood floor.

5. Mid Century Modern Flooring: Hardwood

Hardwood floors were originally offered in many mid-century modern homes, but not common in Eichlers. It can bring durability, warmth, and a great look to a home. They can be installed by nailing, floating, or gluing.

You can expecdt temperature changes to shift the flooring around slightly, and will be more noticeable in floated installations. Radiant heating can also be used with hardwood flooring, but should be thought out to consider expansion and sublayment materials to optimize heat transfer through the floor.