Rubber Flooring History

The first rubber floor tiles debuted sometime in the 12th to 13th centuries, but declined in popularity toward the end of the 17th century. The use of plain, square, undecorated red clay tiles became common throughout Europe during the 18th century. Linoleum was invented and patented in 1845. It was first manufactured in Scotland in the 1860s, and the first U.S. plant was built in 1872.

In 1894, Philadelphia architect Frank Fumess patented a system for rubber floor tiles. Colors were limited, but the tiles could be laid in geometric patterns to produce an eye-catching design. By the end of the century, recessed tabs allowed rubber tiles to be nailed to the sub-floor, and soon the tabs were eliminated altogether. These tiles were durable, sound-deadening, easy to clean, and easy to install. However, they also stained easily and deteriorated over time from exposure to oxygen, ozone and solvents, and were not suitable for use in basements where alkaline moisture was present.

Rubber flooring offered an alternative and additional benefits compared to other resilient floor coverings like PVC, vinyl, etc., that began to gain in popularity in the 1950's and 1960's. The first major installation of nora® rubber flooring was at the Frankfurt Airport in 1969, where it still is giving excellent service. In the early 1970's, nora® Rubber Flooring was first introduced into the U.S. market through a Chicago distributor.