It's all about how Forbo Flooring Systems is made!

From how we run our factories to how we choose our ingredients, the way we make our floors is a big part of how we meet our mission to create better environments. Read more about how it is made.

A Forbo floor is always beautiful and stylish to look at. A floor that is comfortable to live, work and play on. But looks aren’t everything; often, it’s the things you can’t see that really matter. We believe true sustainability is about creating links of shared responsibilities and values between all stakeholders.

What is Ambering?

Ambering is the slight yellow hue to Marmoleum when it is first
removed from the packaging. This is a natural phenomenon that
happens with Marmoleum and is completely normal.
Linseed oil, a natural oil extracted from flax seeds and one of the
main ingredients in Marmoleum is what causes this yellow hue. This
is a very important ingredient in Marmoleum provides several unique
characteristics:

Linseed oil, along with wood flour, makes the floor naturally anti-
static, repelling dust, making Marmoleum easy to clean.

When exposed to air and light, the linseed oil oxidizes from within the
Marmoleum and continues for the life of the product. This makes the
material harden over time and become more durable.

As time passes, the ambering will fade as Marmoleum is exposed
to light, but its unique characteristics will not. The process may take
as little as a few hours in bright sunlight, but it can take longer with
artificial light. Areas that are not exposed to any light will retain the
yellow hue until they are exposed to light. If an area of Marmoleum is covered for an extended period, it’s possible the yellow hue will re-appear.

Don’t be alarmed – it will fade once again when it’s exposed to light. Because this is a natural occurrence in the product, there is no set time frame for the yellow hue to fade. This is not a material defect. It’s actually a sign that Marmoleum is revealing its unique and valuable
characteristics! Performing floor care procedures will not inhibit the
process. It just takes a little bit of time and understanding what great
benefits this process brings to Marmoleum!

All colors of Marmoleum are subject to ambering, however, it can be
more noticeable in certain colors. Light blues, greens, greys, and beiges
will display a more visible yellow hue than darker colors. To discover
the true color of Marmoleum, follow these few simple steps:

1. Take a piece of Marmoleum and cover one half with heavy paper,
cardboard or another piece of Marmoleum.
2. Place these pieces in direct sunlight for approximately 1 hour.
3. After the time has passed, remove the cardboard or heavy material
and see the visual difference first hand.

*Left side of samples show material before the ambering has dissipated and the right side shows material after the ambering has dissipated.

Forbo Flooring Systems | www.forboflooringNA.com | email: info.na@forbo.com

US: 1-800-842-7839 | CA: 1-800-268-8108