Carpets and matting, general or in strips, are very objectionable in catching dust or mud, and difficult to clean off.
Rubber mats or rubber tiling has been favored for floor-covering and for stairs.
The Librarian[180] reports from England, as follows:—
“Stone, mosaics, and the like, are seldom used except in lobbies.
“Plain boards do not wear well.
“Wood blocks (oak or maple), rift-sawn and dressed (not washed), resist wear, though noisy.
“Good linoleum, cemented on boards, blocks, or concrete, resists wear.
“Rubber flooring seems superb, but has not been tested here.”
[Nothing is said about corticene or cork, so much used in America.]