Homeowner Rips Up Old Carpet—Stunned by What Is Found Underneath

A post about a homeowner in rural Utah making an unexpected discovery beneath two layers of carpet—an ornate, vintage linoleum floor that had been concealed for decades—has captivated thousands of users on Reddit.

The viral post, titled “I think I’m in shock,” was shared by Reddit user u/SicilianMeatball in the r/centuryhomes subreddit. It has gained 10,000 upvotes since it was posted on March 11, with commenters fascinated by the preserved flooring and the history behind it.

“Ripped up an absolutely horrific yellow shag carpet, and some sort of gray commercial office space carpet, then a layer of disgusting foam padding and this was hidden under it all. It’s like finding buried treasure!!,” the homeowner wrote in the post. “There are some fine cracks, small paint splatters, and wear spots, but overall, it’s in surprisingly good condition!”

The homeowner believes the house was built in 1910, the poster told Newsweek, detailing the process of uncovering the linoleum, which had been hidden under years of flooring materials.

“Although, I’ve seen 1908 and 1913 on a few pieces of documentation during the purchase process,” the poster said. “I contacted the county last week, and they recommended going to the town planning department, as they maintain the local building records.”

The intricate linoleum, which features vintage floral patterns, was a striking contrast to the modern carpets that had concealed it. Recognizing its potential, the homeowner quickly decided that the space would eventually serve a new purpose.

“It’s been decided this will become my reading and crafting room in about two years. We’ve carpeted over it again just to keep it protected in the meantime,” the homeowner said.

The viral post comes as home renovation spending in the United States was reported to have soared in recent years, with the median spend jumping by 60 percent between 2020 ($15,000) and 2023 ($24,000), according to a survey by Houzz conducted among 32,615 users, including 17,713 renovating U.S. homeowners.

The History Of The Home

The linoleum was discovered in one of the bedrooms, a space that had seen minimal updates over the past nearly half-century.

“The previous owner lived in the house for 45 years. The only room that had been updated during that time was the kitchen. The linoleum was already carpeted when the previous owner bought the house with her husband,” the homeowner said.

Rather than remove the flooring, the previous owner simply added new carpet layers on top.

“When it came time to replace the carpet, her husband simply laid more carpet down. So, the linoleum was actually under two layers of carpet,” the homeowner said.

For now, the space remains a functional bedroom, but the homeowner has long-term plans to convert it into a creative retreat.

“Currently, the room has been recarpeted again because we need the bedroom. We plan to finish the attic in about a year, and then the room will become my personal space for a desk, reading and crafting,” they said.

While the discovery of the vintage flooring was exciting, the homeowner also recognized a potential risk associated with its age.

“The flooring very likely contains asbestos in the felt backing and is glued to the subfloor. It will need to be sealed to prevent exposure,” they said.

Asbestos was commonly used in building materials before the 1980s, particularly in linoleum backing and adhesives. Disturbing such materials without proper precautions can release harmful fibers into the air, making professional assessment and sealing necessary for safety.

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