<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-12-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000007431</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AWI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001433038</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TPG Advisors VI, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TPG GLOBAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000860866</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BONDERMAN DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TPG GLOBAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001099776</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COULTER JAMES G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TPG GLOBAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-12-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>177539</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>48.96</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6127890</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Explanation of Responses</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price represents the public offering price of $51.00 per share less the underwriters' discount of $2.04 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">James G. Coulter and David Bonderman are directors, officers and shareholders of TPG Advisors VI, Inc., a Delaware corporation (&quot;Advisors VI&quot; and, together with Messrs. Bonderman and Coulter, the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;), which is the general partner of Armor TPG Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;Armor TPG&quot;), which holds the shares of common stock of Armstrong World Industries, Inc. reported herein (the &quot;Shares&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">(3)	Because of the Reporting Persons' respective relationships to Armor TPG, the Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares to the extent of the greater of their respective direct or indirect pecuniary interests in the profits or capital accounts of Armor TPG.  Each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the Shares, except to the extent of such Reporting Person's pecuniary interest therein, if any.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">(4)	Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;Exchange Act&quot;), this filing shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Persons are, for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or otherwise, the beneficial owners of any Shares beneficially owned in excess of their respective pecuniary interests.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>(5)	The Reporting Persons are jointly filing this Form 4 pursuant to Rule 16a-3(j) under the Exchange Act.

(6)	Ronald Cami is signing on behalf of both Messrs. Bonderman and Coulter pursuant to authorization and designation letters dated July 1, 2010, which were previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Ronald Cami, Vice President, TPG ADVISORS VI, INC (5)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Ronald Cami, on behalf of David Bonderman (5) (6)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Ronald Cami, on behalf of James G. Coulter (5) (6)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
