Crafted Floorcloths
Everyone should at least try this simple process of making a floorcloth that is custom to your home. They are sooo simple and in-expensive....and, oh yeah, did I mention....you don't need to be an artist to get a nice design in the colors to match your decor.
Heck, once you get one made for yourself, you might find that you'll want to make more as gifts for family and friends.....or possibly even sell.
The only thing you need to start, is an inexpensive piece of linoleum/vinyl flooring...it doesn't matter what the pattern is since that's not the side you're going to be using anyway. I know my local home improvement store has 6' x 8' sheets of these on sale all the time for very little money (and that will make a lot of them). How about getting friends or family together and doing this as a joint craft project.
Determine what design you want on your mat and the colors you want to incorporate. There are many wonderful books out now on crafting floorcloths with many design ideas from beginner to advanced artists.
Check out the Closeout Books link in the right hand margin....I know they usually have a couple that are very inexpensive if bought through them.
You're going to be using the back side of the flooring. Cut a piece out to the size you want, leave the corners square or round them off if you like. Take some primer paint and give it a couple of good coats and let that dry.
Apply the design you have chosen....whether that be freehand, stenciling, ragging, stamping.....it's only limited by your imagination. You can either use acrylic paints bought at a craft store, or the regular latex house paint you have sitting around.
Once you've let your paint dry thoroughly, you're last step will be to apply 3-4 coats of polyurethane to protect it from foot traffic. Let this dry for at least 24 hours and you're done!
Simply wipe it clean when it needs it....and every year or so (depending on the traffic it gets), apply another coat or two of polyurethane. There, now wasn't that easy?
Heck, once you get one made for yourself, you might find that you'll want to make more as gifts for family and friends.....or possibly even sell.
The only thing you need to start, is an inexpensive piece of linoleum/vinyl flooring...it doesn't matter what the pattern is since that's not the side you're going to be using anyway. I know my local home improvement store has 6' x 8' sheets of these on sale all the time for very little money (and that will make a lot of them). How about getting friends or family together and doing this as a joint craft project.
Determine what design you want on your mat and the colors you want to incorporate. There are many wonderful books out now on crafting floorcloths with many design ideas from beginner to advanced artists.
Check out the Closeout Books link in the right hand margin....I know they usually have a couple that are very inexpensive if bought through them.
You're going to be using the back side of the flooring. Cut a piece out to the size you want, leave the corners square or round them off if you like. Take some primer paint and give it a couple of good coats and let that dry.
Apply the design you have chosen....whether that be freehand, stenciling, ragging, stamping.....it's only limited by your imagination. You can either use acrylic paints bought at a craft store, or the regular latex house paint you have sitting around.
Once you've let your paint dry thoroughly, you're last step will be to apply 3-4 coats of polyurethane to protect it from foot traffic. Let this dry for at least 24 hours and you're done!
Simply wipe it clean when it needs it....and every year or so (depending on the traffic it gets), apply another coat or two of polyurethane. There, now wasn't that easy?
posted by J. Martin @ Sunday, February 05, 2006
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