| Canvas Floorcloth |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-109 |
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Q: I want to create an alternative to a throw rug. Can you help me?
A: (Debbie Stapley, Ask DIY Crafts expert) I've got a terrific idea. Make a floorcloth from canvas. A couple of hundred years ago, sailors in port would make floorcloths to cover their dirt floors using old sails. We'll make these floorcloths from good-quality heavy canvas (figure A), following these directions: Materials:
Heavy canvas, 4" longer on each side than you'd like your floorcloth to be
Glue and glue gun
Primer
Paint
Decoupage images cut from wallpaper, giftwrap or designer paper napkins
Decoupage medium such as Mod PodgeB.
Buyer's guide: Purchase canvas at an upholstery-supply store, or consider using pieces of a discarded canvas tent. - Cut the canvas to size, making sure that it's four inches longer on each side than you'd like your final floorcloth to be.
- Make a four-inch hem on all edges using a glue gun, or your sewing machine if you prefer. If you like, miter the corners, but remember: no one will ever see the back, so it doesn't have to look that nice.
- Prime the canvas, using any leftover primer you have around the house. Then add a second coat of paint. It should look nice and even and be whatever color you'd like for the side people will see. You may want to use paint left over from the kitchen walls so it will coordinate. The paint makes the canvas stiff enough to work as a floorcloth, too.
- Cut or tear the decorative elements from giftwrap, wallpaper borders or designer napkins (figure B).
Working smarter: If you're using designer napkins, cut through all layers of the napkin when you cut the shape, but use only the top layer. - Position the cutouts on the canvas (figure C).
- Paint layers of decoupage medium such as Mod Podge (figure D)over the cutouts and the entire canvas surface. If you want, use watered-down white glue in place of the Mod Podge. Make sure to apply four or five coats.
- To protect the floorcloth, apply two or three coats of polyurethane after the decoupage medium is completely dry.
More questions for Debbie:
Q: What's the best way to clean a floorcloth? Can I throw it in the washer?
A: No, don't put it in the washer. The good news is, you won't need to. Instead, just mop it clean as you would your floor.
Q: What are some other ways to decorate my floorcloth if I'm not really artistic?
A: Try nice big stamps or stencils, or have one of your kids draw some artwork on the cloth.
Q: I like my floorcloth, but I'd like to add backing to keep it from slipping. What's the best way to do that?
A: You don't need to add a backing. The easiest thing to do is to buy a no-skid mat to put under the floorcloth. Web site resources for Floorcloths: Linoleum Floorcloths from HGTV.com Colonial Era Floorcloths from Bob Vila.com Floorcloths from Golden Acrylics.com Canvas Floorcloths and Placemats from KinderArt.com Books: Complete Book of Floorcloths: Designs & Techniques for Painting Great-Looking Canvas Rugs
By Kathy Cooper and Jan Hersey
ISBN: 1887374191
Lark Books (1997)
50 College St.
Asheville, NC 28801
Customer Service Phone: 800-284-3388
E-mail: customerservice@larkbooks.com Fabulous Floorcloths: Create Contemporary Floor Coverings From an Old World Art
By Caroline O'Neill Kochinsky
ISBN: 0801990548
Krause Publications (1998)
700 E. State
Iola, WI 54990
Phone: 715-445-2214
Web site: www.krause.com
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