Floor Cloths~Part "B"

This post is a continuation of Floor Cloths~Part "A"

from my last post. Here is a list of supplies for part "B":

• Acrylic paint (a variety of colors from the craft store)
• French Grey Watercolor Pencil
• Paint brush
• Lint brush
• Polyurethane
• Wax

Some possible other supplies will be added in the steps, as needed.



Step 5~ was painting your design. I usually offer Period Designs, as in 18th and 19th century-style designs. But it's always fun to paint something fun and whimsical too. For my design I wanted to incorporate red, white and blue for a bit of a patriotic theme..but not too bold. So I painted red, white and blue fruits and flowers... daisies, strawberries, and blueberry branches.
I draw my design onto the canvas with a French Grey pencil, this way it can be washed off with a damp paper towel after you are done. (especially, if you don't color inside the lines...like me!) Any design or no design would be fine. Stencils are always fun to use...if you don't feel comfortable drawing something out free-hand, stencils are NOT cheating, lol. I'm a Certified Stenciler of fabric and walls through Stencilers Artisan League and beautiful artwork can be created using stencils, so give it a try.

Step 6~
After your painting is dry, use the lint brush to remove any threads, or fuzz and apply the first coat of polyurethane. Let dry, lightly sand, and after using the lint brush, apply another coat of sealant. And repeat... 3 to 5 coats of polyurethane should be applied.
I also apply one coat to the back, just to seal the paint.

Step 7~
Now apply the wax with a clean cloth and buff. Just the front side...you don't want to have people slipping if you are making a floor cloth for the floor! I use a car wax buffer to buff.
This will keep your floor cloth protected. For maintenance, just reapply a coat of polyurethane when needed. (I made one for a store to use at their checkout counter and it didn't need a coat for about 2 yrs., with VERY heavy traffic every day).


All I've learned about floor cloths and how to make them has been through books. Here are two that have been very helpful:

Floor Decor: decorating techniques for beautiful floors and floorcloths by Susan Goans Driggers © 2000

Floorcloth Magic: how to paint floorcloths for decorative home use by Lisa Curry Mair © 2001
If you make one of your own...please email me a photo!