Floor Cloths

Floor clothes allow you to personalize your space with a unique look.

What you need

Canvas medium to heavy weight (untreated)
Acrylic artists paint
Gesso (found at artisits stores)
Wood – 2’x4′ s or 2’x2’s. For the stretcher frame
Staple gun
Clear water based sealer
Adhesive contact cement

Instructions

The trick is making the floor cloth lay flat. To help this we create a frame on which to stretch the canvas.

This helps because when the canvas shrinks it shrinks evenly.

Why does it shrink? Because when you are applying wet paint and gesso as it dries the fabric contracts and shrinks.

So we are going to build a frame slightly larger than what your finished cloth will be. So if you are making a 3′ by 4′ cloth, make a frame about 4′ by 5′.

Stretch the canvas over the frame and secure it with staples or large upholstery tacks. Work around the cloth evenly to prevent pulling in the fabric.

Now it’s time to gesso the cloth. Gesso the canvas on both sides 3-4 times.

Let the gesso dry between coats and if you find that the gesso is quite rough use fine sandpaper and sand it back each coat. Before painting sand the top coat of the gesso.

You can paint your design freehand or use stencils.

It works best to use masking tape to tape off the color areas you are working on. Using masking tape is an easy way to tape out a Aztec design.

Allow the cloth to dry for at least 24 hours.

Once the canvas is dry, use your sealer to seal it 3-4 times both front and back to avoid the moisture getting in.

Allow it to dry for several days on the stretcher then remove it by cutting it away with a carpet knife or sharp blade.

Fold a 2 inch hem to the back.Use your adhesive to stick the hem down. Fold the edges so you know where the lines are and miter the corners of the cloth to give it a smooth finish.

To prevent this type of floor cloth from slipping, place a non slip mat underneath it when in use.