Paints and Finishes
Paints and Finishes
We are getting ready to offer our favorite floorcloth paint to you! As you’ll learn from the tutorial, the paint Lisa uses almost exclusively is only available in stores in gallon cans. It is incredibly durable, and, most importantly, remains VERY flexible, making it perfect for painting floorcloths. But list price for a gallon can is $93 from the store and if you are just painting a couple of small floorcloths you will throw most of it away. Because that gets mighty pricey when you’re using multiple colors, and we stock all these colors anyway, we’ve decided to offer this premium quality paint in smaller quantities.
Canvasworks will be offering pint and half pint cans in our 25 Canvasworks Colors at a fraction of the cost! Check back here soon for ordering details.
Best Paints Tutorial
In this 25 minute video you’ll get the answers to the most common floorcloth painting questions. What kind of paint should I use to paint my floorcloth? How should I prepare my floorcloth for painting? What is the best brush to use? How do I finish my floorcloth? Why did my floorcloth crack? And more…
When you order this video a link will be sent to you so you can watch it TODAY ( or whenever you want and as many times as you want)! Get right to work on your project with the confidence that you’ll be doing it the right way. The added bonus is that you pay no shipping!
Scroll down this page to learn about and order our recommended finish, Sher Clear.
You can’t really walk on that, can you?
It’s the number one question I get when people ask me about floorcloths. My answer? Of course you can!
Nowadays we have this great stuff called “polyurethane”. I use an acrylic, marine grade poly which is as tough as nails and stands up to all kinds of wear. Heavy furniture, big dogs, wild children and muddy workboots are not a problem for this stuff. It’s a heavy-duty plastic coating which protects the beautiful painted surface of your floorcloth and it will keep protecting that surface for years and years.
Now you can order a quart can of this poly right from Canvasworks! It’s $20 and is really the best stuff I can recommend.
SWSCQT Semi Gloss Clear Coat $32
Paint
Quart of Semi Gloss Clear Coat
This is our preferred finish for floorcloths. It stays flexible, so cracks don’t occur on the painted surface, yet it is incredibly durable. It is water-based, so clean up is easy. It has a very low odor (but apply it in a well-ventilated room anyway).
After years of trying multiple brands and types of finishes, this is the one I have come to rely on. It is compatible with all Canvasworks primers and paints.
Please note: This is shipped via FedEx Ground. It must NOT be allowed to freeze, so if you can’t be there for delivery during freezing temperatures, you should arrange to have it brought inside by a neighbor or friend.
Canvasworks Floorcloth Paint
Canvasworks is now offering quarts of paint for your floorcloth projects. This is an extremely durable and flexible paint which will withstand years of wear. It is the exact same paint used for every Canvasworks Custom floorcloth- even the museum pieces! For most colors, you will need to apply 2 coats to get a solid color. A quart will cover 2 coats on a 4′ X 6′ floorcloth.
Click on this link to see the 25 colors we have available to you in 1 qt. cans.
If you would like to see the colors painted on canvas before you order, please purchase the Canvasworks Swatch kit. If you order paint after you have purchased the Swatch Kit, the price of the Swatch Kit ($25) will be deducted from your first paint order. Most of our 25 colors are Benjamin Moore colors, so you can also go to a Benjamin Moore dealer and see the colors there.
Please order carefully. Paints are not returnable.
If you need to order more than one color, please order them as separate items.
So, why is this scary? Because after you’ve spent all this time making the most beautiful floorcloth ever, you’re going to cover it with this cloudy, gooey mess.Trust me. It’s REALLY scary the first time you do it!
Here’s a video showing how I apply the final coats of poly to each of my customer’s floorcloths:
If you’re finishing up a floorcloth project and you’re ready to poly here’s what you’ll need:
-A sheet of drop cloth plastic to cover your table
-A “Pet Hair Roller Refill” placed on a small roller brush handle (to pick up lint and dust)
-A 4″ nylon bristle paint brush (for applying the poly)
-Polyurethane
—-I recommend Sherwin William’s Sher Clear, semi gloss finish
—-or use JW etc’s Right Step Water Base Clear Varnish
Gather all of your stuff. Cover the table with the plastic and tape the edges down.
Lay your floorcloth out on the plastic and roll over it with the lint picker-upper to remove any stray particles.
Dip your brush into the poly and start applying it in smooth, even strokes. Continue until the entire surface is covered in one smooth, fairly thick coat. Do not overwork the poly. It will start to dry and make a mess. Here’s where you’ll be a little scared- The poly will be milky an d streaky and you’re going to think you just ruined your work of art. Fear not! Walk away. It will be OK. It will dry clear in about 3 hours. Be sure the room is dry (not too humid) and at least 60 degrees. Be sure to crack a window or have good ventilation. Wash your brush out thoroughly in warm, soapy water.
Come back in not less than 3 hours and if it is dry and clear, you can paint the next coat the same way. Apply at least 3 coats and allow at least 24 hours for final drying before you put the floorcloth on the floor and walk on it. If it gets dirty just damp mop. If the floorcloth is in a high traffic area you may want to re-poly once every two years or so. Just give it a really good cleaning first, let it dry completely, and then apply another coat as you did before.
This is the second video-enhanced tip I’ve posted (the first one was “How to Stencil on Canvas”) and I plan to do more. Any feedback about what floorcloth topics you’d find helpful are definitely encouraged!
