Paint Your Own Floor Cloth

Are you thinking about creating your own canvas rug? Wondering where to start?

First, you need a blank floorcloth. It needs to be shrunk, primed, cut to size and hemmed. The heavier the better, basically. You’ve come to the right place. Canvasworks has blank floorcloths ready for you to get right to work on. We have two weights, both are heavy. We carry #8 and #4 and we can make any size up to 9′6″ wide without a seam.

The weight of the canvas is VERY important. I strongly recommend NOT using any floorcloth made from canvas lighter than #8 (18 oz.). Some stores carry “floorcloth canvas” which is lighter weight canvas with multiple coats of “gesso” on the front and back. While this makes the fabric feel heavier, it will not lie as flat to the floor, and will have a tougher time withstanding daily wear and tear.While you decide what you’re going to paint on your floorcloth, we will be shrinking, cutting, priming and hemming a piece for you. That’s the “grunt work” and we’re set up to do that. We can make virtually any size and shape you need, in 2 weights. #8 is heavy and durable. #4 is the heaviest canvas we carry- it will out last any other rug in your house!

You can go to art supply stores, but generally their canvas is for paintings which will be hung on a wall, not walked all over. It tends to be lighter than what you’re going to need and it will not be hemmed. Yes, it’s cheaper, but you get what you pay for!

Go Green! Our canvas is 100% cotton canvas. Shrunk with our own Vermont spring water and primed with top-quality, low VOC latex primer.

NOW AVAILABLE- Quart cans of Sherwin Williams’ Sher Clear floorcloth finishing coat! This is the stuff we use for all of our custom and museum work. The semi gloss is fairly low sheen. be sure to stir it well before using. It is a Marine Grade clear coat which is extremely durable and crack resistant. $20/ qt. Click here to view the MSDS.

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All of the following blanks are shrunk, primed and hemmed floorcloths.

*2′ X 3′ = $30* A perfect first project.
*3′ X 5′ = $75* Great for an entryway.
*4′ X 6′ = $120* Good for mid-size areas.
*5′ X 7′ = $175* Perfect under a small table.
*6′ X 8′ =$240* Great under a kitchen table.

Custom sizes can be made at NO EXTRA COST! $5/ sq. ft. for #8 blanks; $8/sq. ft. for #4 blanks. Click here to download an order form.

No refunds, exchange only. Floorcloth blanks are usually shipped within 1 week.

We’re happy to send you 3″ X 3″ samples of our primed #4 and #8 canvas. Just drop us an email with your mailing address.

Now, for a design… What’s your style? Do you like bright, bold colors splashed around loosely or solid, shapes and designs? If you are handy with a paint brush you can put just about anything on the floorcloth. If your painting skills are limited, fear not! You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to make something really pretty!

If you would like to paint any of these designs, you can order a kit.

After you’ve painted the design you need to seal the floorcloth with a water based polyurethane. Brush on 5 coats. Give your floorcloth a couple of days to cure and harden then you are ready to put it down on the floor. You should secure it to the floor with double-sided carpet tape. Not only does this keep it from slipping, it also keeps the edges from being turned up which will cause cracking of the painted surface. Clean your floorcloth with warm water. You can spot clean with other cleaners, but avoid using the harsh stuff too often.

Once you’ve caught the floorcloth bug, you might find that you are itching to paint bigger and more elaborate designs. Go for it!

Have a look at the other canvas things we can prepare for you like placemats, colored blanks (one less step for you) and kits.

Canvasworks Blanks in Colors!

Now you can order your ready-to-paint floorcloths with one more step done for you. Choose from Canvasworks’ 25 colors, in a wide variety of sizes.

(Click here to see prices, colors and to order.)

Prepared Canvas Placemats and Table Runners

This is a great way to get used to painting on heavyweight canvas before you move on to larger floorcloths. Placemat sets make great gifts or family projects.
(Click here to see all the options and to order.)

Download “Make-Your-Own” Brochure

(PDF – 1.5mb)

View Canvaswork’s Movie

This movie was made by Vermont Public Television for the show “Rural Free Delivery”. It shows the Canvasworks studio, the basic steps used to create floorcloths, some history of the craft and some of Canvaswork’s most popular designs.

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