Stencil designer Peggy Decker of Makin-It stencils a beautiful floor cloth, using exterior latex paint and oil paint. Materials:
Fredrix 1-2-3® Floor Cloth Canvas
Painter's tape
Stencil
Stencil brushes
Delta Oil Paint Pens® or Plaid Paint
Crayons®
1" x 2" wood strips
Nails
Hammer
Exterior latex paint
Staple gun and staples
Paintbrush or paint roller
Mylar palette
Spray sealer
Water-based polyurethane
Crafter's cement
- After deciding on the size of your floor cloth, build a simple frame from inexpensive lumber, and staple the canvas to the frame along the outside edges. Peggy recommends Fredrix 1-2-3 Floor Cloth Canvas because it is double-primed on the front and primed on the back -- and ready to paint (figure A).
- Apply a base coat of the background color to the canvas. Peggy recommends using two coats of exterior latex paint because it is formulated to expand and contract and doesn't become brittle. If you would like a border of a different color, use painter's tape to tape around the canvas, and paint a border. Use a paintbrush or a paint roller to apply the background paint.
- Tape the stencil in place on the canvas, using painter's tape. Peggy used a fruit border stencil.
- Apply Delta Oil Paint Pens or Plaid Paint Crayons to a Mylar palette. Dip a stencil brush in the color, and apply it to the stencil in a circular motion. Shade the stencil with other colors, and complete the design (figure B).
- Outline the design with black marker to make it stand out (figure C).
- Spray the painted canvas with a sealer.
- Apply at least two coats of water-based polyurethane to the front of the cloth, letting it dry between coats. A water-based product is recommended because it won't turn yellow.
- Turn the edges back about 1", and glue them with crafter's cement. When washing the floor cloth, use mild dishwashing detergent and water (figure D).
- Do not use a canvas floor cloth on an uneven surface such as ceramic tile. The cloth will shape itself to the indentations between the tiles.
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