How to Decoupage Floors
Floors are an often overlooked canvas for decorating creativity. Get away from the tried and trite carpet or area rugs with a decoupaged design, whether it's a faux stencil border in a living room or a stylized globe or compass rose in the sun room. Adding decoupage to the floor is a similar process -- on a larger scale -- to decoupaging such items as decorative boxes or picture frames.
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Prepare the floor surface. For wood, vinyl or linoleum, lightly sand the floor and then apply an oil-based primer. For concrete, use a primer designed for that surface.
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Mix equal parts of craft glue and water. Brush the back of your decoupage paper with the mixture and position it on your floor.
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Coat the design and the rest of the floor with polyurethane. Use a light coat to avoid bubbles forming in the surface. If you choose, apply a second coat after the first has dried thoroughly.
References
- Anita; Paint Consultant, The Home Depot; Austin, TX
Tips
- While decoupage often DOES involve multiple images, it does not have to. You can use many small designs, or one or two larger ones, as you prefer. If you choose to design with larger pictures, color photocopy enlargements will work well in place of smaller originals.
- Use a color photocopy of the design printed onto heavier stock if you plan to decoupage a floor that gets heavy foot traffic. For borders and areas on which you will not walk a lot, any type or weight of paper is acceptable.
- If bubbles do form in the finish, use fine-grit sandpaper to gently smooth them. Apply a second coat of varnish.
Warnings
- Be sure to use a polyurethane varnish designed specifically for floors.
- Use the varnish only in well-ventilated areas.
Writer Bio
Pamela Martin has been writing since 1979. She has written newsletter articles and curricula-related materials. She also writes about teaching and crafts. Martin was an American Society of Newspaper Editors High School Journalism Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching in elementary education from Sam Houston State University and a Master of Arts in curriculum/instruction from the University of Missouri.
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