Floorcloths are inexpensive, easy to make and a great way to recycle paint and polyurethane you may have left over from home improvement projects. Some methods of rugmaking can be time consuming, but a floorcloth with a simple design can be completed in a weekend.

“Floorcloth Magic, How to Paint Canvas Rugs for Decorative Home Use” written by Lisa Curry Mair, is a great instructional book filled with pictures of floorcloths and step by step instructions.

Floorcloths, also known as oyl cloths have a durable, washable finish that resists stains and scratches, can be painted to match your décor and made in any shape or size.

Lisa covers setting up your workspace, tips for purchasing paint, polyurethane and canvas, cleaning and repairing your finished floorcloth, and outlines 10 easy steps to creating your floorcloth, which include shrinking and cutting the canvas, hemming (sewing and no sew methods) applying the base coat, transferring your design and sealing the floor cloth.

This book has information for making basic design decisions, such as selecting the location, size, design and scale of your floorcloth. It includes a chapter on color theory, which explains the color wheel, warm and cool colors, and tips for selecting colors. There is a chapter with instructions for washes, sponging, ragging, marbling, dragging, and distressing. Lisa explains where to find inspiration, how to reproduce design motifs, stenciling, stamping, and the key to making a beautiful border.

The final chapter includes a gallery of rugs made by different artists. There is also a list of artist’s websites and internet sources for materials.

Here’s a money saving tip: If you live in a city that recycles paint. Check to see if you can go through their inventory and pick up paint or polyurethane for free.

I found “Floorcloth Magic, How to Paint Canvas Rugs for Decorative Home Use” at my local library. It can also be found online or in some of your favorite bookstores.