Group: Administrator
Level:
Posts: 4873
Joined: 1/28/2015
IP-Address: saved
|
the Bag Maybe you tore up your old carpet hoping to find beautiful hardwood underneath, but were disappointed to find plywood. This stunningly beautiful remedy for that dilemma involves everyday brown paper bags. Much like a decoupage project, these paper floors are made by gluing down scraps of paper in a random organic pattern, then covering everything with a layer of polyurethane. Rachael Evans of the blog Lovely Crafty Home used brown craft paper to transform the upstairs floors of her Asheville, cladding and siding panel decorationsNorth Carolina, home into something that looks like a cross between hardwood, cork and leather��all for a superlow price. Installation: Rachael provides excellent instructions in her blog post "Ultimate Brown Paper Flooring Guide" about how she papered her floors. Basically, she soaked the scraps of paper in glue, laid them on the floor, let them dry completely and then covered the floor with a couple of coats of clear polyurethane.
To make this project eco-friendly and fume-free, use either old paper bags or recycled-content craft paper. Instead of the Elmer's glue, whip up a watered-down recipe of wheat or rice glue and use a low- or no-VOC polyurethane such as those available from AFM Safecoat Cost: Approximately $1 a square foot Pop a Cap Want something more colorful and fun? Start collecting bottle caps from your favorite sodas or beers. This project requires some dedication��you'll need to collect about 120 caps per square foot. If you can't collect them all yourself, enlist help from a local bar or restaurant that sells bottled soda and beer. A great example of a bottle cap floor is at the eclectic Bone House in Huntsville, Texas.composite bead board Buskerud Built by affordable home-building organization Phoenix Commotion, the Bone House is home to three artists and a wide variety of recycled and reclaimed materials, including a bottle cap bathroom floor. Installation: Treat bottle caps much as you would small mosaic tiles. Prepare your floor with thin-set mortar, then place your caps in any arrangement you like��random or in a pattern.
Let the floor dry, fill in gaps with grout and finish with sealer. Cost: Less than 50 cents a square foot Paint Power If you have sturdy wood floors but hate the way they look, don't be afraid to jazz them up with a coat of paint. Paint allows for a wide variety of colors, patterns and styles, and it's a great way to dramatically change the look of a large area. A solid color can be very effective, but you could also paint patterns such as Fab Floor If you're looking for low-cost and unconventional flooring options, best waterproofing for floorsconsider these unique DIY ideas that put everyday salvaged materials to good use. Natural Home & Garden May/June 2012 23 home try this stripes, checkerboards or chevrons. Denise Sabia from the blog The Painted Home brightened up her kitchen with a chic checkerboard pattern. Keep in mind that high-traffic areas will wear over time, so be prepared to touch up floors to keep them looking fresh.
|
Search 
Calendar 
Gallery
Auctions 
Global 
Top
Members 
Stats
Chat (0) new 
send Password 
Register
