DIY: Make An Easy Floor Cloth In 60 Minutes Or Less (2024)

Do you remember me telling you about the trouble I had with my last floor cloth that I made for my kitchen? I liked the way it turned out, but the vinyl flooring that I used had little divots all over it that it basically became a dirt catcher. I ended up getting rid of it, and have had a bare (still ungrouted) kitchen floor for months.

So yesterday, a bit of inspiration hit me. I was looking at a remnant of fabric that I had left over from my outdoor pillows, and I thought to myself, “That would make a great floor cloth!” So off to JoAnn Fabrics I went.

Sadly, they no longer had that particular fabric, but I found a similar one, and this one even had the dark navy blue that I used on the welt cord on my dining chairs. Perfect! They didn’t quite have as much as I had wanted, so my new floor cloth ended up being much smaller than the original one. I guess I have to be okay with that. 🙂

Needless to say, this floor cloth was much easier to make than the one that I painted. Here’s how I did it.

Tools & Supplies

1. Remnant piece of vinyl flooring (the design doesn’t matter…make sure that the back side is a light solid neutral color),
2. X-acto knife or utility knife,
3. Framing square, yardstick, or other straight edge,
4. Heavy duty spray adhesive,
5. Enough fabric to cover the vinyl, plus about two inches on each side (a heavy cotton, duck cloth, or canvas is ideal),
6. Clear non-yellowing sealer,
7. Paint brush or foam brush.

Instructions:

First, measure out and cut the vinyl flooring to the size you want. I like to use a framing square for things like this, just so that I know I’m getting near-perfect 90-degree angles. After it’s cut, be sure to wipe off any dirt and debris with a wet cloth, then let it dry completely. (Remember, you’re using the back side of the vinyl flooring that doesn’t have any design on it.)

Next, use a heavy duty spray adhesive. This is the one I prefer, and I always make sure I get the one that says “300” because it’s the strongest, and it comes out as a web (rather than a mist) for more control and less overspray.

And starting at one end, spray about six inches of the vinyl, and begin attaching the fabric. I worked in about eight inch sections, spraying both the vinyl and the fabric for a really secure hold. Be very sure to spray every single inch of the vinyl so that you don’t have any bubbles.

When all of the fabric is adhered, it should look something like this. Now go back over it, and be sure there are no bubbles. If you see bubbles, just rub really firmly over the area to get them out.

Now flip the vinyl over and wrap the extra fabric around the edges. I cut the corners to reduce bulkiness, and used the same spray adhesive for this part as well. Just be sure to spray both the vinyl and the fabric for a permanent hold.

And here it is, all wrapped and folded. Pretty, huh? 🙂

Next I used clear shellac over the top of the fabric. It did make the white stripes not quite so white (more of an off-white or very light cream color), so if you need the white in your fabric to stay a brilliant stark white, you’ll want to find another sealer for your floor cloth.

Here is a comparison of the floor cloth after a coat of shellac and the extra fabric. You can see that there’s not much difference in the whites, but there is a slight different…just enough to be irritating to someone who wanted a brilliant stark white. 🙂 You’ll also notice that I painted the red stripes with orange paint on the floor cloth. I had to get my orange in there somewhere!!

And here it is in my kitchen (on my still-ungrouted floor). I do like the depth of colors on this one better than the original one.

I also love that it has the navy blue that’s on my dining chairs, as well as on my valance.

It’s all coming together! Heck, at this break neck speed, I might even have my kitchen and breakfast room finished by New Year’s Eve! 😀

Linking to:
Tatertots & Jello