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Started my Paper Bag Floor!


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I spent 5.5 hours on it last night. I'm happy and nervous! This is the test/experiment room so it doesn't have to be perfect... but then of course I'd really have liked it to be perfect. I didn't manage to get all the wrinkles out and I don't know what to do about it now. I did improve a lot though as I made it across the room. A lot of the wrinkles will be covered by furniture so I think I'll just not worry about it. I can't wait to finish it though! Still waiting on it to fully dry for the next coat of poly.

 

Assuming I'm thrilled with it when I'm done I'll be doing 2 more rooms.

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Any tips? We've considered doing this in our study as a temporary measure. We have an aging dog who isn't having problems yet, but he's 10yo, is large with big nails ;) , slides on the floor to chase our cats, etc. For that reason, we are considering waiting a few years to put down h/w, but I haaaaate living with carpet.

 

Can you describe what you learned that helped with the wrinkles, or do I just need to tough it out and figure it out for myself :tongue_smilie:??? I was wondering if there was anything you could describe that helped :bigear:

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Oh, I insist you keep us posted on your progress. We just decided last night we're going to do our basement floor!

 

So exactly how much floor did you cover in 5.5 hours :bigear: ?

 

I'm doing a 13x14 foot room. I could have gone faster if I'd had help, experience, and hadn't just painted the room (I was already exhausted!)

 

The first third took 3 hours so I definitely started moving faster as I figured it out.

 

If I had it to do over though I wouldn't do it all in one sitting. I would break it up and let it dry more as I went.

 

Any tips? We've considered doing this in our study as a temporary measure. We have an aging dog who isn't having problems yet, but he's 10yo, is large with big nails ;) , slides on the floor to chase our cats, etc. For that reason, we are considering waiting a few years to put down h/w, but I haaaaate living with carpet.

 

Can you describe what you learned that helped with the wrinkles, or do I just need to tough it out and figure it out for myself :tongue_smilie:??? I was wondering if there was anything you could describe that helped :bigear:

 

I found a couple things that did help with the wrinkles.

 

Lots of the how to blogs said to do 50/50 water and glue. A few though said to do 30/70. I found that 30/70 worked better and resulted in less wrinkles.

 

I opted to do some large pieces... half poster board size to poster board size. For those I painted the glue/water mix on the back and then let it soak in for 3-4 minutes before putting it down on the floor. I sometimes had to add a bit more glue if it had soaked in too much. I let the bottom side dry really well then watching for any wrinkles or bubbles to show up. Once it was pretty much dried to the floor I brushed more glue mix on the top. That went much better than sticking it down right away and putting more glue on top right away.

 

For the smaller pieces I dunked them in the glue and then left squeezed the glue out and let the paper balls sit for a couple minutes before putting them down on the floor.

 

The whole letting the paper and glue sit really seemed make a difference.

I did do some of the smaller pieces the same as the big pieces... painting the glue on the back then letting it sit and then sticking it down. It worked on the small pieces too but wasn't necessary really.

 

Two things I'll change....

 

This time i mixed the dye in the glue. It worked... but was messier. Next time I won't or if I do I'll only use that glue when I brush it on the top of the paper.

 

I did the whole floor in one stretch. Next time I'll do the big pieces and the edges and let that totally dry. Then I'll go back and do the smaller pieces and the overlapping.

 

I really do like it so far. I can't wait to finish so I can move on the next two rooms.

 

One of my girls wants me to dye their floor gray... I don't know if I want to do that though. They also want me to sprinkle glitter on the floor, lol. I might do that! In my other room we are planning to create a "rug" with the paper pieces.

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I'm doing a 13x14 foot room. I could have gone faster if I'd had help, experience, and hadn't just painted the room (I was already exhausted!)

 

The first third took 3 hours so I definitely started moving faster as I figured it out.

 

If I had it to do over though I wouldn't do it all in one sitting. I would break it up and let it dry more as I went.

 

 

 

I found a couple things that did help with the wrinkles.

 

Lots of the how to blogs said to do 50/50 water and glue. A few though said to do 30/70. I found that 30/70 worked better and resulted in less wrinkles.

 

I opted to do some large pieces... half poster board size to poster board size. For those I painted the glue/water mix on the back and then let it soak in for 3-4 minutes before putting it down on the floor. I sometimes had to add a bit more glue if it had soaked in too much. I let the bottom side dry really well then watching for any wrinkles or bubbles to show up. Once it was pretty much dried to the floor I brushed more glue mix on the top. That went much better than sticking it down right away and putting more glue on top right away.

 

For the smaller pieces I dunked them in the glue and then left squeezed the glue out and let the paper balls sit for a couple minutes before putting them down on the floor.

 

The whole letting the paper and glue sit really seemed make a difference.

I did do some of the smaller pieces the same as the big pieces... painting the glue on the back then letting it sit and then sticking it down. It worked on the small pieces too but wasn't necessary really.

 

Two things I'll change....

 

This time i mixed the dye in the glue. It worked... but was messier. Next time I won't or if I do I'll only use that glue when I brush it on the top of the paper.

 

I did the whole floor in one stretch. Next time I'll do the big pieces and the edges and let that totally dry. Then I'll go back and do the smaller pieces and the overlapping.

 

I really do like it so far. I can't wait to finish so I can move on the next two rooms.

 

One of my girls wants me to dye their floor gray... I don't know if I want to do that though. They also want me to sprinkle glitter on the floor, lol. I might do that! In my other room we are planning to create a "rug" with the paper pieces.

 

Thank you! It is helpful to read info from the trenches!

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Oh yes, pictures are a must, please, please, please!

 

I wish I could convince Dh to do this! I need a new kitchen floor, and I am wondering if this would work for a kitchen? Our kitchen is only used for cooking, we don't eat in it and really, there's not much dropping/spilling/messiness in there. We do put the kittens in there if we leave the house for an extending period (all their stuff is in there). I wonder how this would work with kitten claws...

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I love this idea! Sounds like it's going well. :001_smile:

 

Would it be too much trouble to share a few before, during, and after pics? Pretty please? With sugar on top? :tongue_smilie:

 

Unfortunately I was too bus to take pics during. I'll take more of the next room during and I can do after pics tomorrow.

 

Oh yes, photos! Please!

 

DH has a week long business trip scheduled for the third week of October. I hope to surprise him with a new floor in one of the bedrooms when he gets back.

 

Kaleidoscope, how many coats of poly did you apply and how much drying time between coats?

 

Im doing 6 coats. I've allowed a couple hours between coats.

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What would happen if you wrote on the paper before you stained it, with say a white crayon? I'm thinking it would be neat to put an inspirational thought by the bedroom door as you leave the room. Or sign your "Artist" name in the corner of the closet. :001_smile: I wonder if it would work?

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