This Week’s Historic House Puzzle ~ Marbleized Canvas Floor Cloth.
Click here to go to the free online puzzle: https://yourhistorichouse.com/marbleized-canvas-floor-cloth-puzzle/
This floor cloth is located in one of the restored houses at Colonial Williamsburg. In the 18th and 19th centuries, painted canvas floor cloths were used in hallways, kitchens, pantries, dining rooms, and other areas where a waterproof and easily cleaned floor covering was needed. These linoleum and vinyl sheet flooring forerunners could be homemade or factory-produced after the early 19th century.
They were made by covering thick canvas with several coats of oil paint and several coats of varnish. Lengths of canvas were sewn together to get the width needed, and the edges were sewn under before painting. Several layers of newspaper were sometimes laid over the wood floor to provide a cushion under the canvas.
Some floor cloths were painted in solid colors, but most were painted with patterns or trompe l’oeil effects, such as faux marble blocks (as here) or imitation of carpet patterns.
Painted floor cloths are covered in Chapter 14 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners,” along with many other historic flooring options.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our shop, YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors.
© Scott T. Hanson 2024.
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