The best way to learn about historic houses is to look at them closely, and the most fun way to look at them closely is to do a puzzle showing a wonderful historic house! So, we made a unique and interesting collection of Historic House Puzzles for you to enjoy!
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.
Click on the dashed box at the top-right in the puzzle box below to open the puzzle to full screen. In the top left, you can change the number of pieces (100 pieces is the default), toggle piece rotation, and change the background color. Then hit “OK” and have fun!