STEP ONE:
Clean & prep the floors. You can’t expect a nice finished product without prepping the area. It doesn’t take long… but DO IT.
•if you are planning to apply paper bag flooring over plywood, seal the cracks between the sheets of wood. If not, the seems WILL show through.
•we also applied paper bag flooring over hard vinyl tile with success. In this case scrub the floor with TSP to remove any dirt and grime that will hinder the paper from adhering.
•vacuum thoroughly
STEP TWO:
Decide on your method of application. Do you prefer a plank style, wood floor look? A tile look? A slate look…the sky is the limit…
Paper bag flooring, wood plank style, see below OR paper bag flooring, slate style, click here.
•cut the strips of paper. I chose to use a straight edge across the full length of the paper roll (36″). I chose a plank width of 5″. I made a template with a piece of scrap plywood drawing a line measuring 5″ so there was no need to measure repeatedly. Use a utility knife to cut the planks. You will need to have calculated your dimensions to know approximately how many stripes you need to cover your space.
STEP THREE:
Paint the wood plank effect on the strips of paper. Let me explain…
The wood grain technique is very simple providing you buy a wood grain tool (see shopping list). I watered down dark brown paint (add water slowly until you feel less drag with your stir stick). Quickly brush it on one paper strip at a time, then immediately, while the paint is wet, drag the wood graining tool over the paper using the “teeth” side. Next, turn the wood grain tool over and use a rocking motion while pulling the tool down the strip of paper, to achieve the desired grain. It may sound hard… but it is very easy!
This step will requires a dark brown paint, a paint brush as well as the wood grain tool. This step is quite fun and rewarding. As I painted the strips of paper I carefully laid them flat to dry (I used the room I was about to makeover as my drying spot). They dry very quickly since the paint is watered down.
STEP FOUR:
Now it’s time to apply the floor. I suggest you watch these short these videos to learn the process.
STEP FIVE:
Dry time. Yes…you get to relax and wait for 24 hours. No complaining here…lol
STEP SIX:
Apply stain. I prefer to to use a lint free rag and rub the stain on. It dries faster and I found I had much more control with colour. Simply rub on the stain and wipe excess off as you go.
STEP SEVEN:
DRY TIME. Warning, the stain will never really feel completely dry. I was very careful at this stage. I only wore thick socks and walked softly. After drying approximately 1.5 days I proceeded the the next step.
STEP EIGHT:
Varathane. I applied seven coats. Yes, seven. Don’t panic. This went fast as I was no longer on my knees. The water based stain I used dries crazy fast so I was able to apply a coat every couple hours! After the varathane is applied, remember that this product may feel hard and dry however it needs time to cure and harden completely. If possible, leave for it for a day or two to harden.
I hope these instructions serve you as a helpful aid before you install your own paper bag floor!
April 4, 2016 at 12:17 pm
I am trying go with a white oak look. However it is very dark and I can’t see the grain. What could be wrong? I am also thinking of a yellow pine, would I have to “primer” the strips first for a lighter color?
April 8, 2016 at 10:29 pm
I have been considering your inquiry. First off, when trying to achieve a white oak look we need to remember we already have the main, darker colour from the paper. I would experiment a bit with a light creamy colour and a darker colour… possibly even having two colours being loosely brushed on then using the wood grain tool while the watered down paint is wet.
Once the floor is down you can further enhance with stain… adding a golden or warmer tone depending on your assessment.
Have a look at the pictures on my homepage of my entrance. The natural colour of the paper before I stained is to be noted. I realize that you plan to do a wood grain technique… it’s just shows the base colour of the paper without any stain or paint.
I hope this helps! Keep me posted on your project as it unfolds!
April 12, 2016 at 4:13 pm
I am wondering if the process to apply the paper to vinyl tile requires the same techniques as to applying to wood. I did a test sample and when it dried, it lifted. It may have been the cheap glue I used (Not Elmer’s but dollar store look alike) but it worked on my wood samples. I have Elmer’s for my actual project but I think some people have used the varathane to make it stick? Would that be a possibility? Thanks. I am so anxious to get started but truly want to be ready .
April 13, 2016 at 11:59 am
I applied paper bag floor to vinyl tiles, wood, concrete using Elmer’s Glue All. In my opinion, doing a test with a cheap glue isn’t really worth your time. That being said, I only did a small entrance on concrete. It’s lasting beautifully however if I was doing a large area in concrete I would use Varathane to adhere.
Hope this helps!
June 14, 2016 at 1:07 pm
How much Varathane, would I need for an 11×15 room?
October 29, 2016 at 8:25 am
In my opinion you might be able to get by with a small can but I wouldn’t risk it. It’s the Varathane that protects your floor and gives it the durability you want. A gallon would be plenty!