Brown paper floors, anyone?

[Lindyboo]

Has anyone got a brown paper bag floor? I chanced upon this online and it seems to be popular. Brown paper is glued to a wooden or concrete floor and coated with polyurethane (Google it and you’ll see plenty of examples). Some people have had them down for years. I’m tempted by the idea. Anyone done it?

 

[LadyArowana]

No, the thought never crossed my mind! I'm more of a floorboards and carpets sort of person, or I would be if I hadn't caught some nasty moths munching on things, necessitating leaving all the rugs and carpets rolled up and sealed after some heavy duty chemical treatment.

 

[davidbrac]

my wife has seen these and wants to try one but we are not at the stage of that sort of detail yet

 

[Lindyboo]

I’d never heard of it until yesterday. It’s an idea that seems to have come from the States and those who’ve tried it seem impressed with the results. I’m not sure that the overall look would suit all tastes, but as a cheap – and apparently durable – alternative to other flooring it seems to have some merit and by the time it's got rugs here and there it might not look bad. The only expensive component is the varnish which must be good quality, but the paper and glue cost only a few pounds. It depends of course if one ‘charges’ for one’s own time for the project, but as most of us on this forum know, it’s either diy or pay someone to difu (do-it-for-us).

 

[88v8]

"D'ya hear about the Brown Paper kid? Danged outlaw... brown paper hat, brown paper chaps, brown paper boots."
"Yessir, I heard a him, heard how he was in hokey?"
"Yuss, sherrif done caught up wi him"
"What they catch him for?"
"Rustling"

Hoho

 

[Lindyboo]

Arf, indeed, chortle.

 

[philpjuk100]

First house,no money,used rolls of corragated cardboard held down with drawing pins! did the job until we could afford grey "fluff" carpet for 7/6d sq yard from "exchange and mart". New house cost £3,800,mortgage cost £43.00 a month!.The carpet was a grey fluff finish it was reputed to be the sweepings from the factory and had a built in underfelt,we were not sure which side should have been on top!.

 

[Penners]

I had a look at a couple of websites that explain brown paper floors. I have to say that I think they look awful. You could probably achieve a better look if you simply laid your floor using OSB instead of chipboard and varnished straight on to that.

However, I'm a floorboard kind of chap.

 

[Feltwell]

I'm with you Penners - not keen on the look of brown paper floors at all. But, each to their own........

 

[Moo]

Gosh, that takes me back!
In our first house we use corrugated card on our stairs, until it wore quite away.
Then we splashed out on some brown cord stuff that had been used for the traffic areas at the Ideal Home Show.
We only replaced it when it got so threadbare that the exposed threads posed a serious trip hazard.

 

[88v8]

Otoh.... there are possibilities here.

Not so keen on the brown paper, although it might be a means of covering something like ghastly modern laminate.
Potential problems; on boards that flex at all, it will quickly tear; it would be easily damaged by furniture being moved, grit, or unsuitable female footwear worn by either sex; on concrete that is less then smooooth, it will wear through in no time.

But... if one were to use coloured paper, perhaps in small pieces, one could create a sort of Tiffany effect, tessalation, an alternative to the painted floor. There is scope to achieve some rather spectacular results, if one has the patience.
Well varnished, perhaps applied over hardboard well affixed, it could be reasonably durable in areas of light traffic.
Possibilities.

Ivor

 

[LadyArowana]

Having googled the images I implore you, NO. Really just NO. Anything but that.

 

[stuart45]

Never seen it before, but an interesting site. Acid etched floors are popular in the USA, and look really good when done properly if it's your taste.

 

[Lindyboo]

Well, it’s definitely not to everyone’s taste and seems to have begun as a thrift measure. On that basis it’s better than bare floors for those who must economise. I suppose if one had patience and skill there’s a possibility of creating something more aesthetic (I have lots of patience but no skill).

Some of the sites online show walls done with the same technique to create a wood effect, some of which have been colour-stained. I don’t think I could live with that personally – takes me back to the days of ye olde teak-effect panelling (which we had plenty to remove here at chez shack).

Still, for those creative enough, I think it has possibilities, even if not in a period property. I found this which suggests how the technique can be made more handsome http://www.juxtapost.com/site/permlink/3f6c4560-64ff-11e1-9c9e-79bf748d380f/post/brown_paper_bag_floor/

 

[Penners]

female footwear worn by either sex

Well, now we know what Ivor's weekend hobby is.

 

[LadyArowana]

female footwear worn by either sex

Well, now we know what Ivor's weekend hobby is.

He makes ladies shoes in larger sizes? I wonder if he also does them in small sizes?

 

[Flyfisher]

female footwear worn by either sex

Well, now we know what Ivor's weekend hobby is.

Perhaps he runs a shoe making business? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83DXny5IQyM

 

[88v8]

I assure you that my wife has sufficient shoes to obviate the need for any further production, ever :shock:

Ivor (one of my wellingtons is rather kinked)

 

[Penners]

I assure you that my wife has sufficient shoes to obviate the need for any further production[/size]

Ah, now you've fallen into the trap that catches most of us chaps, Ivor. It's that word, "need". I am told in no uncertain terms by Mrs P that it's only men who buy shoes because they need them.

 

[Zebra]

I only ever have two pairs of shoes on the go at any one time, perhaps your wife could do likewise. Farriers' fees do get rather expensive however.