Because of the wonky construction and decor in the Mouse House, I’m installing a variety of floors. I’ve used coffee stirrers, craft sticks, balsa wood, shims and vinyl for the “wood” floors.

Pantry: coffee stirrer sticks, stained with coffee.

Dining room: craft sticks and nutmeg, acrylic craftstain

Storage Loft: shims and light stain.

Master bedroom: strips cut from vinyl flooring.

Study: balsa wood, painted with three colors of acrylic paint.

The process is straightforward. I cut the strips of the “wood” I’m using into a variety of lengths and glue them in random patterns directly on to the Mouse House room floor or on a thin cardboard template cut to fit the floor. I flatten this with heavy books until dry then stain or paint them as desired.

I wanted a whitewashed, distressed look for the art studio, so for this particular floor I diluted white paint with water and brushed it on. I then weighted the floor again and let it dry, then sealed that with Mod-Podge and let it dry. Finally, I distressed the floor with a knife and this cool tool I found in Andy’s workshop, then rubbed very diluted black paint into those grooves with a paper towel. With one more coat of Mod-Podge, the floor was done.

Diluted white paint applied to the glued wood floor.

Distressing the flooor.

Black paint rubbed into the grooves.

The finished floor for the art studio.

The “tiled” floors are done in a similar fashion. I glue paper squares on to the floor template, distress them with dabs of pastel chalk dust, then seal them with several coats of Mod-Podge.

Black and white squares cut from card stock.

Finished kitchen floor.

Paper-tiled floor for hallway.

I “got lucky” with two floors, the laundry room and bathroom. I found scrapbook paper in my stash that already looked like tile for the Mouse House laundry room, and sheets of foam squares (in yet another bin in my studio!) that once distressed, worked perfectly in the bathroom.

The laundry room floor made with scrapbook paper.

The bathroom floor made with foam,, adhesive squares.

Joan