MAKE YOUR OWN LINOLEUM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 377, 11 June 1928, Page 5

MAKE YOUR OWN LINOLEUM

INEXPENSIVE FLOOR COVERING

{ If you cannot afford new linoleum j I this year, you can make your own at a cost of less than half-a-crown for a ; room of average size. It will stand any amount of hard wear, and you j can renew any part at will. Having measured the room, procure I a supply of good, tough brown paper. Now make a paste of flour and water., ! and add a teaspoonful of salt and half I a dozen cloves—these keep the paste j sweet and give a pleasant odour. ! Sort out the brown paper, reserving | as much of one shade as will cover J the whole of the floor and do for the top layer. The remainder will answer well enough for building up the "pile.” Having previously cleaned the floor, apply a coating of paste in one corner of the room. Lay the first section of layer of paper, padding evenly with a soft cloth to take out creases. While the first piece is drying, proceed in similar manner until the whole of the floor has received its first layer of the new covering. By this time the first piece you laid will be dry enough to receive the second layer; apply more paste on top of the paper already laid and put on the second layer, padding out creases as before. As the second layer dries, a good “body” or wearing hardness will be apparent. Apply the top layer of paper, and leave the whole to dry and harden for about twentyfour hours. The few deft touches which you are now about to apply will make all the difference to the appearance of the “linoleum.” If a pattern is desired, this may easily be achieved by pasting on some old wallpaper, due care beinfe given to matching the pattern. When this is dry, apply a coat of size over the whole surface, and follow this up with two coats of good transparent varnish. If no pattern is desired, apply a coat of size on the brown paper, and finish off with two coats of good oak-stain varnish which dries almost as quickly as you put it on. You will now have a good, washable f floor-covering which, despite its cheap-*/ ness, will withstand hard wear and have the appearance of a more ol ■ less costly floor covering. —i.p.a