Floorcloths are one of the earliest forms of water repellent floorcoverings, attaining great popularity in England in the 1700's. A painted floorcloth was made of heavy canvas which had been stretched and sized, then troweled with oil paint made of linseed oil and pigments and finished with block-printing, stenciling or hand-painting. Patterns were often borrowed from popular pavement designs or from other sources such as woven carpets or wallpaper.

The popularity and value of floorcloths during the 18th and 19th century is evident in the frequent references to floorcloths in wills and the many advertisements displayed in newspapers. Floorcoverings were not affordable to the entire population and the investment in a floorcloth was backed with promises of high quality and good workmanship. Floorcloths in America were initially imported from England. As demand for American produced goods increased, specialty painters began to offer floorcloths.

During the later part of the 19th century, floorcloths began to fade in popularity as a new product called linoleum became available. By the 1920's, floorcloths were used only as a stove oil cloth to protect the floor from grease and soot. The beautiful floorcloths of the past would have faded from our history entirely had it not been for a resurgence of interest in the 1950's. Museums looking for authentic floorcoverings for period restorations commissioned artists to recreate floorcloths.

With little written instructions available, artists were left to experiment with their own interpretation of painted canvas rugs. Today's floorcloth artists are producing a broad selection of floorcloths. The diversity of designs range from the traditional hand-painted or stenciled to all kinds of reinterpretations of other surface decoration including collage, photo transfer, weaving and appliqué.

The enduring popularity of floorcloths can be attributed to their unique qualities. They can be custom sized, custom designed and custom colored for each home. As a floorcovering they offer a water resistant surface that wipes clean. As a painting on the floor they offer unlimited design and color opportunities to create "art for the floor".

You can read more about the history of floorcloths in The Complete Book of Floorcloths.