DebbyC Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Has anyone used printable flooring? I just discovered some of the sites where I can get this but am a little skeptical about using it. I'm also thinking about using balsa wood and making my own wood floors. Scrapbook paper for the walls. All ideas are welcome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I've used print flooring a lot. Some of it is really nice. You can see examples of it in my galleries for The White Rose and Swift Cottage 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I have used purchased slightly embossed floor papers with different designs and like them. I seal them to help strengthen them. I liked a slate look one that I found a long time ago. I don't have a color laser printer so I'm not sure I could get a decent print. For other things here is a list. I've used purchased wood sheet flooring that you cut to fit and glue down. I've scored the plywood and stained or painted it. I've used the wood sticks (popsicle sticks in various sizes, coffee stirrers, woodsies, etc.) to create a hardwood look. I've used paper clay and made stone look. Also papier-mâché and egg carton cut into stone and/or brick shapes. I've used purchased mini terra cotta tiles and purchased mini bricks. I've used thin stick on tiles that GL sells in their web store. I've also used dollar store stick on tiles and cut them myself - huge job!! I bought but have not yet tried the Bromley stencil system for making stone/brick look. I have never used wall to wall carpeting but I know some folks do. I don't like it in RL so I don't put it in mini life either. Scrapbook paper on walls - yes, but be sure to spray it first with a sealer so it won't bleed when you get it wet with glue. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CutnStuf Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I haven't actually used it, but some of it that I've seen on various sites looks really nice. I would think if you print it on heavy paper and coat it with a dull coat spray finish, it could work well. Of course, constructing a floor from wood strips, although a bit more complex to construct from what I've seen and read, might look even better. Just my 2 cents! :2cents: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebbyC Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Thanks to all. Some of these ideas I already knew, some I did not, some are way above my skill level. I may try one of the printables. I did print out a sample on regular printer paper and it didn't look bad. Will have to try other papers. I don't want to spend a fortune on flooring but I don't want it to look cheap either. I'll find a happy medium in all of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gleise Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Has anyone used printable flooring? I just discovered some of the sites where I can get this but am a little skeptical about using it. I'm also thinking about using balsa wood and making my own wood floors. Scrapbook paper for the walls. All ideas are welcome. My Lilac Cottage (Chantilly DH) is all printed exterior, floors and wallpaper!. The wood floor pattern there was found by Holy Google. two thumbs up! Cheers! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I used some parquet prints and had them printed at Office Depot on their special plotter paper. It looked really good but for the same price I can get the pine floor at Hobby Lobby (w/ the 40% coupon) and decided to stay with real wood. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbytsdy Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I have used balsa wood for plank flooring http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display§ion=blog&blogid=82&showentry=1699 but soon after switched to basswood; it's still a soft wood, but it's a bit hardier than balsa wood and the grain is more in scale: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display§ion=blog&blogid=82&showentry=1699 (this one also shows my scrapbook paper kitchen floor); http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display§ion=blog&blogid=82&showentry=2502 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebbyC Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Well, you all have given me some good ideas. The only stores in my town that will be of any help are Walmart and JoAnn Fabrics. Guess I'll go see what they have. Other than that I have to make a 45 minute drive or 1 1/2 hours to the next biggest towns that would have other stores. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I realized I didn't give you all the details. The floors in Swift Cottage and The White Rose were either free Printables or floor paper that I bought, scanned, and resized for half scale and then printed on photo paper using a color Laserjet printer. I also create my own wallpapers and use printables for wallpapers that are printed on a light card stock, again on a color Laserjet printer. (I've also used scrapbook paper for wallpapers) For the best results printing your own floor or wall papers: Slow down, don't be in a hurry. Make sure you have sufficient ink. If you are about to run out of one of the colors, change that cartridge. Get the correct paper. Matte or glossy photo paper will give you a different look. Card stocks and art and watercolor papers are great for wallpaper. Print your papers and then set them out somewhere that they will not be disturbed for 24 hours to completely set and dry. Next, spray the papers with a matte spray fixative, and again set them somewhere that they won't be disturbed for 24 hours to completely dry. Avoid handling the papers while they are drying. Store flat. When you are ready to use the paper you can use whatever you prefer for gluing to the wood surface. I've used clear drying white wood glue and spray adhesive with excellent results. When I use the white glue, I get the best results when I apply the glue in a very thin coat on the wood surface and then position the paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebbyC Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Thanks for the info. I may give it a try and see how I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie2 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 DebbyC I use printed flooring all the time! I spray it with a couple of coats of Modge Podge and its great! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Debby, for floors I have scribed directly into the plywood, I have painted crumpled kraft paper and painted it to look like terra cotta tiles, I have used paint sample chips, I have simulated stone with spackle, I have used the self adhesive shelf line vinyl stuff, regular self adhesive vinyl tile and my current favorite is the iron on wood veneer that comes on a roll and is almost 1" wide. I cut it into 3" X 1/4" strips to floor La Casita's bedroom and I cut it into 6" strips and split them in half to floor Washington 2.0. I haven tried printed flooring, probably because the floors in my childhood dollhouse were printed and laminated, and I'm not sure I could make it look realistic enough (plus our new printer wont play with our new computer) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Swearengin Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I used the printed wood floors in some of my BH, the uppermost room has purple wall paper and I apparently was running out of color ink when I printed that floor. I have a unique purple wood floor, without trying. I love lucky accidents. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Minis Dollhouses Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I've used printable flooring before. In fact I am using some now on the kitchen of the Willowcrest. I'm sure others have advice for you as well and everyone has a different method for doing this but here's mines. First, the printable papers, print out small, meaning they aren't large enough to cover large areas. The Willowcrest kitchen is really small and I still had to patch five sheets of paper. I also prefer to have the paper printed at the office supply store. Printer ink is expensive so I let them use theirs. The color copies a very cheap and they print out really well on their printers. I always print on standard copy paper. Considering how many times I had to patch the paper to make it large enough for the area, I wanted as thin a paper I can have so it patches seamlessly. Cardstock is very thick and the patches seams will be visible. Test the color fastness of the ink before you glue it down, just to be safe. Tacky glue, spread evenly and very thinly has worked for me so far. I haven't had any bleeding or warping of the paper. The paper will appear slightly wet and wrinkly at first but when the glue dries, it lays flat. Scrapbook paper for the walls is fine but they also come in small sheets so patching will be a must for larger dollhouses. Because of this, avoid card stock. Its too difficult to turn over or get into corners. These dollhouse have a lot of nook and crannies so you want a more flexible, thinner paper. Skinny sticks or Popsicle sticks are fine for flooring. They warp a little with glue so use tacky glue because its thicker, less watery. Use weights to hold the sticks down flat as the glue dries. Prime your floors first in a color similar to the stain you will be using on your floors so you don't see raw wood between planks, corners and under baseboards. I think I just about got it all! Good luck! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie&Bear Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I've had really great luck with printed tiles. I get pictures of tiles from the net and copy and paste them and get them down to scale, then I get a page of them printed at Staples on "index" paper. I give them a coat of matte spray varnish, then three or so coats of extra thick gloss varnish. You can use spray adhesive to attach them to illustration or mat board. I've also had success making faux stone tiles this way (like marble or malachite). Haven't tried faux wood this way, though, but thanks for asking the question so that the rest of us can find out about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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