The What,Why & How...
We thought it best to assist our customers
and explain a few technical things with regards to the making of our hand-painted canvas rugs and décor items. This
page will be frequently updated...as time goes by and more questions are asked.
1) Why do we not offer or recommend round canvas rugs?
We hem all of our floor cloths. It
is next to impossible to make a smooth, clean curved hem so we recommend an octagon shape. This uses the straight sides and
mitered corners allowing the rug to lay flat. Sewn hems are important providing extra thickness on the edges where the rug
receives the most abuse. And, we think the octagonal shape adds a much more interesting design aspect to a room.
2) On larger sized rugs, is the canvas all one piece?
The availability of large rolls of canvas are not, as yet, available in Costa Rica.
So, the answer is no, the larger sized rugs are not made in a single piece. However! We have tested many friends, customers
and designers to tell us if they can see a seam on the finished product of our larger pieces and the answer is invariably,
"nope." The seams are two pieces of canvas taped together on boths sides,With the primer, painted design and
attention to detail of our seams unless one got nose to the floor with a magnifying
glass...one would not know of a seam...but we felt we should bring this to the attention of our customers.
3) Canvas Wall Hangings: What Options to Consider?
There two types of material utilized for our entire line of
cotton canvas products: a heavy canvas for floor coverings and /or area rugs and a lighter weight canvas used for our beach
bags and totes, pillow covers, curtains, duvets, cushion covers, etc. Either of these can be used for wall hangings,
however, as you’ll soon learn, there are a couple of considerations, and of course, pricing variants.
The width of canvas available here
in Costa Rica is 60 inches; after processing (washing to preshrink) and hemming the edges, the widest measurement, without
a seam, is then reduced to 57 inches (4'9"). Now, we have made several larger custom rugs that required
a seam in order to meet the needs of our clients, however, with the process used for preparing the material, combined with
the paint and design layout, a seam is very difficult to observe, as it would it be for a wall hanging. There is, however,
no limit on length if a very long wall hanging were needed. Regardless the size of a wall hanging you might have in mind, a couple of things to consider: using
the heavy weight canvas with acrylic paint and electing to include a varnish coat, the finished product would hang well due
to its weight. Additionally, the varnish option would protect from fading as well as mold build-up and allow for a damp
wipe cleaning, providing decades of enjoyment. Moreover, with the lighter weight canvas, a wall hanging would need to be stretched
over a frame in order to maintain its form and to hang well. Again, selecting acrylic paint there would not require a polyurethane
finish and thus subject to fading and more difficult to keep clean.
4) At What Price?
Our canvas wall hangings and canvas rugs, floor cloths, are priced per square meter and per square
foot. In Costa Rica the metric system is used, so let me clarify for those not familiar with the metric system: a square meter
equals 10.76 square feet. Price per square foot is categorized by the design and size; you will find this information
listed on the Shop Canvas Rugs page. If you need a price per square meter, please contact Laurel with the size rug and design choice and she will provide the information for you.
