Alternatives to Carpet for public spaces...

[alt12]

We're looking at getting ride of our patchwork of pain-in-the-ass rugs for something cheap, light and easier to transport. I'm wondering if any other camps have experience with using alternatives to carpet. I looked around a bit this year and did not see much but also just got distracted. We have 1,200 sq ft of canopy and 600 sq feet of dome and are looking to try something new in at least one of the structures. The carpets after years are falling apart and quite frankly that and sofas are the biggest pain in the ass in terms of transporting, loading, etc. Actually looking at some cheap foam sofas too but they are hideous. I'd rather have hideous floor covering and comfortable sofas.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. thx
alt

[666isMONEY]

Tarps. If you have a lot of water, you can spray the ground, they did this at the Temple Guardian's camp to control dust.

[VultureChow]

We did canvas drop cloths this year. They held up better than I expected, and you can decorate them with sharpies.

Beware though, they are very slippery when muddy.

[tamarakay]

canvas painters tarps. Ken put grommet's in around the edges and we stake them down with small stakes that he welded a flat round top on. They are awesome.

[alt12]

ok thanks guys, the canvas tarps sounds like they are worth a try and cheap too... I think yeah with some rebar through the grommets should be stable. Probably will try under the dome and see how it holds up...

[Bless]

astroturf

[AntiM]

I made an acrylic-painted canvas floorcloth runner, with grommets. It is specifically groundcover canvas, which is hard to find. Wears like iron and cleans up well. The paint has never flaked or faded and keeps crap from sinking into the fabric. Top coated with UV clear polyurethane spray. We use 8 inch landscape nails with plastic washers (made from the leftover circles cut out of figjam buckets) to hold the runner down. Runner is seven years old now. Maybe more.

I imagine quality painter dropcloths may work as well.

P1030374 - Copy.JPG

[AntiM]

Here is my canvas runner, wet from the rain this year.

wet runner.jpg

This could work with larger pieces. And they do not need to be ugly.

[VultureChow]

ok thanks guys, the canvas tarps sounds like they are worth a try and cheap too... I think yeah with some rebar through the grommets should be stable. Probably will try under the dome and see how it holds up...

Don't go nuts with the ground anchors. 8 inch nails in a few places are more than enough. I've got a heavy canvas floor, and the corners get staked. That's it. The edges get worked into the ground, so if it's staked taut, it's not even a trip hazard.

[MacGlenver]

I would also say not to bother with adding grommets. I spent a few hours putting grommets into some 8oz canvas drop cloths. I did an ok job with them, but when the wind got under them (when staked to the ground) they flapped and tore where the grommets were. You're better off just putting a bunch of nails/washers or 8" tent stakes straight thru the fabric. It's gonna get beaten up anyway, so making these little holes isn't a big deal. Save the effort . It definitely helps keep the dust down. Nowhere near as comfy as carpet, but it helps.

[FIGJAM]

I use billboard vinyl.

15x45 for $20.

[danibel]

I use billboard vinyl.

15x45 for $20.

Where can I find such an item? That dimension would not be ideal, but It would be better than nothing (what I have now).

[theCryptofishist]

I made an acrylic-painted canvas floorcloth runner, with grommets. It is specifically groundcover canvas, which is hard to find. Wears like iron and cleans up well. The paint has never flaked or faded and keeps crap from sinking into the fabric. Top coated with UV clear polyurethane spray. We use 8 inch landscape nails with plastic washers (made from the leftover circles cut out of figjam buckets) to hold the runner down. Runner is seven years old now. Maybe more.

I imagine quality painter dropcloths may work as well.

P1030374 - Copy.JPG

I'm sure you posted about making it, so if someone wanted to spend time looking for that info, we could figure out its age. (Many of us may have better things to do with our time...)

[FIGJAM]

In my area Clear Channel leases the bill boards.

Find out who does the boards in your area and make some phone calls.

When the lease is up, there's all this vinyl that they have no use for.

Half the time they'll give it to you.

It's easy to cut to size and very tough.

[theCryptofishist]

I use billboard vinyl.

15x45 for $20.

Where can I find such an item? That dimension would not be ideal, but It would be better than nothing (what I have now).

Billboard companies. They take them off the billboards and some will sell or give them to you. Clear Channel?

[AntiM]

We use billboard vinyl under the tarps and rugs. It is what we roll around the carport poles, and we just use it for groundcover too. Handy. We got ours from a local "outdoor advertising company". Just look for the name on billboards, ours are Yesco and Saunders. The vinyls are slick when wet. Used to be free, but in our area, farmers seek them out to cover hay. Not expensive if you can find them, we have to pay $50 now. They cut with scissors but are tough.

If you want cozy area rugs.... look for recycled plastic rugs... softer than carpet, lightweight, no MOOP, and rinse clean with the garden hose. We have one for under each tent, but this year we were short a camper, so used his rug in front of the entrance to camp. Really kept the dust down. Found them in Costco or Lowe's, so they should be around. Not the woven mats, these look like real carpet, but far lighter and softer. Nice for areas where people want to sit on the ground or walk in socks.

These are small, so better for individual camper use.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_449527-61038-CP ... facetInfo=

[FIGJAM]

Slippery when wet!!!

[AntiM]

Yep. If you look at my second picture, you can see a segment of vinyl under the runner.

[danibel]

Ah. I will have to look in San Jose. There are no billboards in Santa Cruz.

[theCryptofishist]

(lousy progressive commie anti-business bastard...)

[spacetime]

Here is my canvas runner, wet from the rain this year.

Nice runner. Very cool.

[Elliot]

Ah... just the thread I need. I use rugs, but wet playa sticks to them (the underside). So how does this work with billboard vinyl and other plastic? Stick-free?

[AntiM]

The mud did not stick to our vinyl, well, not much. The canvas, a little. The recycled rugs, a lot, but they were easy to beat off.

oh dear.

[FIGJAM]

Practically nothing will sticks to vinyl.

Anything that does flacks off as soon as it dries.

Were you thinking of vinyl under the rugs?

[unjonharley]

I used fatigue mats. Made a sidewalk around the van under a monkey hut.. Some were damp on the underside at the end of the week.. Didn't use the edging (would be a waste of time.. Used a gray water bucket on the wind side to hold the end down.. Next year I'm going to scrape along where the tarp meets the ground.. Just enough to have a dust pile on the inside.. The rain will flow away from the tarp.. No digging up the playa now!

[Ratty]

NO, NO, NO.! Stop it. I'm trying to pare down. You guys are making me think of new things to bring. Resisting............

[The Rod]

We used canvas painters drop cloth this year as well, we were packing the trailer and had some rolled up in the shop, "what the hell? throw 'em in".

They worked great, way lighter, smaller and easier to deal with than carpet.

[tamarakay]

We didn't tack the tarps down well the first year and had guest tripping on seams etc. lots of near misses with dyes bottles in hand kind of tripping. So we tack them down with the nail things ken made. No more tripping. We had four in the big hut this year. Barbie death camp taped their seams. Worked really well.