Elegantly adorned with Tjhoko Paint

STEP 1

Clean the raw cement floor thoroughly with lukewarm water and let it dry. Remember, the weather will affect the drying time. Clean it again, this time with a microfibre cloth dipped in lacquer thinners; allow to dry completely (at least an hour).

STEP 2

Position the first stencil (code 2330-1) on the clean, dry cement floor. Pour about 250ml Lourain’s Cream into a small paint tray. Roll the sponge roller through the paint until it is evenly coated, but roll out most of the paint on the piece of wood or newspaper before applying it over the stencil. The drier the sponge roller the better, so that no excess paint can seep under the stencil.

STEP 3

Make light pencil marks on the floor at the four corners of the first stencil so that you can place the second one in the exact same spot. Remove the first stencil and give the paint at least 40 minutes to dry.

STEP 4

Place the second stencil (2330-2) on top of the first pattern – use the pencil marks as a guide. We used two colours for this step: Matt Black for the central part of the pattern and
Cloud White for the corners (photos 4a and 4b respectively). Apply the paint as in step 2. Repeat the steps until your entire floor is covered. Allow the paint to dry (overnight at least).

STEP 5

Wipe off the pencil marks on the cement. Dilute three parts Tjhoko Paint Clear Glaze with one part cooled boiled water. Dip a damp microfibre cloth in the glaze mixture. Wring out any excess moisture from the cloth but it can be quite damp for such a large area. Make sure you have enough light while you’re working, and apply the glaze in circular motions all across the floor. This will give the surface a soft, subtle sheen. Wait at least an hour, then repeat the process. Allow to dry completely after the second coat (leave it for at least 4 hours). In cooler, wetter conditions, the floor should preferably be left to dry overnight.