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A Detailed House, Floors made out of coins, Floors made out of pennies, How to make a nickel floor, How to make a penny floor, Nickel floor, Penny floor, Portland Press Herald, Standard Grill
With two little ones running around the house, I am always picking things up off the floor. I am amazed, though, by the sheer number of coins! Granted, we play “store” a lot, which involves a cash register, spare change, and my youngest setting up “shop” where ever I am… no matter what I’m doing, working or not! They have piggy banks that they love to fill, so why are the coins spread cavalierly on the floor?
I tell myself it’s good for me – like exercise – and picking them up is the equivalent of toe touches, but not even an Army Drill Sargent would put someone through this 😉 Now my thought process is that I’m just going to start cementing them down, so I will eventually end up with these floors:
(via Portland Press Herald)
The Standard Grill (in the Standard Hotel New York) did it. Maybe they were tired of picking up spare change as well 😀
The three pictures above are of a massive concrete floor. I could see some car enthusiast doing this to a garage floor.
This floor has no thinset, merely polyurethane and epoxy
(via Happy Roost Blog)
Instead of hunching over a floor, you could also glue them to mesh, like tile sheets.
Pennies are about $1.96-2.32/square foot (depending on spacing, plus materials). Not too shabby for a unique copper floor!
(via apartmenttherapy.com)
Nickels are about $10/square foot
Here’s what you do to install a coin floor:
- You need to make sure your floor is clean. Use a wax remover if applying over linoleum, which can be done.
- If you want shiny pennies, you can soak them in vinegar. Make sure the coins have the patina you want even if it means going to the bank and getting rolls and rolls of pennies to search for clean coins.
- If you want a design, lay it out first on the floor so you know how it will fit together.
- Glue the coins directly to the floor, preferably in the same direction and pay attention to heads or tails (if it matters to you). Weldbond, a tile or glass glue, was used for many of the penny floors, but some used Elmer’s Glue, which seems a little on the flimsy side, and Gorilla Glue.
- You now have two options:
- You can apply thinset (a chocolate brown was used on the pennies) OR
- You can apply a thick coat of a high gloss polyurethane
- For the final top coat, apply another coat of polyurethane and/or an epoxy sealer (pictured below) to seal and make cleaning the floor easier.
For the world traveler, you could make a floor that incorporates coins from all the countries that you’ve visited as a sweet reminder. Some other ideas:
How cool is this floor?? A pattern based upon the patina of the coins – brilliant!
(via Mark Watchman)
And this idea is awesome too!
(via Portland Press Herald)
Creativity like this never ceases to amaze me: taking an everyday item, and turning it into a goldmine – a $2 tile that rivals any high end tile I’ve ever seen and will certainly capture the attention of and enrapture guests more than a $20 to 50/square foot tile.
Mondrak said:
Definitely a flooring that will cost a fortune 😉
ADetailedHouse said:
Definitely cost a pretty penny 😉
Mondrak said:
Hahaha love it 😀
Eric said:
My floors need a little change!
Al said:
I’ve only just got this! Six months late.
mahima maingi said:
can anyone please explain me the fixing details of this flooring
Pam Gotcher said:
There are lots of videos on You Tube. You can search on penny floor
Raf said:
$2.90 S/F plus cost of glue and grout
Valerie Christina said:
great idea!
John VanderMyde said:
Great idea Kearney! Thanks for sharing it. Now I have to go find my bags of pennies I stuffed away somewhere… 😉
ADetailedHouse said:
Thanks, John! I can just imagine cute, little Ike trying to pick them up 😉
John VanderMyde said:
LOL!
bellissimom said:
This would be a great thing to do with our collection of foreign coins that are of no value now and just sitting around. I wonder if you could use them to make a backsplash? Have you ever seen that done?
ADetailedHouse said:
Love how your mind works! Yes, I have seen it done with pennies…foreign coins would be awesome!! I have a picture of it that I can send you if you’d like 🙂
jacob said:
Please do. webhead8@bellsouth.net
Jeanne M said:
Would love to see the backsplash photos.. can you post them too, please
Aura Nowell said:
Just discovered this post http://projectila.com/penny-backsplash/
Nice ideas.
steve said:
http://diycozyhome.com/penny-back-splash/
looks great
teamdesouza said:
I love this idea!
happyfamilytravels said:
This is such a cool idea!! Thanks so much for sharing – you are always bringing the best ideas (with directions!). 🙂
ADetailedHouse said:
Awww – thank you!! You gave great directions on your bathroom remodel – and it was funny, which makes a post so much fun to read!!
eighttreestreet said:
What an awesome idea.
supertucksmama said:
How amazing!!! I never would’ve thought to do this! Very creative & unique!
cjr said:
these floors are beautiful! i could also see it as a backsplash. thanks for the inspiration and instructions!
ADetailedHouse said:
I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
angela310128 said:
Great idea. But I can’t afford to do it.
Piper said:
approximately how many pennies does it take per/ sq. ft. please?
Fred said:
Pennies are about $1.96-2.32/square foot (depending on spacing, plus materials).
Sue Edmondson said:
What a great idea, it would certainly be hard wearing and a unique talking point for sure.
faydanamyjake said:
Wow I love this!
ibdesignsusa said:
That is a great idea and love how it turned out. Especially like the next to last picture with the dimes and penny’s!
Amy Arey said:
How utterly creative!!
alltiedupwithstring said:
This is crazy. I wonder if it smells like metal all the time lol
ADetailedHouse said:
Ha! The coat of epoxy/polyurethane seals the pennies, so no smell of metal…
Overwhelmed By Joy said:
Thanks for the info! We are always looking for unique DIY ideas. This is one of the best ideas I’ve ever heard!
sue said:
does the epoxy/polyurethane seal in between and on top of the pennies to make a smooth surface? hope so, to get dirt in between all those would be hard to clean.
Bobby lee said:
After you glue all the pennies down, you spread grout to fill all the gaps and then epoxy.
Cloches & Lavender said:
Thie unbelievably creative.
Cynthia
afternoonartist said:
Just fabulous! But I’d have to get someone much younger than me to install it. Lots of knee work involved in a floor like that! I wonder how many hours it would take per square foot….
Iris Interiors LLC said:
I have never seen anything like this before. It’s so offbeat and fun.
dianeskitchentable said:
What a cool idea & I like the comment of using the misc. bags of foreign coins as a back splash.
finally_write said:
I saw this idea through some other venue and thought it was really great, but tedious. So, I liked your suggestions to make tile sheets of the coins first. Also, the suggestion to do something with those foreign coins. Definitely a good idea!
me design magazine said:
Wow… that’s so cool…!
Candorapropos said:
Great idea. Fun post. Thanks.
CokaRabbit said:
That is an awesome idea!! I’m thinking about creating a penny floor at my bathroom since I collect tons of coins too!!!
Ruth2Day said:
clever idea. 🙂 great for a quirky place
Leanova Designs said:
What a GREAT idea! Love it 😀
kandkfloralanddesign said:
Reblogged this on kandkfloralanddesign and commented:
Wow, this is amazing…
robinhood63 said:
Very cool! I once saw a coffee table done in various coins but never thought of a floor. A bar that I once worked in had Silver Dollars lining the edge of the bar all the way around the edge. Hardly anyone tried to dig them out from under the clear coat that was used. But then we had a very low tolerance for those that did. And big bouncers.
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen said:
This is sooo neat! I love the nickel ones, being partial to that metal tone. And the possibilities of design are endless!!
SJ said:
Such a fantastic idea!! I have never seen this before but i still believe it to be cheaper then getting flooring in England! I bet its more fun then anything as well lol.
Thanks for sharing
shabnamphoto said:
Truly brilliant! Bravo 🙂
House of KiKies said:
This is awesome Idea.. i’ll start collecting coins from now on 😉
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Bambi Lynn said:
Reblogged this on Have Camera, Will Travel (but not too far) and commented:
Love it!
kathycarre said:
That is unbelievable! Wow.
misscrk said:
This is such a unique idea and it looks so great!! Wow, I’m just amazed!! And what a great DIY project, but not sure if I would ever be able to convince my darling boyfriend that this would be a great idea!:)
ADetailedHouse said:
Ahh…I am confident you could convince him, although it might take some time to do so 🙂
Gina's Professions for PEACE said:
This is fantastic! I had seen a couple of these photos a while back on a Facebook page about architecture and couldn’t quit thinking about it, and Ta Da! Today I find your incredible post! Thank you so much for sharing these excellent instructions and terrific photos. I’ve enjoyed the comment stream as well, especially the backsplash idea. So many clever ideas! Thanks again for sharing this. 😀
Rachelle Nessia said:
This is such a creative idea! As much as I’d like to give this a try (like pretty up mirror frames!), the Central Bank here in my country (Philippines) wouldn’t be too happy with me. They’re trying to get coins circulated as much and as often as possible. 🙂
Tek78 said:
So try getting coins from another part of the world. Maybe post an ad in a few major newspapers or online in a different country asking people to send you whatever specific coins you’re looking for. Or, just get on eBay & buy bulk world coins…just random coins from all over the world. You’d be surprised at how many awesome coins you can find & how little you’ll spend compared to actually spending the money per coin from your own country or for specific coins from another counttry.
Feng Shui By Fishgirl said:
Reblogged this on Feng Shui By Fishgirl and commented:
This idea is particularly awesome in the Wealth area of the bagua within your home, or for a retail establishment—-show me the money!
Brandstrom Interiors said:
Reblogged this on My Construction Guru and commented:
Love this idea!
jenniferannchapin said:
Now that is one of the most creative ideas I’ve ever seen. Good job!
cutthelimits said:
WOW!!!!
4livinglife said:
I absolutely love this flooring idea!
Nativegrl77 said:
thank you- will have to reblog this … folks will love this, have to pass this on
walkwiththerabbi said:
Very cool!!! Thanks for sharing this.
ADetailedHouse said:
I’m so glad you liked it!
petit4chocolatier said:
I love this!
ADetailedHouse said:
Thank you!
Local Art Gallery said:
Love this idea! I am excited to show you the before and after pictures of our bathroom we have been working on for months now. 🙂 Thank you for all your ideas! I love your blog very much!
ADetailedHouse said:
Thank you so much!! I’d LOVE to see your bathroom!! I have to live vicariously through others to get my design fix 😉
Local Art Gallery said:
I feel the same way about your crown molding in your house. It is fantastic! 🙂 I am in love with the shower floor already….Cant wait to stand on it 😀
ADetailedHouse said:
Isn’t that the BEST feeling! It makes the wait and aggravation worth it! I still have a few more rooms to hit with crown molding, but I’ve been too busy to make a decision on it!
Local Art Gallery said:
The bathroom is done! 🙂 All we have to do is seal it. I will be posting pictures soon 😀 Thanks for all your inspiration.
ADetailedHouse said:
OMG – OMG- OMG!!!!! I can’t WAIT to see pictures!!!! Yay you!!!!!
Local Art Gallery said:
Here it is!! 🙂
Local Art Gallery said:
Here is the link I dont know if the comment worked last time 🙂
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Alewood Furniture Co said:
I love this idea! It’s unique and looks great!
w6bky said:
WOW !! Truly wonderful idea.
Hmm m m – – How much time per square to do this ??
kloncke said:
mmmmm! gorgeous and clever. thanks for sharing!
bmpiller Piller said:
I thought I was the queen of the wacky decorating idea – I love this! It would also make a really attractive backsplash. Thanks for sharing!
bmpiller said:
I thought I was the queen of the wacky decorating idea – I love this! It would also make a gorgeous backsplash. I may give this one a try!
Pops De Milk said:
Hi! This penny floor has got to be the coolest idea ever! I’m going to have to remember this.
Alanna said:
Looks really fantastic, but is this not illegal?
ADetailedHouse said:
No, it’s perfectly legal if you live in the US – they aren’t damaged or marred in any way, which is when it becomes illegal.
Angie said:
I don’t know if they are considered not ruined if you can’t pick them up & spend them, but either way, it’s okay to ruin American pennies but just not any other currency.
Kylie said:
I know this was from forever ago, but I actually looked it up and the concept is a lot different from what you were thinking. The act of damaging money is not illegal. It’s only illegal to try and SPEND damaged money. You can get fined if you turn damaged money into your financial institution and they are then unable to re-issue it (: So you can do whatever you want with your money craft-wise, as long as you don’t assume the monetary value remains.
Kimberly Van Sickle said:
We actually contacted the US Mint and have it on record as not being illegal. The theory is one could pull up the coin tiles, and the coins could be put back into circulation. However, if you chose to wallpaper your house with dollar bills, this would be considered illegal as if you have ever stripped wallpaper, you know that the whatever comes off the wall is completely destroyed.
optimisticgladness said:
My family and I were just talking about this. Very cool.
Jody said:
love love love the pennies!
Memphis said:
What epoxy/poly specifically did you use to cover? … and how is it holding up?
Memphis Barbree said:
What epoxy/poly specifically did you use for coating? How is it holding up?
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Nick said:
Am thinking of doing this at home… was wondering how it holds up with large dogs? Does the floor get scratched up? Thanks!
Elaine said:
Love the penny floor idea! I’m thinking about doing it outside on top of concrete on our small patio. What kind of materials do you think will work? I’m not sure glue will hold up.
The Desert Rocks said:
I love pennies. The floor is amazing and I would love it! http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_16?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=penniless+hearts+by+eve+gaal&sprefix=Penniless+Hearts%2Cstripbooks%2C339
jan smith said:
A table or desk top is another idea!!
janet said:
I want to do the nickels, due to the color; but I want to do countertops. Do you know what is best to put them on if you have no countertops yet? Also, what is the best for the edge? Since, it is countertops, do you just cover with epoxy. Any infor or additional webe sites would be appreciated.
Vikki said:
Can you tell me where I can get the mesh/adhesive squares to put the pennys on? I found Bondera, but it says it’s not for floors… Can’t find any alternative! Help!
bryan said:
I was wondering if making a penny floor is defacing money? Is this legal….
ezwrighter said:
How is the polyurethane holding up? Got a new penny floor down, but wanted to double check that you didn’t run into wear issues.
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Casey Frennier said:
I asked “a penny for your thoughts?” and was floored by the response…
Inflation: when it is cheaper to line your floor with actual currency than it is to purchase flooring.
Beth said:
How many pennies in a square foot? Just to get an idea of how many will be needed. (If this is answered, above, sorry…dont have time to read all the comments).
barb said:
Do you start in a corner or the center like tile?
Danielle said:
What do you use to seal the floor with the shiny finish. I just did my bathroom and am worried about when water gets on the floor it turning it white like what happens when water droplets hit polyurethane. But yet I want something that won’t dull after some months/ years of high traffic.
lissia baun said:
now I know what to do with all my pennys, my kitchen …
Jenny Cox said:
Glue just one coin to the floor near your work space, so you can see who will try to pick it up. lol.
Anne said:
Do you use grout between the coins?
Anne said:
Do you use grout between the coins, because if not, dirt would collect between them.
Miguel said:
Another alternative would be to use casino coins (although most don’t use coins anymore). Or maybe brightly colored poker chips for a bar table or the kids bathroom.
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Moira McCullough said:
I wouldn’t like to trip, or fall on this floor
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Wilson S. said:
Just pray that nothing goes wrong with the electrical wiring. A copper floor seems highly dangerous to me.
rus said:
if it was made of glass or marble it would $20/sq, this is less than $3 for penny/sq. The only issue you are not supposed to destroy money (converting to other materials), as it is illegal to do. The actual cost of each coin as a material is nowadays is about the same value of the metals in it (sometimes value in coins even less :)). My issue with this flooring is that a million hands held each of this coin (dirty hands, homeless, ppl with diseases, etc.).
Shkelzen said:
Question do you grout after
Jan said:
Penny floor
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Karen Simpson said:
have just done this to my wee cloakroom! I love it!
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Carol Cronin said:
Wish I’d seen this idea before putting down ceramic tile on my enclosed front porch!
Mike Hays said:
Wonder if it would work with beer bottle caps…… Hmmmmmm………
Teresa Myrick said:
Love this idea
Jan said:
I would love to do this but I hate extremely shiny floors, can you use something besides epoxy? How would a satin poly do?
Bonnie said:
I have ceramic tile in my kitchen and would love to do this, would the epoxy,gorilla glue or polyurethane adhere to the tile? How would I prepare it?
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sharecake63 said:
I wonder if this would be practical on the covered porch outside my front door? It faces west and gets all that late afternoon sun in Central Florida. Does anyone have any insight on that? If I get a few nods, I think I’ma go for it. It’s only about 8 x 8. Lets see (doin the math in head); that’s just … $128 plus supplies.
Would you recommend thin set and the epoxy if it’s outside and gets hot. Hmmm, now I think of it, would I be creating a giant copper fry pan?
Hmmm, had planned on a nice outdoor kitchen area — out back though. 🙂
Would love some feedback.
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Carol Schafer said:
I installed a floor like this. Make sure to paint the floor first and then all you have to do is use poly (NOT water based) on top. I would think the grout would be a problem since you clean it up with water. Water based products or water in general turn the pennies green/blue.
Michelle Territo said:
How do you know that the water based products turn the pennys green/blue? So curious cause I want to use varathane cause it doesn’t yellow like polyerathane, and epoxy seems so expensive! Help! we laid the floor and are trying to make this decision!
Sandy said:
How do you do stairs without the polyurethane sliding off the ends?
J D said:
And this site sells the sheets for an easier job:
http://www.real-penny-tile-projects-made-easy.com/
Looks awesome…
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cris said:
how well does a floor like this hold up? and how do u care for it?
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wilma keck said:
I think this would make a great bathroom floor
Amanda said:
It looks awesome. The sad part is that a durable copper floor costs the same as throw away carpeting and cheap tiles. Flooring companies, now there is the “pretty penny”!
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Jessica Ratliff said:
We are thinking about doing the penny floor in our basement ( aprox. 1000 sq ft) do we have to glue the pennies down first? The photos above where the large area of floor is being done dose not appear as thought thy are glueing them down?
Thanks
Jessica
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Ariel Seymour said:
Anyone know where to get the mesh to glue pennies to to make your penny “tiles”?
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mark said:
Really Great Idea
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vee said:
Second picture with nickels looks like a war nickel at bottom center of pic, as of today it’s worth 94 cents. May want to pull out key coin dated before you do this. http://www.coinflation.com/coins/1942-1945-Silver-War-Nickel-Value.html
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goddessunthesun said:
This is a great idea for my husbands man cave.
mark said:
great idea .. thanks for sharing this
Michelle Territo said:
Can anyone tell me about if Varathane will make the pennys turn green/Blue? doesn’t the polyurethane turn yellow over time?
Is there a reasonably priced epoxy?
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Trish said:
I want to do a penny floor, can it be done without removing ceramic tile. Just doing right on top of tile.
ADetailedHouse said:
Yep, it sure can! Just be sure that you are meticulous about the coins being level and not becoming displaced while working and “kicking up” from settling into a grout line underneath. Good luck and please send me a picture!
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tonio rocciano said:
love it, I would do this in a heart neat were it not fore the fact taht I have a neighbor below…SOUND TRANsFER!!!I mean, I’m an architect and how sweet would that be….
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Judy Threats said:
Cam heavy furniture go on the penny floor? Doing a living room?
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NYC Floor Pro Inc. said:
Thank you for this post and extremely detailed of how to make a penny floor. Amazing!
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Jacki said:
Fuve years later and I am wondering how the floor is holding up. any problems?
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The Friendly Numismatist said:
Reblogged this on 2¢ from a friendly numismatist.
Jessica said:
Having a wonderful husband who saves all of the change , this is an awesome idea!
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