Artist Works On A DIY Project To Create This Stunning Mosaic Floor Out Of 7,500 Pennies
With many countries still being in lockdown, some of us resort to various DIY projects to pass time or give meaning to our lives. If you’re looking for a new crafting project or just like looking at cool things, this post might be just for you!
Kelly Graham of Camias Jewelry Designs recently shared the final result of a 5-year project. After Kat Von D shared her impressive floor made out of 28,928 pennies, Kelly was encouraged to share the pictures of her own floor that she made in 2015.
“I made my own penny floor in my foyer room,” Graham said in a post that’s gone viral. Kelly used 7,500 pennies in total to finish the mosaic and with some sealant, it’s held up pretty nicely over the past 5 years.
Bored Panda reached out to Kelly for additional comments and she kindly replied with some extra info. “I’m a jeweler and decided to branch out on my own via online only back in 2002,” the woman introduced herself. “I’ve been running a website since, making my own designs, maintaining my photos and site, basically a complete one-person show who does it all,” she added.
After Kelly shared her post again, it went viral with 57K likes and 245K shares
“Before jewelry, I was a machinist and I think that really developed my eye for spatial reasoning,” Graham told us. She also went into detail on how her penny floor project happened:
“I sat down at this penny floor project, inspired to make one, but it had to be nothing anyone had seen before. While I admired penny floors, mine had to be striking. I didn’t have any pattern before hand. I did it as I went along and that’s why you’ll notice a few pattern changes during the process. It took me 3 weeks to complete so ample time for me to change my mind (and I did often). The process was me having no idea what I was doing so I YouTube some basic tutorials. I began by separating old and new pennies into distinct piles and the medium ones would designate the filler between the mosaic lines. I used about 7500 pennies to complete this 6×6 ft area. Once I sat down to do it, I rather enjoyed myself immensely. It was a cathartic experience I needed in my life and maybe that’s why the design worked like it did. The inner muse spoke and I listened.”
“I never wanted to give up,” the artist said, “if anything, I was completely dedicated and motivated to finish”. When asked how did the people respond to her creation, Kelly reported that the response was overwhelmingly positive and people praised her for the idea.
The penny floor was finished 5 years ago but still stands just as perfect. Kelly explained how she achieved that:
“The process of making the floor was sorting the pennies, then I caulked each one on the back for a nice adhesion to the existing tile. After I put the last penny down, I waited a few days for the caulking to solidify and then I grouted. I waited a full week for the grout to harden and set and finally poured a resin coating on top. There is no penny odor, the floor isn’t slippery, and it’s 5 years later and it still looks good!”
“6 years ago, this was my first attempt at working with pennies I had collected before I went on to do the penny floor a year later”
This is how the floor looks 5 years later
Here’s how people reacted to Kelly’s project
54Kviews
Share on FacebookI am appalled that she ruined that beautiful granite fireplace mantle with pennies.
I have a fireplace with cheap granite tiles around the firebox inside of a wooden surround. The granite looked nice in the realtor photos, but F2F they are cheap 90s tiles and the way they were cut to fit is distractingly bad. Wish I'd seen this treatment before quarantine, it would be done by now.
Load More Replies...While this is really beautiful, I hope she painted it with a clear polyurethane coating otherwise the pattern color of the copper with be lost after time. Also, imagine trying to clean the floor lol!
She poured resin on top. It is a smooth surface and completely sealed
Load More Replies...Wow. There are a lot of penny haters out there. Lol. It’s not my style but I can appreciate the time & effort she put into her projects.
You know that saying "the floor is made of lava", well if you on somehow connect an electric source to the floor the game can change to "the floor is death"
I've seen this done with pebbles, seashells and cut wood pieces, but never pennies (bar tops, yes - floors, no). I think it's absolutely gorgeous. Well done, you!
The first time I saw coins used as tiles was a bar top. I asked how it was done and the owner said he washed the coins so dirt wouldn't resist the epoxy he used to stick them down. Then he built a frame, sealed everything, then poured gymnasium floor coating -- a clear finish that dries hard but takes several days to cure. He took a vacation while it hardened. The bar top was several years old and the finish was in fantastic condition.
here is my penny idea, I also faux my white range hood with spray paints to match IMG_3659-5...e3263f.jpg
United States: we’re having a coin shortage These people: let’s glue coins to the floor
This is actually hard to do. I tried and I'm really good at tiling. Also, it only looks good in a certain type of house, like an old Victorian or maybe a vintage Arts & Crafts bungalow. In some suburban house built in the 60's-current, it just looks tacky. It would make a great coffee table though.
The Standard Grill in NYC did this more than 10 years ago. http://www.notcot.com/archives/2009/06/floor-of-pennie.php
She poured resin or top. It is a smooth surface and completely sealed
Load More Replies...Considering the numisnatic value of some pennies and the number of coins used, there's a good chance that actually cost way more than the face value of the pennies.
That's just your taste. Don't state it like a fact.
Load More Replies...Actually at 100pennies to a dollar, it's only $75.00. Actually cheaper than linoleum or tile.
Load More Replies...I am appalled that she ruined that beautiful granite fireplace mantle with pennies.
I have a fireplace with cheap granite tiles around the firebox inside of a wooden surround. The granite looked nice in the realtor photos, but F2F they are cheap 90s tiles and the way they were cut to fit is distractingly bad. Wish I'd seen this treatment before quarantine, it would be done by now.
Load More Replies...While this is really beautiful, I hope she painted it with a clear polyurethane coating otherwise the pattern color of the copper with be lost after time. Also, imagine trying to clean the floor lol!
She poured resin on top. It is a smooth surface and completely sealed
Load More Replies...Wow. There are a lot of penny haters out there. Lol. It’s not my style but I can appreciate the time & effort she put into her projects.
You know that saying "the floor is made of lava", well if you on somehow connect an electric source to the floor the game can change to "the floor is death"
I've seen this done with pebbles, seashells and cut wood pieces, but never pennies (bar tops, yes - floors, no). I think it's absolutely gorgeous. Well done, you!
The first time I saw coins used as tiles was a bar top. I asked how it was done and the owner said he washed the coins so dirt wouldn't resist the epoxy he used to stick them down. Then he built a frame, sealed everything, then poured gymnasium floor coating -- a clear finish that dries hard but takes several days to cure. He took a vacation while it hardened. The bar top was several years old and the finish was in fantastic condition.
here is my penny idea, I also faux my white range hood with spray paints to match IMG_3659-5...e3263f.jpg
United States: we’re having a coin shortage These people: let’s glue coins to the floor
This is actually hard to do. I tried and I'm really good at tiling. Also, it only looks good in a certain type of house, like an old Victorian or maybe a vintage Arts & Crafts bungalow. In some suburban house built in the 60's-current, it just looks tacky. It would make a great coffee table though.
The Standard Grill in NYC did this more than 10 years ago. http://www.notcot.com/archives/2009/06/floor-of-pennie.php
She poured resin or top. It is a smooth surface and completely sealed
Load More Replies...Considering the numisnatic value of some pennies and the number of coins used, there's a good chance that actually cost way more than the face value of the pennies.
That's just your taste. Don't state it like a fact.
Load More Replies...Actually at 100pennies to a dollar, it's only $75.00. Actually cheaper than linoleum or tile.
Load More Replies...
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