Do-it-yourself 3D self-leveling floors in 6 stages: an overview of the technology of work
Literally twenty years ago, the only way to make the floor decor unusual was to use the "calico" method. In this case, the fabric was simply laid on the floor and varnished - it turned out beautiful and unusual. Over time, such stylish flooring as linoleum and laminate completely replaced the "valuable ideas of covenants", and the opportunity to create something exclusive was forgotten for a long time. But modern manufacturers have taken the idea into circulation, but only with their proven building materials and other work techniques.
And today 3D floors are a wonderful revival of ordinary interiors, a harmonious combination of new technologies and home comfort. Dreaming of these? You can realize such an idea thanks to our portal!
Three-dimensional illusions: from the streets to luxury houses
So where did this amazing idea come from? Well, let's start from the beginning. Many centuries ago, one noble count decided to play a joke on his guests, and asked a familiar artist to depict non-existent doors, windows and furniture on the walls. The idea was a success - the guests got confused and tried to push non-existent curtains. And all because everything was drawn very believably - this is how a new style in interior design "mannerism" was born.
A few centuries later, urban artists took over the baton to create optical illusions with the help of art - they painted the walls of buildings, streets, objects in a similar style, as if “removing” a wall. And one day a new style was born - Madonnari, or Street Painting. These are drawings on the pavement, which are made with such an idea that from a certain distance the depicted seems to be three-dimensional, real. But from other angles, something stretched and awkward was visible. Interesting, isn't it?
And it has been a long time since Madonnari's breathtaking style appeared in public buildings, then in residential buildings, and now manufacturers of self-leveling floors have picked up a profitable idea. They hide the secrets of technology quite carefully, but someday everything becomes clear, and it was our portal that was the first to really put everything on the shelves for you.
This art has always amazed the imagination with the realism of the idea - the very sharks that “broke through” the asphalt made it possible to take amazing photographs. And today, toothy predators are already waiting for guests and their owners in the bathrooms, corridors, mini-pool - to cause the same “wow effect” that modern interior designers love to create.
It's all about the picture!
Why does not everyone order such a work of art, if nothing better can be invented for an ordinary apartment? It's just a matter of price. So, a 3D coating from a company will cost you at least 5 times more than laying tiles and 10 times more than laminate. Yes, it's a really complicated technological process, but the price here is so high just because of ... the picture.
You will be very surprised to know that most of the price of a 3D floor comes from making the image itself! Yes, it's true - many of those who are fired up with such an idea look through thousands of sites on the Internet, but they still cannot find a detailed description of the technology itself. So, to take - and you're done. How to make the base layer, how to prepare the base and what varnish to fill in - this is not difficult to figure out, but how to make the dolphin in the bathroom really look like a living one - that's the secret. But let's put it this way: you're really lucky to have landed on this site!
So, let's start from what 3D actually is. In simple terms, 3D is the picture that our eye sees and perceives as three-dimensional, three-dimensional. As an example, any 3D program on your monitor is just a 2D image that creates an illusion. So the main task of a designer who makes a layout for 3D floors is to create the illusion of volume, which already has its own functions of modern aesthetics. Look at this selection of photos of 3D floors - isn't it amazing? Isn't it worth building something at home to shock guests and cheer yourself up in the morning? Can furniture or wall decor cause such a “wow effect”?
So, there are as many as three methods to make 3D floors out of ordinary floors: this is a photorealistic image, small objects poured into the floor like shells or coins, or an optical illusion. In all three cases, you will perceive the flooring as voluminous. Let's take a closer look at how these ideas are implemented.
3D floor: technology from A to Z
So, 3D floor - step by step!
Stage I. We select a picture
So, to get started, select the 3D picture you want to pour into the floor of your house. Yes, at first it will be the most ordinary photograph or painting that you will make illusory-volumetric. Have you chosen? Now you need photoshop. Take a look at our step-by-step photos to see exactly how such illusions are created, and follow the step-by-step instructions provided. Pictures on 3D must have a high resolution - at least 300 dpi. And there are enough of them on a variety of online photo banks - choose!
So, the most effects are 3D drawings with a depth effect: these are water, an abyss, a descent. Especially the marine theme, where, thanks to a special airbrushing technique, a truly impressive realism of such images is achieved.
- All images where dynamics are felt. That is, the illusion of movement. For example, something falls, or a wave covers.
- Aggressive, predatory and evil. True, sharks do not apply here - if in life you have not had to deal with them and you associate them exclusively with comedy-adventure horror films. After all, it's really funny when a guest suddenly notices an absolutely natural toothy fish near the pool in the bath. But monsters, what really frightens, it is better not to use it - it will not be reflected in the subconscious in the best way.
- Too bright, bulky, with an abundance of red elements. For the reason that it is a strong irritant for the psyche. In such a room, it will be difficult for you to concentrate, unmotivated aggression will arise and you will begin to fall asleep badly.
- Small objects enlarged to absurd shapes. A huge tangerine in the kitchen, thanks to an optical illusion comparable in size to a table, is not only tasteless, but also quickly boring. On the very first evening.
Stage II. Changing perspective
Process step by step:
- Step 1. So, the picture is selected, let's get to work. First of all, take a picture of the room where the 3D floor will be made - naturally, from the “right” angle. But remember that many cameras distort the perspective a little - try to choose the distance so that the photo shows exactly what you see from the threshold with your own eyes.
- Step 2. Now in Photoshop or a similar graphics program, overlay your favorite picture on the photo of the floor - exactly the way you want to place it in reality. So you have already created that 3D illusion for which construction companies charge such fabulous money! Now pin these two images into one - now you should see an image of your room with a real 3D volumetric floor.
- Step 3. Now cut off everything in the picture, except for the floor itself with the picture. You will get, as it were, a trapezoid: at the bottom (in front) expanded, at the top (behind) narrowed - after all, this is how we see the room according to all the laws of perception.
- Step 4 Using the Perspective tool, correct the trapezoid into a perfectly even rectangle. If you have not coped with such a function, simply stretch its narrow part in a regular editor.
- Step 5. Now you see exactly how you will need to print the image for the floor. Another option: load the image into Photoshop, click the Vanishing Point filter responsible for correcting perspective and the Create plane tool. Drag the center markers with the cursor as you need. Export the image. Save the file with *png extension.
This is how it looks like:
This is exactly how Madonnari artists draw on asphalt. They print a distorted picture, divide it into squares with a pencil, and then divide the asphalt with chalk. Further - a matter of technique: each of the squares is carefully sketched according to the original.
Take a close look at the process itself:
If you are experiencing difficulties, or do not know how to use graphic editors at all, contact any designer you know, or find one on freelance portals. Yes, this is also a waste, but in the end you will still spend at least 4-7 times less money on the manufacture of such a floor than when contacting a specialized construction company.
Stage III. We print the image on banner fabric
So, once the desired file is already on your flash drive, contact any outdoor printing agency. Why exactly there? Firstly, they have experience working with similar graphics, and secondly, you will need a material for pouring the floor, which will not lose its properties and color when in contact with varnish or a transparent polymer. And this is a canvas-banner, which is designed for both rain with its impurities and snow. By the way, such a banner is not expensive at all - about $ 20 per m2. And companies today most often print such images on vinyl self-adhesive film and on ordinary banner fabric.
Tip: first, be sure to print the same image for a small fee, but on plain paper and in black and white - in order to put it on the floor and assess whether the distortion angle is correct, the same dolphin really seems voluminous and alive. Adjust the perspective if necessary. And only after that - pay for a real banner-canvas in color.
The companies involved in the production of such floors themselves print their images on a two-layer polymer fabric, and fill it with a transparent polymer layer. Note that you will not find exclusivity with such companies: although their catalog contains many images, they are not willing to work with new ones. After all, as you already understood, it is a little difficult to calculate the desired distortion angle, although everyone can do it.
Also pay attention to the following point: printing on a banner or paper that you order must be done with non-fading colors. After all, the sun will constantly shine on your floor, plus, when using polymer solutions, they heat up a little due to mixing.
Stage IV. Preparing the foundation
So the foundation. On our site there are already a lot of articles on how to fill in a polymer floor. And here is the same polymer floor, but with a picture and a transparent top layer:
The most important thing that you should not miss in any way is that there are no stains on the old concrete base from engine oil, grease, detergent or bitumen. And it is actually possible to remove oil stains to their entire depth - this is precisely for this purpose there are methods such as milling, grinding or cutting down.
Stage V. Paste the picture
Photographic fabric or special paper with a pattern is glued to the base polymer layer, after which it is filled with a so-called super-transparent plastic lens and a finish wear-resistant layer. A special volumetric effect can be achieved with the help of special super-clear lenses - you can order them from an advertising agency.
Stage VI. Finishing layer
So what is the basis for pouring your drawing? We recommend the most suitable PUR Aqua Top (M or SG) polyurethane varnish for this, which is the most resistant to abrasion known, so your 3D will never fade. Pay attention to the letter in the name: M is a matte layer, SG is a silky-gloss. Another option: fill not with varnish, but with Eneklad CFS, one layer under the image, the second on top after three hours. This coating will dry after 4 hours. Choose what suits you best and what fits within your planned budget.
As for the transparent layer on top of the 3D image, give preference to imported brands - such floors are much more difficult to scratch, and they please with their appearance much longer.
Optical illusions: step to the left - no effect anymore?
So, a 3D floor is a flat picture under a transparent base, which at a certain angle seems to be voluminous. And there is a certain subtlety here, please note: it is much easier to create something like this on the street - you yourself will still come up to take a picture with a toothy shark at the distance you need to make it seem real. Therefore, the artist is more free in terms of distorting the original image and scaling. But at home, you and your guests will always see the picture only from a certain point and at a certain angle. For example, on the threshold or from a sofa angle. Many people don’t like this in modern 3D floors: they say, move a little to the side, and everything will already be distorted and ugly…
In fact, professional interior designers, like landscape designers, are well aware that there are only two or three important focus points in a certain space, and sometimes even one. After all, you do not inspect the room for the first time, standing at the window or in the corner, but only from traditional points - most often at the threshold. And as you move, you certainly don’t get acquainted with the image of the floor for the first time - but switch to the accessories of the walls or other people. This is exactly what the 3D floor decor is designed for.
In addition, they get used to the interior, and literally on the third day you will not care from what angle you need to look so that the lily on the floor is stretched as much as possible. The floor will simply be bright and beautiful, although it will once remind you of Picasso's painting from the “wrong angle”, if you suddenly decide to look closely. And the 3D drawing itself is more designed for guests and friends, their “wow effect” and admiration, and for the first time they will see it right from the doorstep.
In perspective
At the moment, modern manufacturers working with 3D floors are very interested in the “stereovario” technique: when several pictures of one three-dimensional object are taken from all sides, and the images are applied to ribbons of microprisms that give their image at different angles. This is something like those same Soviet calendar cards with the illusion of movement, called "vario".
This is how you can ensure that the 3D floor looks equally impressive from different sides, and not just from one. But for now, there is one catch: any transparent top layer completely fills these ribbons. Although it is not surprising if in the next ten years this problem will be solved, and toothy sharks and huge abysses will forever settle in our bathrooms, equally impressive from all angles.