LABYRINTHS ON WOOD FLOORS

There are two ways to make a labyrinth on a wood floor. One is to paint it, and the other to inlay it. Visiting in Memphis, I saw a huge octagonal labyrinth inlaid into the floor of the First Congregational church. It was so huge (50 feet?) that it took quite an investment of time to walk it. Although we have craftsmen lined up who can do a superb job inlaying a labyrinth, to date, all of our installations have been painted. See Village and Wichita.

The labyrinth is painted onto the floor in conjunction with the installation of a new floor or the refinishing of an existing one. It cannot be painted on top of existing varnish or other surface material. Once the floor is sanded and ready to go, it must receive one coat of sealer or primer to fill the pores. At that point, we paint the labyrinth, using the same kind of paint used for gym floors. Then, the floor is varnished or polyurethaned. The paint should last indefinitely as long as the varnish is in good condition.