You get a large roll of paper, sometimes called "red rosin paper" or "builder's paper" to put underneath your finishing to catch drips and overspray.   If you want to get really fancy, you can make a little roller to fit under the edge of your work table and/or a cutoff edge on the opposite edge (I'm not there yet).     Another option, if you have a source is large cardboard boxes (think appliance boxes) that you can open up and lay on the floor to protect it from stripper, stain,  solvents, and finishes (this I do have).

 

Edited February 13, 20188 yr by kmealy

This is something I should!

Having a roll of rosin paper around is a must for shops, IMHO. It has all sorts of uses including the one you described.

Rosin paper? New one on me. Big box stores...other than those scarce  Menards...carry it?

Edit: never mind, I found it at several places. Thanks for the tip.

Edited February 13, 20188 yr by Gene Howe

Good idea for my stash of carboard.

Herb

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Having a roll of rosin paper around is a must for shops, IMHO. It has all sorts of uses including the one you described.

I've used it for patterns and for full-scale drawings.   Good to catch glue drips on large panel glue ups.   Right now, I'm putting finish on a 15 light door, each piece of glass has some taped on to keep the glaze and finish off.   Put it on the floor for messy remodeling work (drywall, tiling, plumbing, etc.)  What else, Fred?

 

 

That's the big stuff for me...one other thing I do is use it when I flatten/soften veneer. The usual method is to clamp it flat between platens and kraft paper after you sprayed it with the appropriate solution, I just use the rosin paper. I have in the past drawn patterns on plywood since I didn't have paper that was large enough....but the rosin paper is much better. The drywall guys that did the mudwork on my shop completely covered the floor with it to keep the mud from sticking to the concrete. I asked them to leave it so I could paint, in retrospect I'm not sure that was a good idea...picking up and disposing of that much rosin paper was a bit of a chore.

I used it to make a pattern for the vinyl floor in my downstairs bathroom remodel - the room was a little out-of-square plus had a couple of jogs. Actually had to take it and the sheet of flooring out and lay it on the back deck as that was the only open space I had that was large enough to hold it.

 

Another handy item to make small templates is paper joint tape as it's pretty stiff. I used it to make a pattern when I was wrapping the sill on the back door. And for measuring the angle on the molding for the door glass.

Good tips there @tomp