The Penny Floor, Part One: Laying Track

This weekend we spent hours on our knees in our caboose (The Boise Jewell), gluing pennies to the bathroom floor one at a time.

So many people gave us rolls, jars and bags of pennies over the last few months. Thank you. Much of what is in this floor came from you. Janae has been finding dimes over the last decade, and that meaningful collection is going into the floor too.

To prepare for this, we sorted about 15,000 pennies into "lights," "darks" and "mids" so we could arrange them into some design. We never drew this floor's design out and only discussed what we might do. It is taking shape as we lay it.

In the video you can see railroad tracks, where we used Janae's dimes to add a visual dimension. We're filming the entire build so we can watch it all back in fast motion.

I've heard from people who built a penny floor that they would never build another one. After a weekend of laying thousands of pennies, I haven't felt that way so far. It was backbreaking, but it was also analytical brain work.

I kept finding small ways to cut down the number of motions per penny. I made mistakes and corrected them. This has kept me engaged and interested. I kept thinking about how each row and shade of penny builds into a full picture and how each placement will add meaning. This caboose and its floor are the culmination of many projects, and of many parts of the relationship Janae and I continue to build.

I'm interested in connecting with other people who have built penny floors, and I'm thinking about a project that links them together. If you've built one, or know someone who has, send me a message. I want to hear how you planned it, see what it looks like, and know whether you would do it again.

Back in our caboose, the floor is coming together fast, and we'll finish it in time for Halloween.

On October 31st, we're throwing a 1920s-themed Halloween party to launch "The Boise Jewell". It's the first look at the finished caboose, ready to book on its own or together with Riverwalk Cottage next door. Our followers get first swing at booking a stay.

P.S. Look closely at the final frames in the video. You'll notice we started laying some characters that we'll finish in the next release. Major bragging points if you can guess what they are.

• penny floor
• the boise jewell

Also on: LinkedIn

Get the next one by email