Painting an Indoor/Outdoor Rug


Today I am so excited to share with you my first collaborative brand post. At the Haven Conference I met so many great potential sponsors, including Homeright, who specializes in all your DIY needs. We caught up with each other after the conference, and they were generous enough to send me a paint sprayer to try out on a project. They were also generous to offer one for you too! Keep reading!

painting-a-rug-how-to

To inaugurate my paint sprayer, I decided to paint a rug. Yup a rug! After doing some research, I decided to smash Addicted 2 Decorating and Almost 40 Year Old Intern tutorials into my own. Here’s how it went down.

The Supplies:

  • Rug from Home Depot
  • Finish Max Paint Sprayer
  • Base color paint (I used Olympic White in Exterior) – You don’t need this if you like the base color of the rug
  • Accent color paint (I used Valspar Duramax color matched with Pantone’s Sangria)
  • Tape (the cheap duct tape)
  • Drop cloth
  • Exacto Knife
  • Measuring Tape/Yard Stick
  • Calculator/Simple Math Skills

The Process

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First you need to get your rug the base color you would like. If you like brown (or your rug’s color) skip this step. Brown wasn’t in my color scheme so I opted to paint my rug a nice bright white.

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However, it does take time to get a brown rug white. Thank goodness for the paint sprayer! I sprayed the rug 4-5 times (sort of slow to get maximum coverage but quick enough not to get splotches). I found that using the cone sprayer option got me the best coverage. I just started on one end and worked my way down. Then I would wait long enough for it to dry so I could walk on it again and spray another coat.

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Originally I thought I was going to have to elevate the rug clothesline style to be able to spray paint it. I had this whole elaborate scheme worked up (including buying rope and copious amounts of clothes pins) of stringing the rug up with drop clothes plastered everywhere around it. However, time and hassle was saved when I realized I could hold the sprayer at a 45 degree angle and still get a great stream of paint. Phew, cause that was just going to be crazy.

After the base coat dries (I recommend at least over night) it’s time to pick a pattern and get taping. Here is where you need to learn from me. Save some money and time by buying the cheap duct tape. Nope, don’t even buy the brand name stuff and for heaven’s sake don’t buy the $10 really nice painters tape. Want to know why? Because I did. I spent $10 and 3-4 hours taping down a pattern that didn’t stick. Temper tantrums might have been thrown. But after a staring contest in the tape aisle for about 15 minutes, I came home with the winner – cheap duct tape. So start with that – please!

painting-a-rug-duct-tape

You want to pick a pattern that you can tape out. Whether it’s stripes or something more elaborate, it’s best done with tape. I decided to go in between stripes and elaborate, using Almost 40 Year Old Intern’s pattern as my guide.

Now you have to break out the calculator and grease your math skills. It’s time to measure that rug and decide your pattern widths. First, decide how far in you want your pattern to start (aka how big a border you want). Then, use that width and length to make your calculations. First I made vertical stripes, measuring one larger stripe and then one smaller stripe.

painting-a-rug-pattern

Then, I made horizontal stripes, once again having one larger and one smaller.

painting-a-rug-pattern

Once you have all your stripes taped down, then take an exacto knife and start cutting out your pattern. You can see I cut out the stripes so I just have a lot of boxes. Once the boxes were cut off I used smaller pieces of tape to connect them. Bad Megan, but I just eyeballed the middle to connect them. It seemed to work out fine. Be warned on this step though cause it takes a lot of time. Like two movies or four 45 minute TV shows worth of time. That really helps make this tedious task better.

painting-a-rug-pattern

As a final effort to keep that tape down I used my dough roller to roll over the tape one last time to really help it stick.

painting-a-rug-rolling

Next, I did a white coat over the tape as extra insurance of getting clean lines. You have to get your hands dirty a little bit on the first coat since the sprayer’s power sometimes lifted the tape a little bit, but once that coat dries it all sticks pretty well. You also learn the “sweet spray spot” where you get good coverage but the force behind the sprayer isn’t lifting up the tape.

painting-a-rug-white

Finally, after the last white coat had dried, I was able to put on my pop of color – Sangria by Pantone (color matched in Valspar’s Duramax)! This is really when the happy dances started to happen (since this project had been going on for hours upon hours upon days). The color was gorgeous and it was going on perfectly. I ended up doing three coats of this for truly saturated color.

painting-a-rug-pink

After the last coat dried, it was do or die have another tantrum time. Up came the tape…and out came a perfectly perfect, beautiful patterned rug!

painting-a-rug-pink

Run a victory dance around your house and then fall to the ground in exhaustion cause this took some time. But man was it worth it.

As extra security I used Valspar’s clear gloss protective spray over the rug.

painting-a-rug-clear-gloss

I am SO THRILLED with the results I want to make up a song about it and then film a music video of me dancing on the rug. Instead I will just pet the rug, gaze at the rug, lie on the rug, and hug the rug. I think all the time (and a few tears and a $10 roll of waste tape later) that I put into this rug makes me love it even more. It’s something I completely transformed from an average brown rug to a beautiful, geometric beauty!

Now here it is in its permanent home in the sun room. It really adds the crowning glory to the room!

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painting-a-rug

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Here’s how the cost breakdown went:

  • Paint Sprayer – a gift from HomeRight
  • Rug – $18.98 for a 6’ x 8’ rug (that’s a DEAL)
  • Paint – $50 for two gallons (but if you like the base color of the rug it would just be $25)
  • Tape – $3.50 for each roll of duct tape and $10 for a lost roll of Painter’s tape
  • Clear Gloss – $4
  • Exacto knife – already owned
  • Drop cloth – already owned
  • Total: $92

Would be $82 if I hadn’t bought that extra tape.

Could be $57 if you like the base color of the rug.

So it’s not the cheapest project in the world but it’s a pretty great price for a 6’ x 8’ rug! The pride in actually painting a rug and getting to customize it any way you want…well forgive the cheesiness, but that’s priceless.

Now, here’s the really fun part for YOU! You can win your own paint sprayer to paint anything your heart desires.

Prize: One HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer

Number of Winners: 1 (one)

To Enter: Use Rafflecopter below to enter to win.

Eligibility: This contest is only open for US citizens.

Contest Ends: November 7th at 12:00am

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Homeright provided me with their Finish Max sprayer but all thoughts and opinions are all my own.

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  • Kim Wood

    I would paint so many things!! But I would probably start with getting Jason to paint the fence.ReplyCancel

    • Haha Kim! That’s awesome! Let him do the dirty work and then you could paint the pretty things! It definitely would make painting a fence SO much easier!ReplyCancel

  • Megan-this is fantastic!!!!ReplyCancel

    • Thanks Beth! I’m so happy I was able to customize a 6’x8′ rug for under $100!ReplyCancel

  • This looks great Megan!ReplyCancel

    • Thanks so much Jena! It took some time but is SO worth it. It makes me smile every time I look at it.ReplyCancel

    • Thanks so much Anjana! I always try to make everything in our home have a happy element to it!ReplyCancel

  • Kendra

    The rug turned out great! I would love to use a paint sprayer to decorate my own rug… and many things in my house! I love DIY projectsReplyCancel

    • Thanks so much Kendra! You sound like a girl after my own heart with a love for all things DIY!ReplyCancel

  • The rug is beautiful! BTW, I’d watch your music video -ha,ha. 🙂ReplyCancel

    • Haha Debbie! That’s awesome!! Maybe it will happen one day…Thanks!ReplyCancel

  • I love this project! Your new pink rug is the finishing touch for your sun room. I know you are so pleased with how this turned out.ReplyCancel

    • Thank you Paula! I agree! It is completely the finishing touch!ReplyCancel

  • I’d help my parents paint over their 20+ year dated blue trim in their house! And…the rest of the house 😉ReplyCancel

    • That’s so sweet Catherine! What a great way to use it! It sure would help speed up the process of painting an entire house! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • I would use it for so many things! New rug, paint my living room, and paint my kitchen cabinets!ReplyCancel

  • Waaaay too much math for me, but it looks great! Very clever.ReplyCancel

    • Haha Darla! It’s not that bad, I promise. There is definitely some eyeballing going on in my design. But you can’t tell, right? Get it busy enough and some imperfections can be hidden. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Oh my gosh I love, love, love how your rug turned out! What an awesome way to customize a plain rug. You really rocked it with the HomeRight sprayer! I want one now!
    Cheers to you and dancing on the cool rug of yours!ReplyCancel

    • Thanks so much Therese! The sprayer really saved the day or it would have been too time intensive. Dance parties really are mandatory on the rug. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Hillary

    We are dreaming of spraying our kitchen cabinets … last time it was all by hand and we know it can go so much faster / more evenly!! Your sunroom is totally baller. So impressed by how you use color!!! It came together beautifully.ReplyCancel

    • This would be great for kitchen cabinets! So much easier (but a little harder on the prep work) but I think it would make that project so much quicker. But wait, are you saying you are painting them again? Yowsers! I’m impressed your would go back for round two! Thanks for all the sweet comments about the sun room. 🙂 There was a moment where I thought the color might be going a little crazy and then it all came together.ReplyCancel

  • Susette Thomson

    Love the rug! Love the color! Love the pattern!, LOVE!LOVE!LOVEReplyCancel

  • This has to be the most amazing painted rug that I have seen! Lots of work went into it! Beautiful! ~ChristyReplyCancel

    • Thanks so much Christy! It was time consuming but totally worth it!ReplyCancel

  • I would use it to paint two mirrors that I bought on craigslist!ReplyCancel

  • Angela emory

    Love the rug!!! I have so many projects that I have been putting off. A sprayer would make it so much easier!ReplyCancel

    • Thank you Angela! Spray painters really do make projects go by so much quicker!ReplyCancel

  • Jill

    I love this idea! It’s truly beautiful – great job!ReplyCancel

  • That looks really fantastic. So crisp! I love the pattern too. What does it feel like underfoot?

    I would transform my garage into a cool hangout with that sprayer!ReplyCancel

    • Hi Cec! The feeling underfoot feels more plastic-y. It doesn’t feel like fabric anymore. It has more of the feeling of a rug that is supposed to be outdoors. A little rough but it doesn’t hurt to walk on barefoot.ReplyCancel

  • Turned out great, such a bright and cheerful color choice!
    Blessings,
    CindyReplyCancel

  • Sloan

    I would paint some thrift store furniture!ReplyCancel

  • Such a great finished product! The spayer would be perfect for my current diy home renovation and I’m so glad I found your tutorial!ReplyCancel

    • Thanks Lauren! It sounds like you have a great number of projects that would benefit from the sprayer!ReplyCancel

  • I would love to play around with the paint sprayer on many items…. I would however, LOVE to copy your idea and create a gorgeous rug for our sunroom!!ReplyCancel

  • Nicole

    We just bought a new house and every INCH of it needs painting!ReplyCancel

  • Wow what a great rug. Love the color and will definitely try this. Oh and want, want, want that sprayer in a bad way!ReplyCancel

  • Linda Southworth

    I would love to try a rug like you did. It is just awesome! I also would try a furniture piece with the Homeright. Thanks for offering!ReplyCancel

  • […] PS: Today is the LAST day to enter to win a HomeRight paint sprayer. Click here to enter! […]ReplyCancel

  • Hollee

    The hubby and I are attempting to create some patio furniture out or recycled wood pallets 🙂 He is excited to help, HOWEVER, he has made it very clear that he would LOVE a paint sprayer before agreeing to do ANY painting, lol. This would be so helpful!

    Great work, great post, beautiful turnout! 🙂

    -HolleeReplyCancel

    • That sounds like a good compromise in getting his help – especially if he is excited about it. Sounds like some fun projects on the horizon!ReplyCancel

  • […] Painting an Indoor/Outdoor Rug […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Chicks Rule will show you the painting process and how to do fun graphics!   Megan from Rhapsody In Rooms painted this indoor outdoor rug (in no time flat) with a paint sprayer. See what Megan can do with […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Paint and how I created and applied the graphics for this project.   Megan from Rhapsody In Rooms painted this indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer. What a fabulous idea! Check out the post […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Chicks Rule will show you the painting process and how to do fun graphics, too!  Megan from Rappsody In Rooms painted this indoor outdoor rug (in no time flat) with a paint sprayer. You will want to check out […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Chicks Rule will show you the painting process and how to do fun graphics too!   Megan from Rhapsody In Rooms painted this indoor outdoor rug (in no time flat) with a paint sprayer. You will want to check out […]ReplyCancel

  • […] the painting process and how to do fun graphics too!         Megan from Rhapsody In Rooms painted this indoor outdoor rug (in no time flat) with a paint sprayer. You will want to check […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Chicks Rule will show you the painting process and how to do fun graphics too!   Megan from Rhapsody In Rooms painted this indoor outdoor rug (in no time flat) with a paint sprayer. You will want to check out […]ReplyCancel

  • […] you know you can paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer? Megan explains how she did it.  One of these days I hope to try this project for myself.  […]ReplyCancel

  • […] did you know you can paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer? Megan did and the rug looks great.  Check it […]ReplyCancel

  • […] you know you can paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer? Megan did and the rug looks […]ReplyCancel

  • Betty819

    What a great tranformation! I’m sure if I learn to do a lot of furniture refinishing, that spray gun would be on my list of purchases needed. Let me throw a word of caution in here…never spray paint outdoors when it is the least bit windy..as the wind will take the paint maybe to items or places you don’t want it to be..like somebody’s car that may be parked nearby or somebody’s house..Make sure there is no wind whatsoever blowing when you spray outdoors..spraying outdoors on a windy day could end up costing you big time if the paint ends up mysteriously in the wrong places.ReplyCancel

    • Thank you Betty! The spray gun is SO helpful in many projects. I highly recommend one. Good words of wisdom about spray painting. You are definitely right! I’m never allowed to spray anywhere near a car!ReplyCancel

  • […] you know you can paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer? Megan did and the rug looks […]ReplyCancel

  • […] you know you can paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer? Megan did and the rug looks […]ReplyCancel

  • […] used complimentary pink and green on my porch to make it lively and […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer […]ReplyCancel

  • Great job! Looks just like mine!!! Folks message me all the time asking about painting a base color first so good to know you did it successfully! XoReplyCancel

    • Thank you so much for the AWESOME tutorial! You helped me make such a beautiful rug! I love all your inspiring projects! Thanks for stopping by!ReplyCancel

  • This turned out gorgeous! I’m fixing to do something quite similar in my sunroom with navy, and this is the perfect project.

    Thank you!

    ShannonReplyCancel

    • Thank you so much! I love this project too and know yours will turn out beautiful! Let me know if you have any questions while you are working on it!ReplyCancel

  • This is sooo cool! I would love to make this for our sunroom. It looks incredible.ReplyCancel

    • Thank you so much Lindee! It’s easy – you can definitely do it!ReplyCancel

  • […] of my favorite projects that Megan has completed is a rug that she painted for her […]ReplyCancel

  • Megan, this is one of the best-looking painted rugs I’ve seen. How is it holding up? I’m thinking about trying it on a rug that would be used indoors, but with two dogs and a cat I know it will be getting vacuumed A LOT. Does the paint chip off at all?ReplyCancel

    • Hi Sarah! Thank you so much! It has held up great! No paint chipping or anything. It vacuums up great!

      The only word of caution I have is that the paint will compress under items. For items that stay in one place, this isn’t a big deal (it happens with all rugs). However, when I move my dining chairs the impressions of the feet stay in place. Walking doesn’t cause impressions – just heavier items cause this.ReplyCancel

  • […] she has a YouTube video where she walks you through the project. Did you know you can paint an indoor/outdoor rug with a paint sprayer? Megan did and the rug looks great. Pick up some old bi-fold closet doors and re-purpose them […]ReplyCancel

  • […] show you the painting process and how to do fun graphics too!   Megan from Rhapsody In Rooms painted this indoor outdoor rug (in no time flat) with a paint sprayer. You will want to check […]ReplyCancel

  • jomana

    thank you for all this , can i ask you how you clean your rug when it needed i like to make one for play room but i afraid how to clean it <<< you now the kidsReplyCancel

    • I vacuum it just like any other rug! It works great! Heck, you could probably even take it outside and hose it down if you really needed to!ReplyCancel

  • The hubby and I are attempting to create some patio furniture out or recycled wood pallets 🙂 He is excited to help, HOWEVER, he has made it very clear that he would LOVE a paint sprayer before agreeing to do ANY painting, lol. This would be so helpful!
    Great work, great post, beautiful turnout!ReplyCancel

    • Your patio furniture plans sound so great!! I highly recommend this paint sprayer. It works great and isn’t too expensive!! Good luck!ReplyCancel

  • We are dreaming of spraying our kitchen cabinets … last time it was all by hand and we know it can go so much faster / more evenly!! Your sunroom is totally baller. So impressed by how you use color!!! It came together beautifully.ReplyCancel

    • Thank you so much for your kind compliments about the sun room! I LOVE color!! I would definitely think spraying kitchen cabinets would be so much easier and smoother. Sounds like you have a lot of fun projects ahead of you!ReplyCancel

  • Mandy Bennett

    This may have already been asked…..is the paint you used, a certain type paint? I hate to sound ignorant, because I just re-read the items needed, just want to make sure….we’ve been needing a rug, and I either find one I like the pattern, but not the colors, or vice versa…or it isn’t available in the size I need. Thank you for this!!!ReplyCancel

    • I used outdoor latex paint because it was going to be in a sun room and I thought it would make it more durable. You can probably use regular latex paint if it is going to be inside only. Hope your rug painting goes well!ReplyCancel

  • This is such a neat project. I never would have thought of painting a rug. So cool!ReplyCancel

    • Thank you so much! It is probably one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done!ReplyCancel

  • Jessa

    Does it feel “painted”? Like crunchy?ReplyCancel

    • It feels more rubbery/plastic. It’s not soft but it’s not hard. It feels like an indoor/outdoor rug.ReplyCancel

  • Bobbie

    Hello, I love the rug…the colors you picked and design.
    What paint do I need to buy to make an ordinary rug an outdoor rug? Thanks.ReplyCancel

    • Hey Bobbie! Thank you so much! I actually have no idea. I painted an indoor/outdoor rug with outdoor paint. I’m not sure if you can use paint to make an indoor rug outdoor. The materials might still break down in the elements. It would be a little risky I think.ReplyCancel