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May 11, 2018 · 20 Comments

DIY Painted Rug – Quick Tips for How to Paint a Rug

DIY Projects

Learn how to paint a rug quickly and easily. This adorable chevron-patterned DIY painted rug is easy to make and a great way to get a custom look.

Every once in a while I get the itch to do something a little…crazy.

Like, I don’t know, painting a rug.

I know, it sounds ludicrous. But…I did it. And the results?

Kind of amazing.

DIY painted rug

This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.ย 

I had been wanting to try this out for a few weeks, but I hadn’t gathered up the courage to actually pull the trigger. Then, I found out that my sister was doing the very same project. Coincidence? No, I think it’s actually because we share a brain sometimes. It’s a bit freaky.

When my sisterย painted her rug (which looks amazing, by the way) she made a template for the chevrons that she agreed to let me borrow. So, it was decided! I was painting a rug too.

Easy DIY Painted Rug: How to Paint a Rug

Materials:

  • Rug (this is similar to what I used)
  • Frog tape (Iย highly recommend this over any other brand)
  • Paint
  • Fabric medium (optional, depending on the fabric of your rug)
  • Template for design
  • Paintbrush and/or roller

When Corey and I were at Home Goods a few weeks ago, I found a sisal rug on clearance that was the perfect size. I figured it was a sign and I snatched it up.

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

Not so cute right now, huh? Just wait – it’s gonna get a lot better!

Step 1: Tape Off Edges and Paint Entire Rug

I headed to Home Depot and grabbed a small can of semi-gloss white paint, taped off the edges of the rug, and got to work.

And oh my goodness this project is not for those with weak arm muscles. After the first coat, I thought I was going to start crying, and I had two more coats to go. It was not easy, but it didn’t take all that long, and the results were pretty impressive.

If I were doing it again, I’d probably try using a paint roller instead of a brush and I’d be sure to load it up nice and thick to help the paint get into the textured parts of the rug a little easier.

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

One coat in…

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

All done!

After I painted it white, I took a couple of weeks off before I tackled the next step. Partially because I was waiting on the templates from Jennifer and partially because my arms needed to rest for a while before I even thought about painting again.

Step 2: Tape Off Your Pattern

Once I had the templates, I quickly got to work taping the chevrons off. This was probably the most tedious part of the project, as the tape doesn’t really want to stick to the rug, and I was being really paranoid to make sure I taped it off perfectly.

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

Step 3: Paint the Pattern

Soon enough, I had it all taped off and it was time to paint! I grabbed the can of blue paint I had bought at Home Depot and got to work.

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

This part of the painting was much easier – no sore arms this time! I had to apply the paint mostly by dabbing the brush into the rug, not by actually brushing. The rug has so much texture that it’s hard to get good coverage. Luckily, this part only required one coat, plus a quick once-over to add some paint to any of the parts that weren’t fully covered.

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

Step 4: Remove Tape

Once I had it all painted, I was pretty terrified to take off the tape. I was really worried that my taping hadn’t been good enough and that my lines would be really messy and ugly.

But thank goodness, that wasn’t the case. The tape came off to reveal perfectly clean, beautiful lines.

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

In its new spot, it looks pretty perfect. It adds a really nice pop of color to the kitchen, and it makes me smile like crazy every time I see it. I think I’m in love!

If you've ever wondered if you can paint an old rug that needs a new life, this is the post for you! All the details on how to paint a sisal rug to turn it into something completely different - it's amazing how much of a difference a little paint can make!

Sometimes, it’s totally worth it to try a project that sounds a little bit crazy. You may end up with an awesome painted rug.

Have you ever heard of painting a rug? Would you do it?

Here are a few more easy DIY projects you might like:ย 

  • Thrift Shop Metal Bar Stool Makeover
  • DIY Faux Card Catalog
  • Easy DIY Outdoor Wall Art
  • How to Make a Tree Stump Side Table
  • DIY Board & Batten Accent Wall

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carolyn Jones says

    November 6, 2019 at 4:16 pm

    How long does it take for a painted rug to dry. I want to create a stencil on a rug used in my PreK classroom and the students sit there every morning.

    Reply
    • Amanda Hendrix says

      November 11, 2019 at 10:25 am

      If you do it on a weekend it should be good to go by Monday!

      Reply
  2. Annie says

    July 1, 2013 at 11:24 am

    It looks really pretty, but isn’t it awfully impractical for the kitchen in a spot where you used to have to wash the rug? You can’t wash sisal and you can’t wipe it clean either.

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      July 1, 2013 at 11:27 am

      It wasn’t the most practical spot for it, but you can see an update here: https://www.loveandrenovations.com/2011/10/a-rug-update/ for how easy it was to clean. Definitely not difficult! ๐Ÿ™‚ We don’t have this rug anymore, but it was surprisingly simple to keep up with.

      Reply
  3. Pudel - design says

    May 20, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    That is a cute one;)
    Love the blue!
    Just look here I`ve made one myself… not the same pattern but , just take a look;)

    http://pudel-design.blogspot.com/2011/05/carpet-reveal.html

    Lovely greetings…

    http://pudel-design.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  4. Steph says

    May 11, 2011 at 9:57 pm

    I would never think to do this, but I’m super impressed. It looks great!

    Reply
  5. Layla says

    May 11, 2011 at 6:12 pm

    It looks awesome! I would never in a million years have figured out that you can paint a rug. Now I want to paint a rug.

    Reply
  6. Bri says

    May 11, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    Ohmygosh, that looks amazing! I have never heard of painting a rug honestly, but yours looks so designer and gorgeous! I’m seriously pondering trying it myself…

    Reply
  7. kelsey says

    May 11, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    It looks so great!! And yes I have heard of painting a rug. I got our bathroom floor idea from a rug painting tutorial. Love it!

    Reply
  8. Amanda @ The Fix-Its says

    May 11, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    I’ve seen this! I’m so impressed with your results!

    Reply
  9. Ellen says

    May 11, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    I love this! And I love that your projects are things that apartment-dwellers like myself can do. I’m definitely going out to find a plain rug sometime soon!

    Reply
  10. Alice says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:45 am

    The rug looks awesome!!

    Reply
  11. penga says

    May 11, 2011 at 10:21 am

    ohh..i’ve seen this a couple times online, but was skeptical! let us know how it holds up, because your rug looks absolutely fabulous! love the color you chose ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  12. Mandy says

    May 11, 2011 at 8:45 am

    Ahh, this is AWESOME!! I looooove this! So cool! and um, it matches your blog, you big dork ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      May 11, 2011 at 4:27 pm

      That’s because my blog matches my house, haha. I like to color coordinate like that. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  13. Kari says

    May 11, 2011 at 8:40 am

    To quote my husband, “That is awesome! We could do that.”

    Reply
  14. Jessica says

    May 11, 2011 at 8:23 am

    Why, yes. I am going to be a copycat and do this. Probably with the exact same colors too. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  15. Abby says

    May 11, 2011 at 8:00 am

    Okay, I think your rug finally inspired me to be like Nike and “Just do it.” (I’m lame, I know. No need to remind me.) I have a rug by my back door that is currently beige & boring, and I think it’s time to spice it up with some paint! Yours looks fantastic!

    Reply
  16. Sunny says

    May 11, 2011 at 7:54 am

    Super cool project, I love that aqua color. Let us know how well it stands up to everyday life. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  17. Clare says

    May 11, 2011 at 7:26 am

    Oh my gosh I need to do this!!!!! You did an amazing job and I love the color!

    Reply

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Overwhelmed by DIY? Let's do it together! I'm Amanda, and I live in the suburbs of Austin, Texas with my husband and two sons. I've taught myself how to make simple updates to help make my house a home, and I want to show you how to do it, too. Click here to learn more about us.

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