How to Paint a Rug

Vacuum the rug and clean any stains or spots using a carpet/rug cleaner and a cloth or scrub brush before you begin. If the rug is dirty, it can decrease paint adhesion. Find a suitable work space for your project. If you don’t have a workshop, try the garage with open windows and doors for air circulation. You can even work outside, weather permitting. Cover the floor or ground with newspaper or a drop cloth to avoid accidental damage from spills.

Safety Alerts!

Keep all paints and equipment away from small children and pets.

Wear latex gloves to protect your hands and to make clean-up easier.

Use a tape measure or ruler to measure in from the edge of the rug the location of your first stencil or masking (if you’re creating borders or other straight lines). Having precise measurements will help keep your design straight and/or consistent. If you’re creating straight lines, measure in from the edge of the rug in intervals to keep the line straight. Apply painter’s tape along the line, periodically checking that it is straight. If you’re stenciling, place your stencils on the rug in your desired pattern/design. Use the tape measure again to ensure that they are equally spaced so that the design is symmetrical. Once you have the stencils in place, tape them down securely with a piece of painter’s tape in each corner so that they won’t move or let paint bleed underneath, marring your work.

Paint within stencils or masked areas for borders using a small roller, small painting sponge or foam paint brush and EasyCare® Ultra Premium Interior Paint. Fill just the tip of the applicator with paint and lightly stamp into the cut-out area of the stencil, making sure that you paint a little bit over the cut-out edges so that you create a crisp outline of the stencil image. Once you’ve filled in a stencil with paint, carefully pull the stencil away from the floor. If you didn’t achieve the results you wanted, wipe away the paint quickly with a rag and start over. Repeat the process until you’re satisfied with the results. Continue in this fashion until you’ve completed your design. You may need several light coats to get the best and most long-lasting results. Let the paint dry for the recommended amount of time on the paint can label.

For borders and straight lines, let the paint dry and then carefully remove the strips of painter’s tape at a 45-degree angle so you don’t accidentally remove any of the paint.

If your rug is more on the plush side, you may need to use fabric paint to get the best results. Ask a Hardwarian at your local True Value hardware store for advice.

Helpful Tip

Consider using a product such as Thompson’s WaterSeal fabric seal to protect your paint job from water, stains and fading caused by the sun.

Nice job! Now you’ve got a new rug!