Painting a Bamboo Rug
Back story and my ramblings:
Sleeping outside on the screen porch was nice until I woke up with a sore neck. So, I won’t be doing that again for a while. But, I won’t complain because we are lucky to have a screened porch and I am really loving it after the recent makeover.
The makeover was spurred on by this Pier One bamboo rug that I scored for $25 while thrifting!
It’s nice isn’t it? Especially with the splashed paint on it. Yes, I was the sloppy culprit who dripped paint while repainting my garden bench. But, no big deal, I had bigger plans for that rug.
So I sat down at my computer and spent a few minutes hours on Pinterest to research some patterns for my rug – seriously addictive site! But, it is also proving to be a huge organizational tool for my blog. I can pin ideas I want to create. Or I pin other bloggers projects that I want to make sure I give credit to when I steal borrow their ideas.
Once I narrowed down the designs I liked, I used my photoshop skills to change color palettes and design to create a sketch for my painted rug.
Then I ran over to Ace Hardware to purchase some paint. I ran into my good buddy, Mr. Paint Dept Guru – and guess what he did! He told me he had just finished going through the mistinted cans and hadn’t even priced them so he let me have my pick of some cans for….FREE! That is why I love my Ace Hardware. They are a small neighborhood store and all the employees know my face. The cashier and I even have a running joke. She couldn’t remember my name once (how can she, there are only 300 customers in there a day), so I told her that I’d give her a hint. I told her that I share the same name with a famous pop singer. She laughed and said, well, I keep thinking Beyoncé but I know that isn’t your name. So, now she calls me Beyoncé everytime I walk in.
Tutorial:
If you just came here to find out how I painted the rug, I’m sorry about my story-telling. Anyway, here is the tutorial, you found it!
Materials:
- Kilz Clean Start Primer
- Stir stick
- Drop cloth
- ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape
- Gloves
- Paint brushes (thin and thick)
- Paint roller
- Butcher paper
- Chalk
- Scissors
- Latex paint colors
- Minwax Polyurethane
MaskYeah! No need to wear a mask with the new KILZ clean start primer!
The good people over at KILZ recently sent me a gallon of their new eco-friendly primer* (yeah, I thought that was an oximoron too.) I’ve used KILZ 2 latex primer for years and have been very happy with the product, so I had serious doubts that some “green” primer could perform the same. Well, I stand corrected! Love this stuff!!! No face mask necessary, no need to worry about off gassing. The primer had no smell that I could determine.
And it sticks like glue to the surface that needs to be primed. It worked just as well as the regular “stinky” primer. I even scouted out my local Home Depot to see if they stock it (for when I run out) and they do! (My local Lowe’s hasn’t received a shipment yet.)
Just in case you didn’t see this: Zero VOCs!!! I like that!
Sorry, I get side tracked easily.
Start by laying down a drop cloth and putting on rubber gloves.
Stir your primer well. Roll on the primer onto the bamboo rug.
Then smooth the primer in the direction of the slats with a brush.
Tape off the inside edge of the canvas border using your painter’s tape.
Roll on the border color. Yup, that pretty blue gray paint was a mistint and therefore FREE!
After the border color dries, remove the painter’s tape and then put tape on top of the border.
Roll on the base color for your rug. Then use a brush to drag the paint between the slats. You may need to apply a second coat of paint.
Using the chalk and butcher block paper, draw out your rug design.
And lay the design on top of the rug.
Cut out the largest shapes first. And trace inside the cut outs onto the rug.
Paint inside the chalk lines with the flower color.
Next draw the vines and branches onto the rug using chalk. Chalk can easily be wiped off if you wish to work with the design a little bit.
Continue tracing flowers, vines and leaves and fill them in with paint.
When your rug is completely painted and dry, wipe it off with a damp rag. Then roll on at least 2 coats of water based polyurethane. I prefer Minwax, but use what works for you.
One word of advice when painting on bamboo slats. Don’t try to be a perfectionist. Just relax and have fun. The inconsistencies will make your rug look more authentically hand-painted!
I love my new porch rug! Even better, I love the price!
It looks fabulous with my beachy coffee table I made last year.
I promise – a photo tour of our screen porch will be coming soon.
* Disclaimer: I was sent a gallon of Kilz Clean Start Primer for my honest review. I was not paid or compensated for the review other than with a gallon of primer. My thoughts and opinions are authentic and my own. In other words, I respect you and will not lead you astray with false product information.
Sharing this project with:
I have a rug I want to paint, but I have 5 young kids, so it will definitely be walked on. How durable and cleanable is this? The one I want to paint is actually textured woven rug (I can’t think of the name right now, but think rope).
It cleans up GREAT! I just spritz it with a mild cleanser and wipe it with a wet rag.
Then I’m totally doing it! I love yours. I might try to do something like that. I did NOT spend 4 years studying illustration, but I will try. I already have most of the paint bc I’ve been painting rooms in my house and would use those colors. Now to find a design. I’m officially pinning this. Thanks! It also tempts me to do a big one for under my kitchen table. I love the look, but with 5 kids between the ages of 2 and 5, lots of food gets dropped, so it seemed so pointless to ruin a perfectly good rug. I wonder if the chairs would scrape it up though.
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http://decoratingcents.blogspot.com/2011/12/trends-painted-rugs.html
Super cute. I assume bamboo is a good outdoor rug choice? I’ve been looking for cheap ways to make a cute outdoor rug.
I am having an awful case of porch envy right now…saw the tour an another post and came over to look at the tute…gor-gee-uss!
What a great project, and thank you for making it seem so accessible. I’ve often thought about painting a rug or floor cloth, but I never can follow through to think exactly how I’d do it or pick a design. This’ll help inspire me – thanks!
Katie, I’m so glad I could inspire you. Good luck with your project.
Your rug looks awesome…the colors and pattern look great.
Thanks Cindy. I love it too 😉 And good thing the oops paints went together so well.
Just sent you an email – shows you that I have never blogged before. I am blown away that you have already done what my family says is crazy – paint a bamboo rug! I am sooo excited about this project. My daughter who just graduated from college with a Studio Art degree will be doing the work – starving artist. Will let you know how it comes out.
This is fantastic! What a clever idea! Though I’m not very good at coloring in the lines 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Aww, I bet you could. And actually the imperfections make it look hand-painted so don’t stress coloring in the lines 😉
Found you via TT&J FB post. What a fantastic idea!!! I LOVE it and may have to do some of my very own. I wanted a pair of rugs for my front porch that didn’t cost a lot. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you. And how sweet of Jen to mention my rug on the fan page. Good luck with your rugs. I’d love to see the results if you do paint them.