How to Create a Faux Rug With Paint

Learn how to dress up a floor with a painted rug.

Finished Painted Faux Rug With Faux Fabric Texture

This painted faux rug dresses up the floor with a faux fabric textured finish.

Related To:

Tools and Materials:

measuring tape
level
paint roller
paint tray
paint
paintbrush
steel wool
paint extender

Steps:

Prepare a Clean Surface for a Faux Painted Rug

Prepare the area. Select paints, keeping your color scheme and the surfaces in mind. The surface you will paint on will determine the paint sheen for your project. Make sure the surface is clean.

1. Prepare the area. Select paints, keeping your color scheme and the surfaces in mind. The surface you will paint on will determine the paint sheen for your project.

Blue Painter's Tape Outlining Faux Painted Rug Area

Placing Painter's Tape for a Faux Painted Rug

Clean your surface, then measure off the area for your rug and place painter's tape to keep paints from mixing.

Scoring Painter's Tape for Faux Painted Rug

After measuring off the area for your rug and placing painter's tape to keep paints from mixing, keep paint lines crisp using a utility knife and a level to cut straight lines through the tape.

To keep paint lines crisp, we used a utility knife and a level to cut straight lines through the painter's tape.

Add a Border to Faux Painted Rug

With the borders laid out with painter's tape, pour your base paint into a paint tray.

2. Paint the base coat. With your borders laid out, pour your base paint into a paint tray.

Paint Roller in Brown Paint in Ribbed Tray

Prepare Paint Roller for Faux Painted Rug

Load the roller with your base paint. Remove any excess paint from the roller onto the ribbed tray.

Roller Painting Wood Floor Brown With Painter's Tape

Use a Roller to Create a Faux Painted Rug

Begin rolling base paint in your designated area, continuing until the area is completely painted. Touch up any necessary areas, and let the base coat dry.

Measure Boundaries For Faux Painted Rug Borders

For the next layer of the painted rug, measure for placement. Put down painter's tape to mark the boundaries and paint within the original borders.

3. Add the second layer. For the next layer of our rug, measure for placement.

Add a Second Layer to a Faux Painted Rug

Put down painter's tape to mark the boundaries and paint within the original borders.

Brown and Red Faux Painted Rug With Painter's Tape

Painter's Tape Outlines Faux Painted Rug

After the second layer is dry, take up the painter's tape and lay more down to protect the layers and prepare for the faux fabric finish.

4. Add the faux fabric technique. Mix one part paint extender with four parts paint, and mix well. Pour the extended paint into a tray, remove excess and begin rolling onto the area in small sections.

Faux Fabric Technique Using Paint and Steel Wool Pad

To add a faux fabric technique to a faux painted rug, mix one part paint extender with four parts paint, and mix well. Pour the extended paint into a tray, remove excess and begin rolling onto the area in small sections. Before the paint dries, have a partner follow behind with a steel wool pad, dragging it lightly over the paint, creating the faux fabric finishing touch. Continue painting and dragging the steel wool pads until you feel the faux finish looks complete.

Before the paint dries, have a partner follow behind with a steel wool pad, dragging it lightly over the paint, creating the faux fabric finishing touch. Continue painting and dragging the steel wool pads until you feel the faux finish looks complete.