Pointers for Painting Indoor Outdoor Carpet
Indoor outdoor carpet is a type of carpet that is both economical and durable enough to last for years. Its main disadvantage is that most of it comes in plain, solid colors without a significant amount of variety in terms of decoration. It is possible to liven up an indoor outdoor carpet installation with paint so that it better coordinates with the rest of your home. It is important to select a good quality outdoor paint and allow plenty of drying time without any foot traffic over the carpet. Using masking tape also allows you to create different colored panels and designs on your indoor outdoor carpet as well.
What You Will Need:
- Outdoor paint designated for carpets
- Masking tape
- Tape measure or yardstick
- Sample squares of your carpet (recommended)
- Paint roller pans
- Paint rollers
- Protective plastic sheeting
Step 1 – Sample Paint Colors
It is a good idea to have purchased a small extra amount of the original carpeting when you first installed it; roughly 10 percent more is sufficient just in case of mistakes with initially cutting and installing it. Use one of these leftover pieces in order to test paint colors for your indoor outdoor carpet. Most paint stores now have small test sample jars that can be purchased at a much lower price than entire cans of paint. Another alternative is to look for craft paint designed for fabric use, though this can come in smaller containers and be slightly more expensive. Try out several different colors on your scrap carpeting and note which colors and/or designs you like the best. Also make note of drying times or any changes to the carpet texture after the paint dries.
Step 2 -- Protect the Flooring
Once you have selected the paint color(s) you would like for your carpeting, cover any surrounding flooring and furniture with plastic sheeting. Hold it in place with small pieces of masking tape to keep it from sliding around. You can also use newspaper instead if you prefer not to spend extra on this kind of painters’ plastic sheeting.
Step 3 -- Mark off Designs
In order to add some personality to indoor outdoor carpeting, many DIY-er’s like to create color blocks or other patterns in this painting project. If you would like to leave some of your indoor outdoor carpeting its original color, cover these sections with masking tape. It is also helpful to use a tape measure or yardstick in order to tape in straight, even lines. This will avoid crooked paint lines between these color blocks after you apply the paint.
Step 4 – Roll on Paint
If you have marked off sections of carpet that are different widths, it is a good idea to use paint rollers of similar sizes. Rollers come in a variety of both lengths and widths; most are relatively cheap at hardware store paint departments. If you are painting different colors next to one another, allow one color to thoroughly dry before applying the second one. Give your painted carpet 24 to 48 hours to dry before pulling up masking tape and walking over the carpet.
