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Tanya Memme's Painted Carpets

Materials

  • Large drop clothes
  • Scissors
  • Tape measure
  • Carpet remnant - low pile, not Berber
  • Simply Spray Upholstery Paint (we used olive green, tangerine, chocolate, sage green)
  • One 2" and one 1" roll of painter's tape
  • 4 squares of construction Paper

Steps to Painting Your Carpet:
1. Prep - Lay out the carpet remnant on the drop cloths. Make sure it is even and square at the edges.

2. Measure the Stripes - Measure out the width of your design. The painter's tape will cover some of the carpet, so remember to include it in your measuring.

3. Lay Down Tape and Cover Beyond - Free hand the design with painter's tape or use stencils. Press the painter's tape down firmly into the rug to help keep the upholstery spray paint from leaking underneath it. We used construction paper to make sure the paint's spray didn't get past the intended strip.

4. Apply Paint - Spray flat and straight. Do not shake the paint can over the stripe. Evenly spread out the spray paint.

Tips for Painting Your Carpet:
- Use carpet remnant - low pile, not Burber - Paint won't adhere correctly to Berber weave
- You can use templates and stencils for more complex designs if instead of using painter's tape freehand. - DO NOT USE LATEX PAINT! - Spray upholstery paint is really just fabric dye in spray form - You can use regular liquid paint, but use it with a roller and apply conservatively - Don't be too liberal with the paint, that will give you a hard or crunchy texture if applied to thickly - Let dry completely (at least 8 hours) before rolling, preferably overnight if you can - Apply second coat if necessary, but let the first coat dry completely first. Get more DIY tips from Tanya Memme here: www.tanyamemme.com.

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