Needing a thrifty way to improve the look of our workroom, I made a variety of DIY floor rugs using just salvaged fabrics and duct tape!
It’s not unusual to find uncut yardage of awesome fabrics at the local op shop. While not under the illusion that duct tape is the most eco friendly material, I believe this is an application that offers a decent lifespan. We’ve had one DIY floor rug in use for a few months now, the duct tape shows no sign of lifting.
Choose woven fabrics.
First I have chosen some medium weight woven fabrics, and frayed the edges by hand. ~ You could probably work with a fabric that has a slight stretch as the duct tape will stabilise it, however it wouldn’t work well with anything fleecy or prone to pilling, as the duct tape wont adhere. Make sure the fabric is ironed and free of creases before you get started.
Apply duct tape.
I bought a double pack of Paint Partner cloth duct tape (100m). This project used a bit over 1 roll to cover approximately 5-6 square metres (3 rugs). I started by applying the duct tape around the edges, then in a criss-cross pattern, to stablise the fabric. This is to keep it square and avoid warping while applying the rest of the tape.
I originally decided to tape with the grain, as I thought this would eliminate warping. However, I stopped half way on the first rug and started taping across the grain, realising this gave more stability.
~ Key tip: *Tape across the fabric. (It’s easier to determine the direction of the grain if you have the full width of fabric)
Iron the rugs
With one side of the fabric completely covered in tape, iron the fabric side to help fuse with the adhesive.
I found I had a crease in one of the rugs which was a little hard to get out. A few shots of steam was effective in loosening the adhesive and re-setting it correctly.
~ Key tip: *As mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to make sure the fabrics are well ironed before getting started.
I am so happy with how the completed DIY floor rugs look in the studio! They have brought a homeliness to our open plan, concrete floor workspace, and have helped to define separate work areas.
