DIY Painted Porch Rug: Adding a Pop of Color to My Outdoor Space

Transforming an outdoor space doesn’t always require big-budget renovations — sometimes, all it takes is a little paint and creativity! My DIY painted porch rug is the perfect example of how a simple, budget-friendly project can completely refresh a space. With bold colors and a playful pattern, this painted rug not only adds a pop of personality to my porch but also proves that functional decor can be beautiful too. Let me show you how I brought this vibrant idea to life!

Painting a Rug Onto Your Deck or Porch

I chose a bold, vibrant design for the rug. It includes a bold red and orange border framing a series of colorful blocks, each painted in its own hue—greens, blues, and yellows—to create a playful yet structured patchwork.

To Paint or Not to Paint the Porch or Deck

We built our decks and porches using Amish lumber, which is not treated. The “hickory” deck was built a year ago and must be sealed. As you might notice, blue is my favorite color. When I removed the camping mat, I realized the moisture was damaging the wood.

I ordered a five-gallon bucket of Kaleidoscope Blue (Glidden Fundamentals) from Walmart.com. The extendable roller pole was perfect for this job. The deck has five sections: I averaged 15 minutes per section. After the paint dried overnight, I applied a second coat.

This is after the first coat. I prefer to store my paint upside down before using it. If you’ve ever opened a can of paint, revealing a puddle of water on top of the paint, you will know why I prefer this method.

I painted half the porch to get in and out of the house. It also got two good coats of paint. Most of the porch is “under roof,” except for a small addition we built to hold my Blackstone Grill.

What Materials Do I Need to Make a Painted Porch Rug?

These are some of the supplies I used on the painted porch rug.

• Outdoor Paint (in your choice of colors)
• Square
• Tape Measure
• Painter’s Tape
• Pencil
• Marker
• Kneeling Pad
• Floor and Carpet Paint Shield
• Several Paintbrushes (I used cheap chip brushes)

Three Quarts of Paint

How did I choose the paint colors? When I picked out my paint, I took this pillow to The Home Depot.

While sketching my pattern (colors), I brought my chair cushions inside. My sweet Lulu thinks she should take over whenever I throw these on the ground.

The floral cushion covers are handmade to cover thirty-year-old cushions. When I brought the Pallet Love Seat to my vacation home, I was lucky to find a cushion that matched it.

I purchased three quarts of paint at The Home Depot: Flirt Alert (red), Soft Boiled (yellow), and Berring Wave (dark blue). The dark blue and yellow were used to get a dark green, whereas the yellow was mixed with the Kaleidoscope blue to get a light green. We all know that red and yellow make orange, right?

Most colors were mixed on a one-to-one ratio using plastic spoons and take-out containers. Mixing the yellow and red made a deep orange that was too similar to the original red. I used a dab of white to tone it down a little.

The paint is ready. Let’s see how I “designed” the painted porch rug.

Designing The Pattern

This is an image I found on Pinterest. When I clicked on it, I was taken to Better Homes and Gardens, which had a 404 error. The colors of my painted porch rug are much more vibrant, but the pattern is very similar.

I did a rough sketch of how I thought the rug pattern should look.

Painted Rug Tutorial

Initially, I was going to go with the inspiration photo pattern. However, the painted porch rug would not be large enough for my space on the Hickory deck. The original was 3×2 blocks. I added extra rows to make a larger rectangle. Each of the small pieces of tape has a color written on it with a Sharpie and is oriented in the direction the paint should go.

The lines were drawn using a pencil, and a large square lined up with the deck boards.

The paint shields were used between the boards as needed.

This painted porch rug is 4×3 blocks with an overall size of 8′ by 6′ 7″.

Stepping onto the deck, you’re immediately drawn to the painted rug, which feels like a burst of color and warmth beneath your feet. The bright red and orange border is like a frame for an art piece, while the carefully painted shapes inside—each in a different shade of green, blue, yellow, and red—have a patchwork charm that feels cozy and casual.

This painted rug creates a welcoming, almost whimsical atmosphere, as if inviting guests to step closer, sit down, and relax in its colorful embrace. The mix of warm and cool tones provides a balanced, eye-catching look.

I have six of these plastic Adirondack chairs. They do not match the Kaleidoscope blue. I plan to paint the chairs using each of the new colors. Did you know you can paint plastic chairs?

Can You Make a Smaller Porch Rug?

The pattern on the front porch is 4×2 blocks. This painted porch rug measures 8′ x 5′ overall.

This rug is a little smaller, and it is much more manageable. I guess practice makes perfect. The rectangle in the top left corner was later changed to another color. Do you want to guess what color I used to make it stand out more?

How to Paint a Square Porch Rug

I have a small round table and decided to do one more rug. This square-painted rug is made of 2×2 blocks, making it 5′ x 5′.

Tips For Painting a Porch Rug

Why do I use cheap chip brushes? I prefer these brushes for this kind of rough-sawn wood because I don’t want to ruin my good paintbrushes. Another reason I like using them is that there is less paint waste. Finally, they are easy to clean!

I recommend keeping each color handy in a sandwich bag for quick touch-ups.

If you can, hop around and paint all the same colors simultaneously. Only remove the small pieces of tape after you are focused with that brush in your hand.

I found that reusing the painter’s tape was easy and frugal! I removed it while the paint was still damp and hung it on the porch post until it dried, rotated out, and was reused.

The painter’s tape was used to write the colors as well as taping off the lines.

Paint takes several weeks to cure completely. I used small pieces of parchment paper to prevent the swing’s feet from sticking to the painted porch rug.

The top left corner was changed from orange to yellow. Is that what you guessed?

Colorful Painted Porch Rug

This painted porch rug adds a personal, artistic touch to my porch that a regular outdoor rug couldn’t match. It’s durable, unique, and an excellent conversation starter!

This “rug” has all the warmth and charm of a textile rug but with the durability of paint. It transforms the porch into a welcoming, relaxing, or entertaining space. The design also adds a sense of organization to the area, creating a defined “room” within the porch itself.

The photo makes it hard to tell that the left and top frames are red while the right and lower frames are orange. I blended the colors at the corners.

This painted porch rug project was challenging and rewarding, transforming the porch into a colorful retreat.

The painted wood has a soft, matte finish that feels smooth underfoot, and each color brings its own personality to the porch. The deep blues add calmness, the greens a touch of nature, and the yellows and reds a playful energy. It’s almost like having a piece of quilted artwork grounded on the floor.

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