Author Topic: Sealing an indoor/outdoor rug w/ polyurethane (a la DIY floorcloths)?  (Read 8530 times)

Offline anoukaimee

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I rent and have an incredibly dingy, disgusting linoleum floor in my bathroom. While I'd love to ask my landlord to replace it, I'm getting amazing rent and really don't want to push my luck.

So I bought a polypropelene (olefin) indoor/outdoor rug on sale, that was advertised as one that could be "hosed off." It looks great in the bathroom, but it isn't entirely flat weave. I'm now reading that olefin rugs get dingy quickly and actually require more upkeep than nylon rugs. Indoor/outdoor?

Now I'm kind of regretting not either installing peel/stick tile or making a floorcloth, because although it is low-pile, it does have a nap. I have a litterbox in the room, and would like to minimize vacuuming--if there is any way to seal it to make it something I can sweep/mop, that'd be great.

Perhaps even more importantly, I need to totally waterproof it. I have an "accident-prone" dog. While I'm sure that it is easier to clean than, say, a wool shag, it doesn't appear to be totally resistant to stains and water, as I would've thought from the "indoor/outdoor" moniker.

I've been looking through DIY tutorials on floorcloths/decoratively painting cheap rugs/etc. and have found a few different things:

*Amazingly, none of the posts describing painting "utility rugs" etc. (the closest to this case) have addressed the issue of sealing the rug. But apparently putting wall paint on a rug is fine; it will just make it stiffer (which is fine by me, so long as it still lays flat).

*The posts on making floorcloths from canvas usually say to seal with three coats of water-based polyurethane (or acrylic polyurethane).

*There are other products like a standard scotchgarding or one specifically for carpet, but these would not seal the nap or, I fear, truly waterproof the rug.

*There are heavy-duty protectants for tarps and even boat sails, etc., and silicone products, etc. If polyurethane wouldn't work, I'm more than game if they won't totally kill the rug.

I want to make this as tough as possible, without affecting the color drastically (a little darker or brighter is fine, but no spotting, etc.); I don't care whether it is rigid (if it lies flat and doesn't crack or anything). As I said above, a floorcloth made from linoleum would've probably been the best way to go (and what I'll do if I can't really fix this).

I sunk about $50 in the rug (impulse buy! was 75% off and is pretty gorgeous), so I'd like to do this if possible, but I also don't want to spend more than $20 or so on a product if possible.

Does anyone have any suggestions? If the polyurethane sealant wouldn't crack underfoot or ruin the dye, I'd be totally in. And if so, is a water-based one sufficient to truly waterproof it? I'll probably be doing this in my apartment, and want to avoid fumes as much as possible.

Thank you very much. I'm in over my head and desperately need the advice of people in the know.  ???

Offline mymint87

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Re: Sealing an indoor/outdoor rug w/ polyurethane (a la DIY floorcloths)?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2017, 11:07:29 AM »
welcome, i spray alot of water sealer, my drop cloths catch all the overspray, they are still plyable and have become waterproof...lol...almost like a butyl drop cloth...lol....good luck
I don't do this for a hobby and I'm damn sure I don't need the practice

Offline anoukaimee

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Re: Sealing an indoor/outdoor rug w/ polyurethane (a la DIY floorcloths)?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2017, 11:30:53 AM »
Thanks! But unclear: do you mean like Minwax or something? This has a nap to it--just about .25" but it isn't a flat weave.

Thank you.

Offline mymint87

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Re: Sealing an indoor/outdoor rug w/ polyurethane (a la DIY floorcloths)?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2017, 08:14:12 PM »
no, i mean something along the lines of "thompsons water sealer" or any paint supplier proprietary water sealer.....but your biggest problem would be testing costs if you want to be sure...i say throw caution to the wind and bomb it.....i say get some water sealer, put it in a empty spray bottle,  take the rug out in the sun, lay it on a flat surface such as concrete and start spraying it...good luck
I don't do this for a hobby and I'm damn sure I don't need the practice