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You are here: Home / Decorating / From Rope to Rug | A DIY Tutorial

From Rope to Rug | A DIY Tutorial

July 13, 2015 • Crafts, Decorating

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From rope to rug – this DIY tutorial will show you how to create a stunning outdoor accessory that rivals the look of an expensive jute rug.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I’m supposed to be working on our master bedroom makeover.

But when an idea sparks your brain in your sleep, you know you just have to go with it – ASAP.

So – I would like to show you how to take a boring rope, and magically turn it into the most charming rug (or floor mat) you have ever seen.  (Zero sewing, by-the-way).

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

At first, I was a little skeptical of my “brilliant midnight revelation”.  Those kinds of ideas don’t always work out, ya know.  I’d seen rugs made from rope in a circular fashion, but never DIY’ed like I had dreamed.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I was simply going on the faith of a half awake thought.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I was hoping in the end, it would rival an expensive jute rug – mini sized.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I imagined it would make the perfect rugged outdoor floor mat, and would grab all the dirt from little ones toes before they entered my house.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I knew I would love the color, lines and texture of rope lined up nicely in a row.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

So the next morning, I set off to the local hardware store to buy some rope that would suit my fancy. (Here is the exact rope I bought, but from Amazon – click HERE)

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

After a little trial and error, I managed to duplicate the rope rug from my dreams.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

We love this new addition to our home so much . . .

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

. . . I almost can’t wait to fall asleep again in hopes of another vision of loveliness.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I will certainly let you know if that happens 🙂

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

In the meantime, I wish to assure you that dreams do come true.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

And that is a wonderful thought.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

If you love this little floor mat as much as I do, I wanted to be sure to show you how to make your own.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

So let’s first talk about the supplies you will need and then I’ll show you step-by-step how to recreate your own rope rug with fringed edges.

Materials:

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS
  • Rope
    • Right.  That’s kind of obvious.  The type and variety is so flexible.  You can choose from natural fibers or synthetic, all depending on the look you desire.  You can also select a variety of thicknesses.  I opted for a natural fiber rope which was 5/8 inch in diameter.  (HERE is the exact rope I bought, but from Amazon).
    • How much do you need?  This is a super tough question to answer.  It really depends on the size of rug you want to make and how much you want to spend.  You may need to sit down and do a little math.  I did this to kind of ballpark how much I would need.  I determined how long of strips I would want and then used a measuring tape to mark 5/8 inch markings down to the size I decided. My rope cost .58 cents per foot so the rope cost around 30 dollars. I ended up buying 60 feet of rope, which ended up being slightly too much. Not bad for a rug you could see at Pottery Barn, am I right?
  • An inexpensive outdoor mat
    • This is to glue your rope onto, to give it the structure it will need.
    • I found a 3 dollar door mat from wal-mart which worked great.
    • This mat I found was way larger than I planned to make, because I would have needed twice as much rope to fill the surface (and I had already spent more than I wanted to for a rug).  I wasn’t concerned about that because I picked a mat I could easily cut to the size I planned.
  • Heavy Duty Liquid Nails (with caulk gun)
    • If it says indoor/outdoor use that is all the better.
    • My husband and I debated on the best type of glue for this project, and after it is all said and done – I feel like this glue was perfect for the job.  The rope is very secure.
How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

The first thing you’ll want to do is cut all your rope pieces to size.  I measured them up to the length of the mat, and then added a few inches extra to each end, for the fraying effect.  To cut the rope quickly, we used a sharp razor blade cutter thing from my husbands pile of tools.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

Then I just began spreading glue in rows and laying my rope directly on top of the glue and pushed as closely together as possible.

Some things I did learn, was that this process took longer than hoped. Because the liquid nails does not dry quickly, your rope may shift from where you place it down.

I found it best to lay a few rows down, place heavy books on top of those rows for a couple of hours or so – and then the glue was dry enough on those previous rows to be added to.

But once that glue was completely dry, the rope feels like it will never move.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

After my door mat was completely covered with the rope, I took some extra rope and unwound the coils so I had some smaller threads to work with on the ends.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

I simply wove the threads through and around each open rope on the ends.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

Then I put my 8 year old daughter to work to help me unwind and fray each end piece.  This did get a little messy.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

But the results looked fantastic.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS
How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

And that was really all there was to it.

A very quick and rewarding project.

How to turn rope into a beautiful rug | a DIY tutorial by TIDBITS

Feel free to pin an image to your boards so you don’t forget where to find this tutorial!

I would love to hear if you like the look or not, and if you give it a try!


*Linking up to these parties, HERE.

**This article contains affiliate links – but you can rest assured I only recommend products I use and love.

I’m Cami! Welcome to my blog TIDBITS. Follow me along for beautiful home decor ideas and inspiration for do-it-yourself living
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tricia says

    May 27, 2021

    I love this! I have an awkwardly shaped powder room. I can use this concept to customize the rug. I’ll go with 6mm hemp. Similarly, I’m using rope to make a rug for the bedroom hallway with rope circles of various sizes because it’s also a very awkward shape. Bravo!

    Reply
  2. kate says

    February 25, 2020

    Can you use that in a bathroom? Not sure if i care for the ‘frills’ on the end.

    Reply
  3. Matth says

    August 7, 2019

    Brilliant ideas. I love to create a DIY rug for my house. Decorating my house gives me a relaxing feeling when I see my creation in an overlooking way.

    Reply
  4. Cyndi says

    February 17, 2019

    I am a bit confused you glued the rope the width if the rug not the length I am very literal so is there a reason you did it seems it would be too short

    Reply
  5. Zoe says

    October 22, 2017

    I saw your rug and fell in love with it instantly. I’ve been wanting a unique rug for my living room for ages. Much larger than the one you made though. But you got me to thinking. I began trying out different background to see what I could use without the cost going through the roof. In the end I used a very heavy canvas drop cloth which I’d glued a non-skid rub backing to the add durability, liquid nails as you suggested and of course the rope. It took me 2 weeks to complete my rug but now I have a stunning unique 8×10 living room rug. Truly, it’s absolutely gorgeous and so unique I get compliments on it constantly. The best part is I can vacuum it! I just have to take care to not catch the loose ends. The only downside is it weighs an absolute ton but it rolls nicely to allow me to clean underneath. All said and done my rug cost me $108.00

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      October 26, 2017

      Wow! What a brilliant idea! And what a labor of love I bet it was! If you ever think to send me a photo, I’d love to see the finished product!

      Reply
    • Kimeta says

      October 27, 2017

      Hi, I was.planing to make a big rope rug in living room, just like u did. Can u please send a picture of theone you made, I would.like to see how it looks.like in room. Since my living room is way too big, I.want to make a rug 12 sqare meters, but I have no idea how many meters of rope I need?! Thank you very much!!!

      Reply
  6. Beatrice lisa says

    November 15, 2015

    I love it all, the pictures, the colors, the model etc… The rug is a fantastic idea, I am pinning it for a future project. I just love the look. Thank you for sharing.
    Beatrice

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      November 16, 2015

      Thank you very much! She is a good little model for me 😉

      Reply
  7. AnnaBelle says

    September 12, 2015

    I love this rug! My middle-or-the-night ideas have never turned out this gorgeous.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 15, 2015

      Haha! Mine rarely do! Thank you for the sweet comment!

      Reply
  8. Ksmiley says

    August 31, 2015

    So cute! I’m thinking of making one for our boat dock. Hopefully, it’s comfortable enough for bare feet. Great idea!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      August 31, 2015

      This would be adorable for a boat dock – however – I feel I should mention the rope is not all that comfortable on bare feet. It bothers my kids to stand on it without shoes. Perhaps if you used synthetic rope it would ware better with water and not be as prickly. Just some thoughts!

      Reply
  9. Ellie says

    July 30, 2015

    I absolutely love this doormat. I can’t wait to try this myself. Thanks for such clear instructions.

    Reply
  10. Kathleen says

    July 29, 2015

    Awesome Rope Rug, Cami! And it’s such a great DIY ~ really easy to follow! I’m due a change just about now, so many thanks for posting this! I may want to try Holiday versions later, somehow “weaving” in Fall & Christmas imagery! Perhaps you could have a dream or two, as well, about those!!!

    Reply
  11. Cindy DIY beautify says

    July 24, 2015

    This is a fabulous tutorial!
    Cindy DIY beautify recently posted…How to Make Burlap and Lace Wrapped Candle HoldersMy Profile

    Reply
  12. Caitlin @ The Delighted Dwelling says

    July 24, 2015

    Oh my!! I just found your blog via your feature on Craftberry Bush, and I absolutely love the.whole.thing.! Your styles is impeccable!! Thanks for the inspiration!
    Caitlin @ The Delighted Dwelling recently posted…Painting Oak TrimMy Profile

    Reply
  13. Kim says

    July 22, 2015

    Love it! I love anything natural looking and this is so perfect. Gotta get me some rope! Keep a pen and pad handy by your bed…don’t want to miss any fantastic ideas! LOL Found you at The Shady Nest.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      July 27, 2015

      What a sweet comment! Thank you! This rug has been holding up great and I too love the natural look of it. Thanks for coming by!

      Reply
  14. Emily @ The Small Stuff Counts says

    July 22, 2015

    This is a beautiful rug! I will most definitely be making a similar one in the near future. Thanks for sharing! Visiting you via the Creative Spark link-up.
    Emily @ The Small Stuff Counts recently posted…My Secret Weapon For Keeping My Email Inbox Under ControlMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Michelle from Weekend Craft says

    July 22, 2015

    This is so brilliant! Love this idea. I have a mat that isn’t the prettiest after the winter we’ve had. maybe its time for a makeover. Thanks so much for linking up at Creative Spark Link Party. I am happy to tell tou that you are featured this week! Stop by and check it out! http://weekendcraft.com/journal/creative-spark-link-party-64
    Michelle from Weekend Craft recently posted…Creative Spark Link Party #64My Profile

    Reply
  16. Pamela says

    July 20, 2015

    Sow your post on craftberrybush ….and looks too cute. Going to pin for a later time as school projects come first..
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  17. Jamie | anderson + grant says

    July 20, 2015

    Oh my gosh….you are brilliant! Absolutely LOVE the look of this rug and your photos are so charming!
    Jamie | anderson + grant recently posted…The Life Changing Magic of Tidying UpMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Kristie says

    July 15, 2015

    So clever! I am thinking my back door needs one for my dog to wipe her feet on!

    Reply
  19. Cecilia says

    July 14, 2015

    Oh yes, I do like it…a lot. I’m going to pin it so I can make one in the (hopefully near) future. It’s way cool! And your daughter is a great blog model. She’s adorable!
    Cecilia recently posted…Side GardenMy Profile

    Reply
  20. Liv says

    July 14, 2015

    Excellent! I have an old mat made from lobster trap ropes and I love it. Although, I don’t love the bright colors as much as I love the muted look your mat has.
    Liv recently posted…Letters to Lincoln, month 13My Profile

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      July 14, 2015

      That sounds really lovely though! Rope adds such a wonderful texture to everything. Thanks for always supporting me Liv!

      Reply

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Hi! I am Cami. My passion is to help you, as the keeper of your home, to feel inspired to create a home you love and to learn the homemaking skills to help you do so.


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Welcome to my blog, TIDBITS! I am a homeschool Mom to 4 and a fanatical DIY'er. I absolutely love home - and I love to inspire others as the keeper of their homes!

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I love sharing my ideas and tutorials! I ask that you respect my work and follow these guidelines. 1. All images are property of Tidbits blog. 2. Feel free to use 1 or 2 images on your own webpages, provided a link back to my blog is clearly available. 3. Do not remove any watermark or crop/edit my images in any way, unless given written consent by myself. 4. All tutorials/ideas/designs are for personal use only and are not to be copied and distributed in any way. 5. Sharing and pinning through social media is always welcome!

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