Faux sisal makes a sleek statement
on a patio, deck, or porch.

Vinyl Style

For a sleek outdoor rug for your covered porch or patio, try dressing up a vinyl remnant purchased from a home center. Fashioned using a notched squeegee, this design imitates alternating squares of sisal. We chose two shades of sage for our rug, but you can choose whatever colors coordinate best with your space. All of our work was done on the remnant's white-color backside.

• Vinyl remnant, cut to desired size
• Exterior latex primer
• Exterior latex paint in two desired colors
• Straightedge
• Pencil
• Painter's tape
• Squeegee (as wide as squares you want to paint)
• Crafts knife
• Roller and roller cover; paintbrush
• Clear, satin-finish water-base polyurethane
• Paint rags

 

Alternate patterns and colors for
a checkerboard effect.

1. Roll primer onto the reverse side of the vinyl remnant; let dry. Paint two coats of the lighter base color; let dry in between coats. After the second coat dries, use a straightedge and a pencil to draw a grid of squares to cover the vinyl (ours were 8 inches square). Mask off every other square in the first row with painter's tape. Skip a row; repeat masking squares on rest of remnant in the same pattern, skipping every other row.

2. Make a combing tool by cutting 1/4-inch-wide notches in the rubber blade of a squeegee; our squeegee was 8 inches long. (To vary the look of your rug, cut larger or smaller notches.) Practice on a scrap piece of vinyl or poster board, then brush on the lighter shade of paint in the first masked square of the top row. Pull the comb through the square while paint is still wet. Work in a smooth, even motion with a firm stroke.

3. Repeat technique, making combed lines running in same direction in the lighter color in all other masked squares to create a checkerboard look. Use a rag to wipe the comb after every stroke to keep paint from accumulating in the notches. Let the paint set for approximately two hours. Remove tape once the paint is dry.

4. Beginning one square to the right of the first painted square, mask off every other square in the second row, pressing tape down firmly; repeat to complete the checkerboard pattern. Using the light paint color, repeat painting and combing technique in these masked squares, making combed lines running in same direction as the previous ones. Let the paint set. Remove tape once paint is dry.

5. Mask off uncombed squares in first row with painter's tape. Skip a row; repeat. Brush on darker-color paint in first masked-off square; pull comb through square. Pull comb through square again, pulling perpendicular to lines just combed. Remember to wipe comb with rag after every stroke. Immediately place comb in original position and pull through paint again, moving comb in zigzag motion to create herringbone pattern. Repeat with remaining masked squares. Let paint set. Remove tape once the paint is dry.

6. Repeat taping, painting, and combing to create a herringbone pattern in all remaining unpainted squares. Let the rug dry thoroughly. Seal with two coats of clear, satin-finish, water-base polyurethane.