Go Back  DoItYourself.com Community Forums > Interior Flooring, Floor Coverings and Coatings Center > Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting
Reload this Page >

best sealant to totally waterproof an outdoor rug for use in bathroom (pets!)

best sealant to totally waterproof an outdoor rug for use in bathroom (pets!)


  #1  
Old 01-18-17, 05:14 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Exclamation best sealant to totally waterproof an outdoor rug for use in bathroom (pets!)

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. 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 acrylic polyurethane (or water-based polyurethane like this).
  • 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., like this or silicone products like this, etc. 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.
 
  #2  
Old 01-19-17, 02:24 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Welcome to the forums!

While products like scotchgard may make the rug more water/stain resistant I doubt there is anything you can apply that would make it waterproof. Would it be feasible to take the rug outside as needed, hose it off and hang it up to dry?
 
  #3  
Old 01-19-17, 04:53 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
Rugs in kitchens and bathrooms are something that died out in the 70's... and for good reason. There is no way a thick mat of fabric in a wet environment can't cause a problem. You could use outdoor carpeting and it would still shelter water in it's backing and at the base of its fibers forming a breeding ground for mold, mildew and any other bugger you can think of. Bath mats are small and easily thrown in the laundry. Doing the same with wall to wall carpet is not possible.
 
  #4  
Old 01-19-17, 01:03 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Did they, though? I see huge memory foam mats for sale in kitchens and so forth... they were just out of my price range.

One reason I like it is because I have one outlet in my rather large bathroom and have set up a makeup vanity on the other side of the room; will need to run a cord across floor for vanity light and hairdryer, etc. The rug would cover it. It isn't wall-to-wall, btw: it's more like 5'x4' (which allows approximately 2.5' on each side.

Can you think of a better affordable solution? I'd really like to find something. What do you think about making a floorcloth out of linoleum, or else is there a good affordable source for basic but attractive click in place/stick and remove tiling?

Thanks
 
  #5  
Old 01-19-17, 01:07 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thank u!

Not really . I live right in downtown Portland, no back yard or even easy access to hose. We have a big homeless issue and I can just see it getting ripped off while it is hanging to dry.

Do you think the polyurethane coat would work? At least to seal the nap. Again, main concern is that it might crack or something underfoot. At this point, I don't have a whole lot of other options other than to find some other alternative, like doing a DIY linoleum floorcloth or installing click in place or stick-on covering (please see above--really would like to have some way of running a cord under it, too, since I have only one freaking outlet in my apartment).

Thanks for your help!
 
  #6  
Old 01-19-17, 04:52 PM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
You are asking us to help you semi permanently run an extension cord under a rug and across the floor of your bathroom for a high draw appliance (hair dryer). No responsible person will help. Why don't you contact an electrician to have an outlet properly installed where you need it.
 
  #7  
Old 01-19-17, 07:21 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Ok, sorry! I didn't realize. Again, it is a matter of renting in a high-cost neighborhood where I have a landlord who is giving me excellent rent terms: I don't want to push him.

Thanks tho.
 

Last edited by onenil; 01-19-17 at 07:22 PM. Reason: needed emoji!
  #8  
Old 01-20-17, 03:22 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
need to run a cord across floor for vanity light and hairdryer, etc. The rug would cover it.
Besides being against code that is just down right dangerous! A cord run across the floor where it can be stepped on will deteriorate the cord and covering it up with a rug will hide the damage, add a little moisture and you run the risk of shock! You'd get by with it just long enough for you to be surprised by the shock. You need to either find another route to power the light and hair dryer of move them to another location!

You might see how much an electrician will charge to add an outlet and then discuss it with the landlord ..... maybe split the cost, deduct from the rent or whatever works for both of you.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: