DIY Recycled Area Rug

Here's my version of the Do It Yourself Recycled Area Rug. It was my first attempt and turned out pretty well. If you have any suggestions on ways to make the process or end product easier or better, feel free to share your comments! As I am not the first person to come up with the idea for making the rug, feel free to use this "guide" to make your own. If you'd rather have me make one for you I'm sure I can work in some requests in my free time. Please keep in mind the colors available are based on whatever the "discards" are at the time....mostly neutral colors.

Tools/items required for completing this project: Carpet samples, 1 roll of heavy-duty strength duct tape, utility knife and extra blades, mat cutting board, sharpie marker, "L" shaped ruler/square, scissors.

Step 1: Make a few phone calls to your local carpet stores and find out if they sell carpet samples, carpet squares, or "retired" demo carpets. Many places do have them and sell them around $1 each.

Step 2: Calculate the size of rug you want to make. For my project we measured the size of our dining room table with the dimensions including people seated around the table. (This way the chairs will still be on the carpet when they are pulled out.)

Step 3: Take a trip to the chosen store(s) and pick out as many samples as you like. If there's room at the store, lay out your picks next to each other on the floor. You don't need to organize them at this point; just make sure the colors work well with each other to your liking.

Step 4: If the samples are not already 12x12 inch squares, now is the time to mark and cut all the samples to that size. Turn them over to the back side for this; it makes the cutting easier and ensures no marker will end up on the finished side.

Step 5: Arrange all the samples on the floor. Try a few different versions to figure out which way you like it best. An easy way to pick which way you like it best is to take a picture of it after each arrangement and then view them on your computer side by side for comparison.

Step 6: Once you've gotten your perfect arrangement, you'll need to flip them over IN ORDER. (When the top right square is flipped over, it should be in the top left position facing down.)

Step 7: Duct tape 2 samples together, making sure to push them tight together before taping. Continue this for all the samples.

Step 8: Duct tape (in a single piece) an entire line/seam for each row in both directions.

Step 9: Duct tape the outer edges from one corner to the next. Be sure just to tape to the edge of the backing; if you leave any tape hanging over the edge, you'll have the sticky side on your feet when you flip it over!

Step 10: Walk on the duct tape to make sure it's squished all the way down for proper adhesion. Sweep, vacuum or pick up all the crumblies stuck to the back side.

Step 11: Ready, set, FLIP!

Step 12: Trim off any excess fuzzies around the edges and where 2 pieces meet, along with any plastic backing material that didn't cut nicely in step 4.

Step 13: Vacuum and voila! Finished!