How to Make Your Own Area Rug Using Carpeting

Measure the room for the rug. Rugs often only cover a small portion of a room, while some cover a majority of the room. Think about this while measuring for the rug. It is advisable to lay out the perimeter of the rug with a piece of tape attached to the floor to make sure the size is appropriate before making your final decision on the size of the rug.

Select a piece of carpet to create the rug from. Think about the colors and textures of the room and how the piece of carpet you choose will unify all the elements. A fluffy rug will be more difficult to clean, but will have a larger impact on the overall look of the room. Think about these aspects when selecting a piece of carpet.

Select a binding material for the rug. This material will edge the carpet remnant and will be visible. Think about the color and texture of the rug and how the binding material will integrate with the edge of the rug. Select a material that will not overpower the overall look of the room but will blend into the edge to create a secure binding.

Measure the sides of the carpet piece to determine the length of binding needed. Be sure to add an extra foot of material to allow overlap of the end of the binding with the beginning point to further secure the binding. While an extra foot might be more than plenty, it is easier to cut off any extra binding than it is to add more.

Cut the carpet to the size you have determined for the rug. Make sure the corners are square at a 90 degree angle. If you are cutting the piece of carpet yourself, be sure to use a sharp blade and cut all the way through the thickness of the carpet. Keep your hands away from the path of the knife.

Secure the binding around the edge of the carpet piece. Most carpet bindings are created with a fold that should be glued onto the edge with a hot glue gun. The binding will fold over the edge of the rug and secure to the back, edge, and top of the rug. Align the binding along the edge of the rug, starting at one corner, gluing and aligning as you continue around the rug. Once you have edged the rug's entire perimeter and reach the beginning point, clip the end of the binding, leaving an inch of material to overlap the end of the binding on top of the beginning of the binding. Fully secure the overlapping binding with glue.