I have painted over a lot of surfaces in my life, in just about every color and paint formulation known to humankind. But I have never intentionally painted carpet, nor have I ever seen it done before. So I was as shocked as anyone at the effort. Rather than rush to judgment, however, I decided to do my own experiment. I took a scrap piece of cut-pile nylon carpet, and then mixed one cup of latex paint conditioner with two cups of latex paint.

I use paint conditioner a lot. In fact, I almost always mix it (as directed on the label) with interior paint, both for walls and trim. It is primarily used when painting with spray equipment, but I use it when rolling or brushing paint as well. The biggest benefit, from my standpoint, is that it slows down the drying time of the paint. As you probably know, latex paint dries very fast, and often this is considered a benefit. But when paint dries more slowly, it has more time to level out. The result is a smoother finish, with less evidence of brushstrokes and lap marks. Paint conditioner has its benefits, but let's be clear about one thing — it is not some magic formula that can make paint suitable for use on carpets. And I am not aware of any manufacturer of paint conditioner, nor of paint for that matter, who recommends using their product on carpet.

I applied the paint to my piece of carpet with a brush, working it into the fibers as best I could. It went on easily, and the addition of conditioner certainly helped the application. It also slowed down the drying time. After 48 hours, the paint was still a little wet. After three days, however, I was able to rub a paper towel over the painted surface without picking up any trace of the paint.