Paint the Carpet, or Not

type size: [A] [A] [A]

Sometimes it really does pay to read the fine print. Or, in this case, to listen to the justification. In an Orlando, Fla., studio apartment, Hildi faced the challenge of designing a new look for a room with a particularly serious case of ugly carpeting. The wall-to-wall carpet was dirty and stained and almost certainly beyond saving. Yet, this being Trading Spaces time and money imposed strict limits on what could be done about it.

When Hildi let it be known that she intended to paint the carpet, she told her quite obviously shocked co-workers that she was acting more out of desperation than good design sense. There's not much that can be done with old carpeting except to replace it, she explained. But removing glued down carpet can be a long and tedious chore, and she did not want to take the chance that the small team would inadvertently commit themselves to a project that could not be completed in two days. Still, something had to be done with that carpet.

Hildi decided to paint the carpet, using the same dark brown that she had selected for the ceilings. She mixed the latex paint with a healthy dose of latex paint conditioner and then applied the paint with a standard roller. Although she did not specify the exact ratio, it appeared that she mixed one part of conditioner with two parts of paint. As viewers of this episode could readily see, the paint went on easily and the change in color certainly helped the room. Hildi did mention that, had time permitted, it would have helped to give the carpet a second coat of paint.

Does It Work?

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.

The End Result

Visually, the carpet did not look bad, at least from a distance. Close up, you could easily see that the fibers were compressed. When I pressed on the surface with my hand, it felt rough and left an impression that did not quickly disappear. The effect of stepping on the carpet with a bare foot was less than pleasant. In sum, this is not a flooring product that I would want in my home.

I can think of at least one situation in which I might consider painting wall-to-wall carpeting, though, and it might have worked just fine in the studio apartment featured in this Trading Spaces episode. Faced with an ugly piece of glued-down carpet that would be a major hassle to remove, you might decide to cover it with a large rug. You might find, however, that you cannot find a rug to cover the entire floor, and so you would be left with a border of that same old, ugly carpet. Here, you just might conclude that painting the edges of the carpet could significantly improve the overall appearance of the room. I would want to restrict the painting to areas of carpet that would not be walked on, and I would also want to give it plenty of time to dry before I laid the new rug down.

Before taking this step, though, I suggest that you try the same experiment I conducted to see how — or if — you like the effect. I am inclined to believe that dark paint would produce more acceptable results.