Summer is here again. The days are long, warm, and sunny. After being cooped up in our houses during the COVID-19 lockdowns, most people are ready to be outside as much as they can. Life may be getting more “normal,” but many people are still not ready to spend lots of time in public spaces. For them one solution might be to extend their house outward to the outdoors where it’s easier to be social. If you want to make your porch, patio, or deck more attractive and cozy, what are your options for patio carpet?
Patio Carpet Challenges
The main enemies of carpet are water, too much sunlight, dirt, and insects. If your outdoor living space is protected from moisture, as a three-season porch is, you can use whatever carpet type you like to decorate. Bear in mind that too much sun exposure will fade carpet, though. If your space will be exposed to all of the above, there are still a number of possibilities for patio carpet or deck carpeting.
Carpet Options for Outdoors
In terms of aesthetics, it’s hard to improve on carpeting or rugs made of natural materials. They look wonderful outside because the materials they are made from, such as jute or bamboo, naturally belong outdoors. They will blend in beautifully with stone or wood. Their only downside is that they will be more vulnerable to staining, mold growth, and decomposition. You will have to take some care in maintaining them.
If your space will be used regularly or face tough challenges like high traffic or use by children and pets, opting for indoor/outdoor carpeting or rugs is a good choice. Waterproof carpets are excellent for the pool area or around a hot tub or spa. The plastic fibers in indoor/outdoor carpets are resistant not just to water, but to dirt, fading, stains, and mold. If they get dirty or smelly, they can be cleaned with a mild bleach solution.
We talked about another solid option for outdoor carpeting in our last blog, and that’s artificial turf. It’s a bit more complicated to install artificial turf than it is to install carpeting and certainly more complicated than to add rugs. Still, for the right location and the right use, artificial turf is a wonderful long-term solution in the home for areas next to decks or patios.
Adding small rugs to porches or patios is an easy way to make a space pretty and cozy. Smaller rugs can easily be removed if the weather gets too wet. They dry faster in the sun than larger carpets. If you have a carpet remnant, you can always cut out a small piece and bind it with Instabind to make a rug for your space. Our new Instabind colors are all earth tones. They complement a variety of colors and patterns and look good on carpets for the living room or the porch or patio.
For outdoor rugs, we’d also suggest our Outdoor Marine Instabind. It’s especially suited for the wear and tear nature specializes in. The Outdoor Marine Instabind couples well with our Hi-Temp adhesive glue sticks for a tough rug binding that will stand up to heat and moisture.
Many homeowners have invested time, sweat, and money into their homes this year because they had down time or were stuck at home during quarantines. It was a good time to accomplish a project or finish up one already started. If you’re working on making your porch, patio, or deck a little nicer this summer, don’t forget to add a rug or patio carpet.
