Looking for a fun and unique DIY project? Try making your very own denim floor rug! This tutorial shows you how to upcycle some old jeans into a stylish and functional piece for your home.
The best part about this project is that it's totally customizable. You can use any size or shape of denim, so you can really get creative with it. And since it's made from upcycled materials, it's completely eco-friendly.

Denim Floor Rug

Upcycling your old jeans into a new rug is a great way to save money and add some personality to your floor! This tutorial will show you how to make a denim floor rug in just a few simple steps. You can use any size or wash of denim you have on hand, so the possibilities are totally endless!

A homemade rug is a perfect way to add some character and style to any room in your home. Plus, it’s bound to be one-of-a-kind since no one else will have the same exact rug as you. If you want more ideas, you might want to check out this other list of handmade floor rugs for inspiration.

How Do I Wash a Denim Floor Rug?

There are a few ways that you can wash this denim floor rug. Since it is made of denim, this is a lot more durable than other handmade items may be. You have nothing to worry about in regards to washing this, but below are some common options that work well for a denim rug.

Wash the rug by hand in a sink of warm water with just a bit of your favorite detergent then hang to dry. This is the best for making sure this last a long time and works best with the hot-glued aspects of this project.
Wash on the top rack of the dishwasher (alone, not with dishes) on a gentle or cold cycle. Air dry rather than steam dry.
Put it in a delicates bag and wash on the gentle cold cycle of your washing machine and then ring out and air dry.

The one commonality with this is that I do not recommend drying it in a traditional dryer, but instead hanging it out to dry is best.

Does This Need Any Special Backing?

You don't have to add any special backing onto the denim floor rug. However, sometimes adding a special backing can give the rug more structure.

We already used a solid piece of denim on the back of the rug, but you can add another layer to that if you prefer. Another option would be to make that base layer actually two pieces of denim with a layer of cotton batting or foam between them and sewn together before the top layers of denim are added.

I like the idea of adding a nonslip mat to the backside. You can find a variety of options in a hardware store that would work for this. It makes it less likely to be a rug that slips around on the floor and poses a hazard.

old blue jeans rug on wood floor net to door

What Should I Put Around the Edge of My DIY Rug?

I like to put different styles of pretty ribbon around the outside of the denim floor rug. For this one, I used a rainbow-colored pom pom ribbon. It has the tiny pom poms attached every few inches, so gives it a fun look.

You can use ribbons, yarn, or even other fabrics. You could even sew a length of the seam from the blue jeans around the edges if you want to give it a more structured edge.

If you want to add some bling to the look of the rug, you can add sequin strips, beaded ribbon, or rhinestones along the edge. If doing this, your cleaning routine will definitely need to be a hand wash option for safety.

You also do not have to add anything around the outside. You can leave it plain. If you choose to leave it plain, I would run a stitch along the outside of the rug so that it does not fray, or fold the edges over and make a seam. This will add a finished look to the denim floor rug.

woman in white shirt holding old blue jeans rug

Supplies Needed

folded blue jeans on white table with scissors needle and thread

How to Make a Denim Floor Rug

Start by gathering denim or denim scraps in a few different washes if possible. Using different colors gives the rug a unique and more textured look than just one solid color. Now, cut the legs off the blue jeans, then cut down the seam and remove it creating a flat piece of fabric.

Now, onto the back of the denim strips, trace 3" wide circles.

Repeat this making a total of 45-60 denim circles, depending upon the size of your rug. Cut all of these out, and sort by wash so it is easy to mix and match when assembling it.

Now, cut another denim leg off of blue jeans, then cut along the seam and lay it out into one flat piece. This is going to become the base of your rug. I cut mine at 20" long and 16" wide. You may have to use two pieces and stitch them together to get the size you prefer.

hands using black scissors to cut down leg of blue jeans

It's time to assemble the rug now. Begin by gluing the circles onto the larger piece of denim in a row of 6 to 7 circles. Overlap each circle onto the next to create a "scale" look on the rug.

blue glue gun attaching circles of denim to fabric

Then, you will go over this with a needle and thread or the sewing machine to sew the circles into place on the bottom layer. The glue is just to hold them together until sewn.

black sewing machine being used to sew denim

Continue this process, alternating wash colors or stains to give it a unique look.

Once the rug is the size you want and the base is covered in circles of denim, you can then trim off any excess pieces on the sides and give it the size and shape you want.

black scissors trimming end of denim rug

Lastly, sew on a length of the pom pom ribbon around all of the edges of the rug.

For a more secure option, you can sew the individual circles together before sewing them onto the rug rather than gluing them into place. While this can be done by hand, it would be time-consuming and perhaps better to do with a sewing machine.

feet sitting on top of denim floor rug by chair

More Easy Denim Craft Ideas

Denim is one of my favorite crafting mediums. It's durable, and since it's already in my wardrobe, it is often free! Gather up your old and worn out or too small blue jeans and turn them from trash into treasure using one or all of the ideas below. Make sure that you bookmark these ideas to find easily or print out the tutorials to make soon.

Yield: 1

Adorable Handmade Denim Floor Rug

Use old blue jeans to make this adorable handmade denim floor rug! A unique addition to the floor in any room of your home!

Active Time 45 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

Tools

Instructions

Cut the legs off a pair of blue jeans then cut down the seam and remove it creating flat a piece of denim fabric.
Now, trace a 3" wide circle onto the denim. Repeat this for a total of 45-60 circles in various shades of denim or all one color depending upon your preferences. The amount you use depends upon how large you want your rug to be.
Cut these out.
Now, cut another leg of denim and remove one seam to lay it out flat. Trim to the size of the rug you want. A good rule of thumb is 20" long by 16" wide.
Now, glue the circles, overlapping each other, in a row of 6 or 7 along one end of the denim piece. Then, you will take this to the sewing machine and sew them into place on the edge of the larger denim place.
Repeat this process overlapping, then sew the circles and alternating colors each time. them, overlap, and use different colors/stains of denim to create a nice look until the entire rug is covered.
Once happy with the look, trim off any excess denim on all sides.
Now, sew the pom pom ribbon around all of the edges.