When I first step my foot into my little cozy home in Kentucky, I had decorated every part of it. I loved the tiny porch right at the entrance with some flower pots, two lawn chairs, a classic tea table, and obviously, a handmade rug with bright shiny color on it.
But little did I know that the outdoor rug will freely go on invitations with high winds, slight drizzle, or regular breeze too.
Yes, every morning I stepped on the porch, I found the rug either in corners or somewhere I didn’t expect it to be. I was annoyed with it and started searching the internet to know how to keep the outdoor rug from blowing away every day.
I found a trick that worked. Yes, I put two potted plants at two corners of it. It not only kept the outdoor rug in its position but also brought a classic Mediterranean vibe to the porch interior. Over the years, I found that there’re other techniques such as weighted furniture, or woven mats that also work find to stop the rug from blowing away with winds.
So, here I reveal my experience.
How to Keep Outdoor Rug From Blowing Away
When you see the beautiful outdoor rug going into places or mismatched with your arrangements, it indeed becomes a headache. Thus, you may want to explore ideas to keep outdoor rugs in their place without problems.
1. Secure the Edges with a Washer:
When you first think about securing the outdoor rugs, most apparently, you will consider putting some heavyweight in it. Yes, the trick works fine and is a practical solution too.
Nonetheless, using a washer to put the rug in its place is an even better idea, as I guess. It is because the heavyweight on the rug actually works only during light gusts. When it becomes stormy or high wind, the trick may not work.
But when you secure the textile with the washers, it works best in all conditions. Also, it saves the rug from getting damaged due to overweight and pressure. Also, even if one or two corners of rugs secured with a washer get caught with the wind, the other corners will keep the rug securely in its position.
So, when you fasten the porch or patio rug with washers, is your best solution. The process includes-
- Use a soft drill bit to cut holes on the rug.
- You should cut four holes in four corners of the rug.
- Now, take one hole each and insert the screw inside it. Then, secure it with the washer underneath the rug.
- Follow step #3 for other corners to secure the holes with washers.
You should use transparent screws so that it doesn’t become an eyesore. Also, I discourage you from using the method if your outdoor rugs are expensive and rare such as Turkish or Persian classics.
Nonetheless, when the hurricane hits your region, this permanent solution will showcase its benefits. So, it is a must-practice idea to secure the outdoor rug in storm-prone areas.
2. Carpet Pads with Adhesive:
You can install the washer easily on a wooden porch or patio to secure the carpet and rugs. But what if you have a concrete floor? Concrete is extremely difficult to penetrate with the drill. But don’t worry, I have the solution ready for you.
You can quickly seek help from the carpet pads with adhesive for the concrete floors. You will get the adhesive pads in nearby hardware or carpet shops. Peel off the packaging and mount the pads right where you want to secure the rug. Ideally, you should use four pads in four corners to ensure the best protection of the rug.
Then, press the rug over the pad so it holds the textile tightly. It ensures great protection against high-winds, although may not be a good solution when a hurricane decides to pay a visit to your locality.
The adhesive pads for carpets work best for the concrete floor. But I guarantee that you will love its performance on the wooden floor too.
3. Use Potted Plants Cleverly:
Let’s admit that we all love some greens around us. That’s why we always seek to arrange our patio, porch, or indoor spaces with some plants. These plants can be both flowery and ornamental. Whatever may be their type is, they can secure the outdoor rugs if positioned cleverly!
And I know you are smart enough to use the brain and position the plants securely. So, what are the most favorite positions?
Ideally, you may put two potted plants in two opposite corners of the rugs. When you set up the potted plants, make sure it meets the interior demand. You should consider the porch and patio furniture arrangement to choose the potted plants.
The pots are available in different shapes and forms with exclusive decorations. And for plants, you can choose Skimmia ‘Rubella’, Euonymus ‘Emerald, Callistemon ‘Hot Pink’ etc. plants. These plants will enhance the porch outlook with their vibrant and vivid colors.
Thus, you not only secure the carpet with the potted plants but also add a leisure-time entertainer for you. It works as a tonic to remove boredom too.
4. Woven Mats are Another Great Solution:
The rug on your outdoor porch or patio is mostly made of wool. The wool is lightweight and so, easily blows away with the strong wind. At times, it decides to take a flight even in the mild breeze. So, you may seek alternatives to these woolen rugs to stop them from blowing away from the outdoor.
Yes, I found the woven mats a great solution to the cause. Many manufacturers nowadays use seagrass to make woven mats. These mats are heavier than wool rugs. Also, it is sturdier than the traditional carpets. Thus, the woven mats will most likely withstand high winds better than the lightweight wool rugs.
The downside of seagrass mats is their reduced longevity. Since it is made of all-natural fabric, it won’t last longer than wool rugs. Thus, I recommend you use synthetic woven rugs to boost the rugs’ lifespan.
5. Apply Furniture Weight:
A big rug with a decorative look is the perfect porch arranger you can think of in a short time. The big rug indeed elevates the exterior look brilliantly.
Nonetheless, its movement is a real headache for most homeowners. But with the clever placement of the porch furniture you can get rid of the problem once and one for all. Make sure, at least two corners r sides of the carpet remain underneath the furniture weight.
You can choose outdoor sofas, tea tables, chairs, and even the reading shelf to secure the carpet with its legs. However, you have to arrange the furniture and rugs to match the porch decoration. Also, it won’t work for the smaller carpets. So, be aware of the trade-off, mates.
Final Words
The crown to your best and most good-looking interior is the best outdoor setup. You can quickly transform an ordinary-looking porch or patio space with a decorative and eye-pleasing rug. If it moves too much and causes you the problem, the solution is ready for you.
You can quickly opt for your favorite ideas from my five suggested tips on how to keep outdoor rug from blowing away with winds. I leave the preference upon your justification. Also, consider the outdoor setup to choose the right solution.
Henry Jurk is an experienced architect with over 20 years of expertise in paving. He shares his knowledge and provides solutions through his blog posts at OkPatio.com. If you have any questions about patios, gardens, and outdoor spaces, you can find the correct answers from Henry. You can contact him via email at ar.henryjurk@gmail.com or through the website’s contact page.
