How to Make River Rock Rugs
Imagine stepping out of your shower onto a bed of smooth river rocks instead of a terry bathmat. Give your bathroom a total spa feeling or add a natural look to your front step with a handmade river rock rug. These rugs simulate the look of a river bottom with a layer of smooth rocks fastened together into a floor mat. Moisture falls between the rocks onto the waterproof mat underneath, protecting your floor while keeping the top of the river rocks drier.
Things You'll Need
- 2 10 lb. bags river rocks
- Tarp
- Hose
- Doormat
- Landscape adhesive
- Caulking gun
- Work gloves
Instructions
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1
Pour out two 10-lb. bags of river rocks onto a tarp in your yard. Run water over the rocks with a hose to rinse off the rock dust. Allow the rocks to dry thoroughly.
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2
Pick through the rocks to find pleasing shapes and similar sizes. You won't be using every rock in each bag. Using two bags allows you excess so that you can choose the most pleasing rock design.
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3
Put on work gloves or heavy rubber gloves. Apply a thick spot of landscape adhesive to one corner of a doormat with a caulking gun. Use a doormat constructed of indoor-outdoor carpeting with a rubber backing.
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4
Push a rock into the spot of adhesive on the rug. Apply more spots of adhesive next to the first one and add more rocks. Keep the rocks as close together as possible. Pick and choose the rocks to fit them together like a puzzle on the surface of the rug. Do only one or two adhesive spots at a time, as it begins to set within 10 minutes.
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5
Add river rocks to the top of the doormat until you have covered the entire surface. Set the river rock rug aside for one week to completely set and cure the adhesive.
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Tips & Warnings
Create your rug in a protected area like a garage floor or a secluded corner of the yard. You won't have to move it to a curing spot after you complete the gluing.
References
- Photo Credit Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images
