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Rain on a Tin Roof

DIY and Home Decor Blog. Fly Your Freak Flag.

You are here: Home >> DIY Projects >> Faux Cowhide Rug DIY using Faux Cowhide Fabric for only $15

February 12, 2014 By Jenna 31 Comments

Faux Cowhide Rug DIY using Faux Cowhide Fabric for only $15

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I love a great cowhide rug, but not the price tag that comes with them. I found a solution though with this faux cowhide rug I made for only $15. All you’ll need is some faux cowhide fabric and a few other things to make your own!

I have been lusting after a cowhide rug for quite some time. The cowhide lampshade I made just wasn’t enough. I needed more.

Honestly, I don’t know why I don’t already have one. As a girl who has spent the better part of her life around cows, how in the world I don’t already have my very own cowhide is beyond me.

I have talked with my uncle about this problem, who is a cattle farmer. He has promised me that the next time a cow goes to the slaughterhouse, he will have them save the hide and we will tan it for a rug.

Now that the whole world knows of his promise, I feel he must carry through on it. Don’t you think so?

Talk about a great DIY post – tanning your own cow hide – that should be interesting.

So, dear uncle, if you are reading this post, you are not off the hook just because I made a DIY version.

For now though, this faux cow rug will have to suffice.

Faux Cowhide Rug DIY

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Fake Cowhide Rug Tutorial

The tutorials I have seen for DIY any-type-of-hide rugs have required painting on the pattern of the hide.

People, I can paint a wall, a piece of furniture, or faux moldings like nobody’s business.

Freehand the pattern on a hide? Houston, we have a problem.

So, when I had fabric left over from my cowhide lampshade, I saw the sign….. and it opened up my eyes.

Did you catch that Ace of Base reference?

I didn’t have a large piece of fabric left over, so I opted for a small version of a cowhide rug. However, you can make your rug any size you wish – just buy enough cow print fabric to do so.

Supplies & Materials Needed:

  • Faux Cowhide Fabric – I used this one.
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Polycrylic 

Steps

Step 1

Lay out your fabric, animal printed side facing down.

Faux Cowhide Fabric - lay on ground.

For reference, my fabric was 62 inches x 59.5 inches. Again though, you can go as big as the fabric will let you.

Step 2

Pull up a real cowhide rug that you like online (I just did a Google search for one). Use the photo from online to sketch out the shape on your fabric – be sure to do this on the back! I would suggest doing this with a pencil, a real pencil, not a mechanical pencil. I didn’t have a real pencil on hand, only a mechanical pencil and that didn’t work, so I used a black marker.

Fake Cowhide Rug - trace shape on fabric.

It’s really not rocket science, folks. This isn’t hard at all and since you’re sketching on the back of the faux cow hide, there’s room for error.

Step 3

Once you’ve got it all sketched out, cut it out with sharp scissors.

Cowhide Fabric for Faux Cowhide Rug - Cut Out

Step 4

If you plan on putting this in a low traffic area, you could flip it over and stop right here.

But, if you plan on putting it in a higher traffic area, you want to protect the top of the rug from dirt and easily tearing. To protect mine, I flipped it cow print side up, stuck cardboard gift boxes under it, and rolled on a couple coats of Polycrylic.

I let it dry for a couple of days, then put it in my vintage-modern-rustic living room where it fits in perfectly.

Faux Cow Rug Tutorial

I really like the two different rug patterns working with each other.

Faux Cow Hide Rug DIY

Is there a faux cow rug in your future?

I think ours should work until the uncle comes through.

Love a great rug hack?

Be sure to check out these 14 painted rug hacks then!

Here’s a cool way to upgrade an astroturf rug too!

And don’t miss my trick for keeping rugs from sliding here!

Want to come back for the instructions later? Just pin the image below then!

DIY Cow Print Rug Tutorial

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DIY Cow Hide Rug Tutorial

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Filed Under: DIY Projects Tagged With: cowhide, living room, rug

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Comments

  1. Phyllis says

    February 12, 2014 at 7:16 am

    Gosh, would you like a real horse hair blanket (including the mane) to go with your “cowhide” rug? I just found one in my late father’s basement and almost passed out when I saw the mane. It made a great, warm buggy blanket, I suppose, but somehow it just didn’t seem right….

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 12, 2014 at 7:32 am

      Wow, Phyllis, I’m with you on that one – it doesn’t really seem right!

      Reply
  2. [email protected] says

    February 12, 2014 at 7:57 am

    Such a cool idea! Love it!

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks, Julia!

      Reply
  3. Angela (Life in Velvet) says

    February 12, 2014 at 9:21 am

    I’m gonna need one of these! So awesome you had enough fabric left over to make a fabulous rug! I just pinned! This needs to live in my office!

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks, Angela! I know – I was psyched when I had enough fabric left over!

      Reply
  4. Trina @ Let's Just Build a House says

    February 12, 2014 at 11:35 am

    I want a cow hide rug too but Adam always tells me are aren’t those kind of people…what does that mean??

    Anyway, you DIY one is something I think he could live with..and I could do!

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:49 pm

      Trina, I don’t know what that means, but I would totally overrule it! haha! Make one and see how he likes it – Grunt Labor used to say something similar about the buck head in our living room and he has come to like it!

      Reply
  5. Krista @the happy housie says

    February 12, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Very cute Jenna! I thought about painting one but your way seems easier:) Thanks for putting that Ace of Base song in my head…

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:50 pm

      Love some vintage Ace of Base! haha! I could never paint one – I am just not that talented!

      Reply
  6. Emily @ Two Purple Couches says

    February 12, 2014 at 9:49 pm

    Um, you’re amazing to make this out of FABRIC! Love it!

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:54 pm

      No, Emily, as always, I’m cheap. Dirt cheap. hahaha! Thanks, gal!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Two Purple Couches says

        February 14, 2014 at 6:02 pm

        Cheap, Fabulous. Tomato, To-mah-to. 😉

        Reply
        • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

          February 17, 2014 at 9:04 am

          haha!

          Reply
  7. Heather {Woods of Bell Trees} says

    February 13, 2014 at 4:14 am

    What a cool idea! Haha, I love Ace of Base!

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:53 pm

      Thanks, Heather! I love me some Ace of Base too!

      Reply
  8. Erin @ DIY on the Cheap says

    February 13, 2014 at 11:37 am

    How fun! And love your Ace of Base reference. 😉

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 13, 2014 at 1:55 pm

      Thanks, Erin. Yea, My brain is essentially a catalog of song lyrics! haha!

      Reply
  9. Jamie says

    February 15, 2014 at 1:06 am

    This is amazing!! Love it 😉

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 17, 2014 at 9:02 am

      Thanks, Jamie!

      Reply
  10. Megan @ Our Pinteresting Family says

    February 17, 2014 at 7:19 am

    Very cool, Jenna! I love it!

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 17, 2014 at 8:56 am

      Thanks, Megan!

      Reply
  11. [email protected] says

    February 17, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Looks great…I would have never thought it was fabric! I wonder if you could sew/iron on backing to make it thicker? You got me thinking about possible rug options in my house now.

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 17, 2014 at 8:57 am

      I totally think you could do that, Ashley!

      Reply
  12. Robin All Things Heart and Home says

    February 19, 2014 at 8:06 pm

    You just keep hitting home runs with your project Jenna…another great idea! Love it~

    Reply
    • Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says

      February 19, 2014 at 9:11 pm

      Thanks, Robin! You are totally boosting my ego by like a million with all your sweet comments!

      Reply
  13. Vanessa says

    July 3, 2019 at 8:35 am

    Since I’m guessing a real cow-hide rug is probably crazy expensive, this is a clever alternative! I would imagine this could also be made in a washable version so those of us with grubby kids and pets can have a no stress cow-hide!

    Reply
  14. Christina Woodcock says

    July 3, 2019 at 11:52 am

    I am so glad I found this post on a Link Party over at Faeries and Fauna! I just finished a living room renovation and have been pricing faux cowhide rugs. I repurpose furniture and old home decor, so I wanted everything (except for my sofa, of course) to be repurposed or made! And I am going to definitely try this. Thank you for sharing Jenna!

    Reply
  15. Benita says

    July 7, 2019 at 10:26 pm

    You did a great job…I love it! Thank you so much for sharing at Celebrate Your Story! I will be featuring your project Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. CST. Thanks again! Hugs!

    Reply
  16. Julie Briones says

    July 8, 2019 at 1:22 am

    Super smart idea, and love how it adds texture to your room (and I love layering rugs)! So happy to have you at Tuesday Turn About! Hope to see you each week!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 10 Handmade Home Projects - Oh My Creative says:
    February 24, 2014 at 6:01 am

    […] DIY Cowhide Rug (no paint required)  |  Pain on a Tin Roof […]

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