DIY: Drop Cloth Drapes
This is one of my recently finished projects I’ve been wanting to share with you. It’s a very simple way to add style to your outdoor living space. They are painters drop cloths made into patio drapes! I used a standard 6×9 canvas drop cloth available at Lowe’s for each panel.
The seams were already finished, so I just added a loose rod pocket and small ruffle at the top. Thanks to Mom, actually! We made 6 panels, to flank all the brick columns on my back patio and used 1/2" galvanized plumbling pipe for the rods.
The Man cut the top part off of the elbow so I could easily slip them on and off for washing without having to unscrew all the pipes, GENIUS!
I tied them loosely with garden twine so they would have a billowy look to them. I’ll probably change out the ties, maybe ribbons in the Spring or strips of fabric to match a party theme, who knows? I’m sure I’ll have fun thinking of new ways to tie them!
To keep them secured to the brick, The Man added eye hooks and an S hook and the extra bonus?…..
He added another small hook to the top rods so I could easily put them up when the lawn guy comes or if the sprinklers are on!
I’m so happy with how these turned out and hope you’ll try them for yourself. They are very easy to make and create a cozy outdoor room that I’m sure you will want to spend more time in!
59 Responses to “DIY: Drop Cloth Drapes”
Oh, the curtains are lovely. Cozies up the outdoor space. You are so blessed to have a sewing mother and tool savvy hubby!
Sara is so talented. LOVE the new look! The drop cloth drapes look beautiful~xo
Looks wonderful. I love drapes on the outside…. makes things all comfy , cozy…….great job with great tips for making it all work 🙂
beautiful drapes – i would be outside all the time!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea. Thanks so much for sharing.
Oh thank you for this Heather. I have to very large windows in my kitchen and a tight budget. I have been wanting to do something like this but still working out how to do it. You have saved me. Thank you again Clarice
what an incredible idea!! i will have to check up on those drop clothes next time i am in lowes. i wish i had a patio area to add such a trick to,…hmmmm next house made. lol.
Love them!
I love this idea! I am so inspired when I see others use uncommon materials to decorate in a new way! I might do this if I only had a patio cover. Sigh . . .
So strange, I just posted a comment, but it came up with someone else’s words! I didn’t write that. I was saying how clever this idea is and that I love seeing someone use uncommon materials to decorate in a fresh new way. I would do the same if I only had a patio cover. Sigh . . .
What a great idea and great teamwork with hubby! I love the new looks.
Karla
This is so wonderful. I’ve been wanting to add a shade or something to my porch and this is just perfect! I’ll probably be at Lowe’s this weekend anyway (my new home away from home since we are renovating right now). Love the pipe fittings too!
Ok Ms Bullard, so when do you start hiring out to come spruce our homes for us? I could use your touch around my place, and then you could take some fab photo’s that show it off in it’s best light. This is absolutely your gift.
love the new look, love the garden drapes, love the whole she-bang! 🙂
Those are so great!! I heard that you can use drop cloths to make slipcovers as well.
How fun that you are working with Sara. She is so nice, and talented.
Have a great weekend!
Rosemary
OH MY GOODNESS!
I love everything! Love the drop cloth drapes and the new look of your blog – it’s *gorgeous* and sooo easy on the eyes. Very inspiring!
Love your outdoor drapes. What a fabulous idea.
sharon
Love the drapes! Very creative, I could totally have those in my living room, maybe adorn them with a brocade stencil. Sara is the best! You picked the right person to help you!
Teresa
Dear Heather, the canvas drapes are so dreamy. I live in LA, so the humidity is too high to even consider fabric outside. They would be mildewed in no time.
I love your new banner, but i have to be honest with you, i will miss the old one. It is one of my all time favorites of the blogs i visit for inspiration. The glitzy rhinestone buckle paired with the simplicity of gathered crepe paper is so unique. That is what i love about your style. It is not too sugary, and yet wonderfully decadent.
Enjoy your weekend.
marilyn
Lowe’s will probably have a run on their dropcloth packs this weekend thanks to you! Love the idea, and plan on implementing it in my livingroom. Thanks for the inspiration!
The outside drapes are lovely.
I would do the same thing on my porch, If I didn’t live in such a high wind area.
~elaine~
These look wonderful!
Ok, I love this idea but I guess I have to wait until next year since winter is coming quick and the snow will soon be covering my patio. 🙂 The new blog look is awesome! Have a good weekend.
Blessings, Kimberly
You really have the best ideas I’ve seen. As soon as I get an outdoor space, I’m going to try this out. It turned out so good.
Love the look of your new blog design. Fresh and pretty colors, so easy on the eyes. Just wonderful. Congrats on 1 year in blogland.
These look gorgeous. What a wonderful idea for outdoor material. I’m assuming they’re durable since they are painters cloths.
What a great idea. They are so versatile. I’ve used them for tableclothes too. I love the way you hung yours. I wish I had a space as beautiful as your outdoor space to hang some.
Very interesting idea. It looks great!
KJ
California
Great idea! They’re a wonderful value for the amount of fabric.
I’ve used drop cloth fabric for several projects around the house.
Your new banner is pretty. One of these days I’ll figure out how to do one myself. 🙂
Kimberly
That was a genius idea. In our old house our contracter used a similar style of pipe for a round shower curtain we needed for our weird window tub in our bathroom. I enjoyed your site
Bristol
I love this idea I was inspired to do this too when I saw Kathryn Elliot’s book “French Country Junk Chic” she did something similar. It’s so inexpensive but doesn’t look so.
I love the idea of using the pipe for a rod. 🙂
*muah*
Michelle
Those look fabulous, nice and drapey full! I found your blog from Tara, who has mentioned it to me several times:-). I have discovered that in humid climates like south Florida, where I live….unfortunately regular canvas mildews. I have had to use the more expensive marine grade Sunbrella fabric for mine. The only thing that will hold up here in the tropics! ~ Janet~
Wow, what a great idea. They look fantastic!! Just perfect to cosy up your outdoor space.
Kathy 🙂
My mother did something like this with old Airforce curtains…and then used grommets. Lovely look!
What a great idea! I love your blog…you make reading it a joy. I am featuring your site as “creative site of the day” at mine. I’m just getting started. Thank you for all your lovely and creative ideas!
My Mom and I have been making drapes out of those drop clothes for years. They are great because they are meant to be used in heavy duty situations. They look great with your brick. Fab!
The curtains are wonderful! Thanks for the great pictures and explanation. Now all I need is a patio (instead of a raised deck). Maybe in our next house…
Love to use canvas drop cloths to make curtains, bedspreads and slip covers. They are an underapreciated bargain!!!
Wonderful ideas!! We must have curtains on our back patio — due to the hot afternoon sun here in Dallas — and I bought a simple pair in Ikea but your curtains are wonderful!! And the rod idea is pure genius!
Jan at Rosemary Cottage
I wish you would have posted about the drop cloth drapes this spring. I was wanting to put some sort of a drape outside and could not think of how I was going to find drapes that long! Perfect solution! Thank you, I can’t wait for next Spring and Summer!
I just happened on your gorgeous website when I typed in “drop cloths at Lowe’s” Never expected this delight. I have used drop cloths for slipcovers and they look very arty–I have some darling french looking chairs but hate the old green upholstery so am considering getting the drop cloths again and getting artistic. Thanks for the treat!!! Your thinking is right up my alley. Kim
Absolutely brilliant. Your blog is full of such amazing ideas I got stuck for quite awhile going through all your projects. Thanks for sharing:-)
I just love the drop-cloth drapes! Do you think they could be embellished with,… what else… paint! I’d like to add a stipe, or edge of some sort for a punch of color… thoughts?
Although an excellent idea and I had done this years ago, beware of mold. One hot and humid day in July I went to the South Poarch only to find the canvas covered with mold. The next year I sprayed the canva with a mold resistant solution. I have not had a problem after that.
I tried this this spring and am now trying to rid the cavas of mold. Any suggestions on how to remove it and then keep it from returning?
Great idea! What kind of mold resistant solution can be used on the curtains?
Great idea! What kind of mold resistant solution can be used on the curtains?
Great idea! What kind of mold resistant solution can be used on the curtains?
Hi! I just bought a 9×12 drop cloth to use as a couch cover. It is a wonderful hunter green after a Rit dye bath. I ran across your photos while looking for ideas for making Roman shades out of drop clothes. I love that you used pipes as curtain rods. Thanks for sharing your photos.
I had this same idea and actually had already picked out the 6 x 9 drop cloths at Lowes when I decided to do a Google search to find out if anyone else had tried this. I love the way yours turned out, and am on my way to Lowe’s now to get my drop cloths!!
Regarding the mildew issues, you can avoid mildew by applying a marine grade fabric protector such as 303 High Tech Fabric Guard. This product is actually recommended by Sunbrella to restore the mildew resistence to their products, as the protection wears off over time. I live in Florida and this product can be purchased at most of the major Marine supply retailers (such as West Marine).
Thank you for these tips. I want to put up outdoor drapes and your suggestions are amazingly right on target for sophisticated looks and reasonable price. Thank you.
My mom and I found your site by accident when we Googled “Lowes canvas drop cloth.” I love the patio drapes; they’re gorgeous!
I just got back from Lowes with a couple drop cloths. I’m considering the drop cloth fabric for another project, but may use it for drapes in my quest room.
Marilyn,
I also live in Louisiana. I have been told that you can go to a marine store and purchase a spray that will help keep the mold and mildew off the canvas. I am going to do this to my new outside kitchen. This is such a great way to add class.
Wow! Great Idea. I thought I was going to have a big expense in fabric! THANKS A BUNCH
Has anyone found drop cloths that are not pieced together? I bought some at Lowes and Home Depot – and both have had horizontal and vertical seams where material was pieced to make the 6′ x 9′ drop cloth. I can’t have that horizontal seam if I’m using the drop cloth as a curtain.
Hello Heather! Your post inspired me to make these for our gazebo, thanks! I linked it to my “drop cloth drapes” project page too at my blog!
Hi there, can you please tell me how you go when it rains? Our house is very small and I would love to enclose our back porch so we can create a library/reading room, but am worried about wetness getting through to the bookcase
I’m doing something similar to this, just couldn’t figure out how to hang them, this is a great idea!!
I’m using the drop cloths but stenciling them first with latex paint–we all know that latex paint washes out of NOTHING, so I’m hoping it works and stands up to the hot Arizona morning sun.
Glorious!!! We just built a pergola this weekend and I ran to Lowes as soon as I saw this today to buy a 9’x12′ dropcloth ($20) for one side of it to give us privacy from the neighbors. I may add another to the other side as well.
I also purchased drapery panel rings with clips and 30 lb. picture hanging wire to stretch across the span.
I live in a windy area so I plan on using weights at the bottom to keep it from billowing up and out.
To jazz it up a little, I am going to stencil it, just need to figure out the design 🙂
I love this idea, we have a covered deck that we’re in the process of sprucing up. I am curious to know how these have held up. I really want to do some sort of outdoor drape for the privacy but was looking for something affordable and that can hold up to the Alabama weather. Thanks. I love the idea for the rod. I’m definitely using that! You’ve basicly solved all my outdoor drape problems with one post!
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