DIYer Uses Inexpensive Drop Cloths To Creatively Add Shade To Her Pergola

If you're lucky enough to have outdoor space, then you know how peaceful it is to sit out there during the day and really soak in the summer.

However, the sun is a thing that exists, and unfortunately, she does have it out for us. One TikTok user decided to introduce some shade for her outdoor area by creating rainbow shades for her pergola. Take that, sun.

Meet Ashley's pergola.

Ashley, an avid DIYer and owner of athomewithashley.com, decided to put her own spin on some shade for her outdoor space. She documented her entire journey on her TikTok!

Here's how she did it.

"[...] I bought some drop clothes and cut them into strips, and I ironed over the edge. I did this for eight strips and then sewed the hem."

Next came the dyeing process.

"I bought dye, wet the strips, and boiled water. I added the dye to the hot water, then dropped in the strips of the drop cloth and stirred really well."

Washing came next.

"Once the fabric sat for 30 minutes, I rinsed each piece in cold water. Then I washed them in my washing machine."

This is a crucial dyeing step — never skip the final wash!

To weatherproof them, she picked up some outdoor spray.

"I sprayed each strip with [a] waterproofing spray before hanging them on my pergola. I used snaps with a screw and attached them into the wood."

She also added some hardware to the fabric.

"I also added a snap to the fabric so that you can remove them each year. Now, I have the happiest rainbow pergola. It feels super festive and provides much better shade."

The finished product is stunning.

Ashley really nailed the project! I love that each one looks a little washed out — it gives them a slight pastel look! This is such a cool way to add shade to an outdoor space.

The DIY wasn't too expensive.

Ashley already had the dye on hand, so she wound up spending about $90 on supplies. The dye is pricey, so factor that into your budget if you're going to try this!

You can watch her TikTok here.

Ashley posted the short version of her DIY on TikTok, but you can visit her blog and her YouTube channel for more in-depth explanations of her process! Happy dyeing!