What is the best drop cloth for painting?

The best drop cloth for painting for most interior and exterior house painting jobs is a heavy-weight canvas drop cloth, specifically 8 to 10 ounce cotton canvas, or for maximum protection, a rubber-backed or butyl-backed canvas drop cloth. Canvas is considered best because it is absorbent, so paint drips soak into fabric rather than sitting wet on surface creating slip hazard, it stays in place and does not blow around like plastic, it is durable, reusable, and washable for many jobs, and it lies flat without bunching. For floors, a 9x12 feet 10 ounce canvas drop cloth offers excellent coverage and resists bleed-through for light to moderate drips, while rubber-backed canvas with waterproof backing on underside prevents any paint from seeping through to hardwood, carpet, or tile, making it best for high-value floors. For furniture and quick dust protection, plastic drop cloths are best because they are cheap and waterproof, but they are slippery on floors. Professional painters often use canvas for floors and plastic for furniture. Brands like Trimaco, HDX from Home Depot, and Duck Brand offer quality canvas drop cloths. So best overall is 10 ounce canvas or rubber-backed canvas for floors.