Area rugs add beauty to your home, office, or any other space you may place them in. You need to be aware of the different types and styles of area rugs.
Pile Rugs
This means that the rug has a “pile”, which is not like the fabric. Pile rugs can be hand-knotted and hand-tufted. Hand-knotted rugs make the best. They are made by individually tying millions upon millions of knots by hands to create a rug of sufficient size. These rugs last up to 100 years. A hand-knotted carpet may have 20 to 1000 knots. The average hand-knotted floor rug has 60 to 100 knots. An average weaver takes 2.5 years to create a 100 knots-per-square inch rug.
This is simply to give an idea of the time required to make a hand-knotted rug. Otherwise, rugs are made with multiple weavers sitting side-by-side. The width of a rug will determine how many weavers are working on it.
Machine-made rugs, lower-end handmade custom logo rugs, or hand-knotted rugs are all choices. However, the price of machine-made rugs or hand-knotted rugs can’t compare to fine handcrafted rugs.
Flat Weave Rugs
These rugs, which are called “flat” and do not have a pile, are made with a warp (threads tied vertically on a weaving loom) that is used as the foundation. Weft (threads that are woven from one side to the other over the warp-strands) are also used in the design. By changing the colors or width of the weft, the design can be created.
Machine Made Rugs
These rugs can be made by machines using synthetic materials or wool. You can find the same rug in many different homes. You should only consider buying hand-knotted rugs if you can afford them. They can be difficult to repair if they get damaged and have very little to no future value. Machine-made rugs are easy to identify because the fringe is usually sewn to the back. Their design and sizes are often perfect.
Handmade Rugs
The value, functionality, durability, and beauty of fine handmade rugs are unmatched by any other decor or furnishing. A well-made rug will last generations, may even increase in value over time, and can be an heirloom that combines beauty, function, and value. They are true works of art that you will cherish for the rest of your life.
The creation of handmade rugs has improved dramatically over the last 20-years. These rugs are made with a fraction of the labor and time required to make them than Hand Knotted. These handmade rugs have lower quality qualities.
Hand Tufted, Hand Hooked, and Hand Loomed
These rugs can be made by using a gun that shoots wool through a canvas-type material. Next, “Latex” (Glue), is applied to hold the woolen fibers in place. A backing is then applied to conceal the glue and give it a finished look.
This backing is the best method to identify tufted rug. It appears like a canvas-type material and it covers the back of a rug.
Hand Hooked
These rugs feature loops in place of knots and are extremely low quality.
Hand Loomed
These rugs are made using a loom. The material is then pushed together with threads to keep them together. These rugs are inferior to hand-knotted rugs.
Hand-Knotted
Hand Tied is another name for hand-knotted rugs. They are made by hand by making millions of knots on a large rug. Hand-knotted rugs are the largest area rugs and they are true works of art.
These rugs last for generations and can be cleaned easily and preserved. In some cases, they may even be worth more than their original purchase price.