How Area Rugs are Made

How are Area Rugs Made

Area rugs are perfect for covering sections of floor while also adding a touch of detail to any room. Whether handmade or machine-woven, area rugs are a great way to accent your room décor. But how are area rugs made?

Machine-Woven

Machine-woven area rugs are typically made on commercial, automatic weaving looms. While the design will most likely be the creative work of a person, a machine does the execution. Machine-woven rugs are woven tighter than handmade rugs, so they are less likely to produce mold or mildew. However, many feel machine-woven rugs are not made to last as long as those that are hand-woven.

Handmade

Handmade rugs are unique because inconsistencies make each area rug one of a kind. While many use different techniques, there are many handmade rugs made by creating a series of knots. There are three major types of weaving techniques used in handmade area rugs:

Pile Weave – This is the most popular technique for area rugs. A short piece of yarn is tied around two strands of rug material and repeated.

Flat Weave – This technique is different because no knots are used. Strands of rug material are woven in and out of neighboring strands.

Hand Tufted – This technique does not require knots either. Instead, a loop of yarn or tuft of other material is pushed through a backing.

In an average rug, the amount of knots per square inch varies between 25-1,000. The more knots per square inch, the higher the quality and value of a rug. Many handmade area rugs are also dyed by hand. An area rug that is dyed by hand will also be quite valuable.

Whether you purchase an exquisite synthetic rug or invest in a detailed handmade rug, using an area rug is a great way to cover an expanse of floor while adding décor to your living space.