What You Need to Know About Rug Repair

Your rug looks damaged, isn’t it? Don’t worry. You can probably get your rug back in pristine condition regardless of whether it’s an intricate silk rug or a simple polyester one.

Nevertheless, rug repair is not something you should try to do yourself. You should be extra careful if you have an Oriental rug or another similarly delicate type of carpet. Generally, if you want to preserve your rug for future generations, you should take it to an experienced rug repair expert.

If you’re considering taking your rug to a professional, you probably want to know more about the process and whether or not it’s really necessary. Here’s what you need to know about rug repair.

What types of rug damage can be repaired?

A common area of wear is the fringe. Getting damage to fringes is easy since they’re delicate and exposed. If the rug’s fringes or sides are loose, you’ll want to fix them quickly to keep the rug from unraveling.

Repairs to the fringe are generally much easier and less expensive than those to the main pile. In some cases, the fringe may be sewed into the rug’s side or replaced with new fringe. An exceptionally fine antique rug could be made to look like the original rug by pulling out part of the pile and wrapping stitches around every warp thread.

Tears are also less difficult to repair. However, this can change if you don’t fix the tear as soon as possible. The rug may unravel and become much more difficult to repair.

If you bring us a rug with a clean, recent tear, we can make it look like it never happened. Tear repair usually involves simply putting the warps back and reconstructing that small portion of the rug.

You should also seek maintenance for small holes in the middle of your rug. Holes can generally be repaired as long as the material around the hole is still in good condition.

The repair is more expensive since it requires reweaving, but the repair will only become more expensive (and maybe impossible) if it isn’t done immediately. As reweaving a rug to look like the original can be difficult, these repairs may be more obvious if you’re looking for them. You might notice that new yarn doesn’t quite match the original.

A few rugs have also been damaged by moths. As long as the damage is not too severe, moth damage can be repaired.

If there are missing patches of threads and colors on your rug, it’s probably because of hungry moths. Keep an eye out for future damage if you know your rug is made from a particularly moth-vulnerable material, like wool.

In the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy for water, mold, or mildew to rot the underlying fibers of your rug. You may incur damage just by failing to let your area rug dry completely after cleaning it. Mild water damage can often be repaired, but a moldy rug may need to be replaced.

There’s not much you can do about rot. Nevertheless, even if your rug is irreparably damaged, we may still be able to save it by cutting out the damaged section. Rugs will be smaller, but they may last longer.