There is a large variety of area rugs made from different materials and patterns. Your area rug should perform well in addition to looking great. To select the best rug within your budget, you need to consider density, twist, fiber and construction.
Density: Density is the tightness of the tufts or knots. The denser the weave, the better the area rug will wear.
Twist: Twist is the amount of yarn spirals. A yarn twist that is tighter provides added durability.
Fiber: There is a wide variety of synthetic and natural fibers. Natural fibers provide soft, low luster colors and long-term performance. Synthetic fibers provide brilliant colors, softness and easy maintenance. See the pros and cons of each fiber.
Construction: Area rugs can be hand or machine made.
Hand-Knotted: Hand knotted rugs are woven by hand and can take up to a year to complete. Hand-knotted rugs are secured to the backing by knotting versus gluing. This produces exceptional density and quality.
Hand-Hooked: Using a pattern and a hooking device, yarn is punched through a canvas cloth creating a looped pile. The yarns are then glued in place in lieu of knotting and a cloth is attached to the back.
Hand-Tufted: Hand-tufted are created by punching yarn in a cloth that is attached to a frame, and then gluing the backs with latex after hooking the yarn. The surface loop pile is then sheared to produce a flat surface. This process creates a rug that is very plush, generally less expensive and easier to make than hand-knotted rugs.
Flat Weave: Flat weave rugs are less expensive, easier to make and are usually made of wool, cotton, bamboo or nylon. Because they are looped, flat weave rugs do not have a pile and are reversible. This category includes Kilims, Dhurries and Soumaks.
Braided: Braided rugs are constructed in several different ways, including tape, tubular, yarn and flat. In the tradition of early America from which braided area rugs were created, these rugs may be woven with many different materials.
Machine Made: These rugs are constructed on power looms by hand, machine or computer. The loom is strung with a cotton or jute warp and then woven using a variety of fibers. Computer operated machines produce a number of designs in various sizes and colors from a predetermined design. More than 40 shades can be achieved in a single area rug using a cross weaving technique. Machine made rugs have become very popular due to the variety of sizes, colors, designs, lower prices and availability.
