Types of Rug Construction and What it Means to You

When shopping for a rug, it is important to consider the way in which a rug is made. Different types of rugs are appropriate in different settings. Also, construction affects the pattern, durability and price of a rug. The three main types of rug construction include: tufted, machine woven, and hand knotted.

To produce a tufted rug, the desired design is drawn onto the primary backing then attached to a frame. The fiber, such as wool, nylon, etc., is then punched through the backing by a machine or a hand held tufting tool following the drawn image. Once tufting is complete, latex is used to cover the primary backing, and a secondary backing is then attached to fix the tufts in place. At this stage the rug has a loop construction. The loops may be left to create a hooked rug or sheared to create a plush, cut pile. The end result is a dense, thick rug available in many different styles. Tufted rugs can be cleaned with a spot cleaner recommended by your local retailer; for a thorough clean, call a reputable professional cleaner. It is important not to saturate a tufted rug, this may cause the latex to loosen and fibers to fall out. Because of the tufted rugs thickness and weight it is the only rug recommended to lie over carpet but is most suited for hard surface floors such as hardwood, laminate, vinyl, or tile. Tufted rugs are generally less expensive because of easier production.

Machine woven rugs are made on power looms, interlocking warp and weft yarns create the backing and the face yarn. This is a popular production method because it can produce more rugs in less time than hand knotting while maintaining durability and intricate patterns in the rug. Many are woven face-to- face where the looms are positioned facing each other, woven top to bottom, to create two rugs at once.  Side-woven or cross-woven is another type of construction in which the rug is woven side to side. This allows for the use of more colors and includes the fringe, most often found in traditional style rugs. Machine woven rugs can be cleaned with a spot cleaner recommended by your local retailer; for a thorough clean, call a reputable professional cleaner. Machine woven rugs are recommended to lie over hard surface floors such as hardwood, laminate, vinyl or tile.

Hand Knotted construction is the most labor intensive, therefore, the most expensive type of rug. To begin, an artist draws a design. Warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) yarns are stretched over a loom to create the rug foundation. A weaver, usually using yarns of wool or silk, ties a knot around the warp yarn.  The ends of the knot create the rug pile. The knotting continues to produce the intended design.  The smaller and tighter the knots (the more knots per square inch), the more intricate the patterns. Also the more knots per square inch, the denser the rug, which adds to the durability of the product. Hand knotted rugs can be cleaned with a spot cleaner recommended by your local retailer; for a thorough clean, call a reputable professional cleaner. Hand knotted rugs are recommended to lie over hard surface floors such as hardwood, laminate, vinyl or tile.