Rug Repair & Restoration
Rug Repairs – A Repair Tour
Repair Inspection – Rugs that come to us for repair are thoroughly inspected to identify the damage, the cause of that damage, and the various options available to correct or minimize that damage. Our goal is not only to make the rug “look” better cosmetically, but also to make certain that the structure of the repaired area is strong enough to allow you to use and enjoy your rug without worrying about further damage.
Rugs are woven to last decades at the least, and centuries at the most, and rugs of all ages travel through our doors. Our speciality is antique and semi-antique rug care, and our knowledge regarding these textiles allows us to give you the information necessary in making the right rug care decisions. If a rug gets to the point that it is “past its prime,” we will let you know what type of floor, type of underlay and level of traffic would be best to help the piece last longer.
Fringe & End Repair – The Fringe is the “Skeleton” of Your Rug. Most rugs have white cotton fringe tassles, and others have wool or silk tassles. Some rug owners like the look of the fringe on their rugs, to others it drives them nuts to always be straightening them or keeping them from getting caught in the vacuum cleaner (that’s why you vacuum from side to side instead of from end to end).
But, the fringe is not just a “pretty” way to finish the rug – it is actually the foundation fibres of the rug. The rug’s “skeleton.” Each individual tassle that you grab in your hand runs through the middle of the rug all the way to the other end, emerging as another individual tassle on the opposite end.
WARP: Each individual foundation strand that runs the length of a rug. These strands end up being the fringe tassles of the rug.
WEFT: Each individual foundation strand that runs the width of a rug. We remember these as being the strands that run “weft” to “right.”?
Because the tassles are the warps of a hand-woven rug, a torn or worn fringe is damage to pay particular attention to. This damage can easily result in your rug unravelling and losing its knots (this is where the labour – and value – of a rug is).
Fringe & End Repair – The Fringe is the “Skeleton” of Your Rug. Most rugs have white cotton fringe tassles, and others have wool or silk tassles. Some rug owners like the look of the fringe on their rugs, to others it drives them nuts to always be straightening them or keeping them from getting caught in the vacuum cleaner (that’s why you vacuum from side to side instead of from end to end).
But, the fringe is not just a “pretty” way to finish the rug – it is actually the foundation fibres of the rug. The rug’s “skeleton.” Each individual tassle that you grab in your hand runs through the middle of the rug all the way to the other end, emerging as another individual tassle on the opposite end.
WARP: Each individual foundation strand that runs the length of a rug. These strands end up being the fringe tassles of the rug.
WEFT: Each individual foundation strand that runs the width of a rug. We remember these as being the strands that run “weft” to “right.”?
Because the tassles are the warps of a hand-woven rug, a torn or worn fringe is damage to pay particular attention to. This damage can easily result in your rug unravelling and losing its knots (this is where the labour – and value – of a rug is).
Fringe Replacement – The fringe is the first thing to go on a rug. Years of footsteps on individual tassles cause abrasion. Vacuum cleaners cause damage and they both contribute to tearing, fraying, and an eventual wearing down of the tassles. It’s a noticeable thing to fix, and it is the most common repair that comes through our doors.
First, the end must be secured with an overcast stitch so that the structure of the rug is sound. Then a new prefabricated fringe can be laid along the top of the original fringe base, and attached by hand. Because the fringe is laid on top of the original fringe base (the original tassles are trimmed shorter so that they do not “peek” through the new tassles) it protects the end of the rug from further foot traffic abrasion.
Side Repair – Just as tied-off fringe tassles hold the knots in place from the ends; the side cords hold the knots in place from the sides. The weft (left to right) threads are wrapped around a thick side cord that runs the entire length of the rug (with the warps). This cord holds the rows in place and is usually (after the weaving is completed) wrapped in wool, cotton, goat hair, or silk. The over-wrapping is usually done in a colour that blends well with the overall look of the rug.
Sometimes multiple rugs are woven on the same large loom for higher production numbers. When this is done, the rug wefts are shared between the rugs. To separate the rugs, the shared wefts need to be cut. This means that these wefts are not wrapped securely around a side cord. In fact, what is often done is a side cord is already over-wrapped in a matching colour and they baste it to each side of the finished rug without securing the “loose” weft threads. This makes the rug “look” right, but over time it could start coming away.
Field Repair
Securing – Small holes and tears in the centre of a rug can be caused by many things – excessive foot traffic, furniture friction (rolling chairs), planter water damage (dry rot), or just old age. Regardless of the cause, the area needs immediate attention to ensure further loss of knots is avoided.
Embroidery stitching can strengthen small worn areas to protect fragile foundation fibres from further friction. If the hole is significant, then patching or reweaving will be needed.
Dyeing – Selective dyeing is a “cosmetic” repair to make your rug look better.
Permanent textile dyes can be used to blend away worn areas, discoloured areas, white knots, and repairs.
On collectable rugs dyeing beyond some small particular areas can affect the value of the rug. We will share the positives and negatives in these situations so you can make an informed decision.
We hope that you find the repair tour useful and feel that we are the company that you will trust to repair your rugs.