Area Rugs Basics

Rugs have been used in homes for thousands of years. While ancient rugs were all handmade, today’s rugs are most often manufactured by machine, though some are still handmade. Machine-manufactured rugs tend to be the less expensive of the two types, and are often created on large, machine-driven looms. Handmade rugs are made with one of two techniques: knotting or weaving. Knotted rugs are made when a person ties each piece of yarn individually, creating a unique, one-of a kind rug. When you hear people refer to Persian, Senneh or Turkish rugs, they may be referring to knotted rugs. Each of these types of rugs originated from regions of the world with unique knotting styles. Woven rugs can also be created by hand and are equally as labor-intensive. For this reason, handmade rugs are often more expensive than machine made rugs, but they are also unique pieces, considered an investment.

Like carpet, area rugs are made out of either synthetic or natural materials. The most common natural material is wool, though other natural materials are used, including silk, cotton and bamboo. Synthetic rug materials include polypropylene and nylon. As with carpet, rugs made from natural materials are generally of greater value than those made of synthetic fibers