Crafting Confidence: Expert Tips for Hand Tufted Area Rugs Selection

What is a hand tufted rug?
Hand tufted area rugs have no knots and are made by shooting strands of yarn through a canvas with a tufting gun. A hand tufted carpet takes less time to create than one hand-knotted cutting the cost of making it by a lot, which is why custom hand-tufted rugs are reasonably priced.

Learn all about hand tufted rug construction, hand tufted rugs cost, and hand tufted carpet manufacturing process, hand knotted vs hand tufted rug, and more.

Hand Tufted Carpet Specifications

Here are all the specifications for hand tufted wool area rugs that one needs to look at when checking to buy one.

• Durability
• Rug’s back
• Wash
• Fiber
• Color 
• Size
• Binding

Loopholes to Mastery: 4 Tufted Rug Secrets Retailers Won’t Tell

1. Latex: Latex acts like glue, holding the fibers of hand tufted area rugs together on the backside. The better the quality of the latex, the stronger and more flexible the rug tends to be. But here’s the catch: many rug makers save money by mixing in some mud with the latex. You can check by pulling out a bit of dried latex from the rug; the whiter it is, the cleaner and better quality the latex. Pay not for the mud.
   
2. Density: Hand tufted rug density also tells the quality of the rug. Rugs with high tuft density have more tufts per square inch and, thus, are more durable and last longer.
   
3. Purity claim: Not all wool labeled as 100% NZ wool truly comes from New Zealand. It takes experts to spot the different grades of yarn available. When buying a rug claiming to be of this fiber, make sure to purchase it from trusted sources to ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for.
   
4. Wash: After making rugs, they’re supposed to get washed, but guess what? Most of the hand tufted area rugs sold, about 75%, don’t get washed at all! Some stores don’t even know this because of misinformation from unscrupulous manufacturers who aim to cut costs by forgoing the washing process.

Types of Handmade Tufted Rugs

Handmade tufted area rugs come in various patterns and designs, giving you even more options. There are contemporary designs, modern designs, Persian designs, and printed tufted carpets.

Hand tufted wool rugs are by far the most popular and produced of all the other types of rugs.

Hand Tufted Modern Rugs
Modern hand tufted rugs and carpets are the most popular tufted patterns. Handmade wool rugs from India are known for their geometrical patterns and irregular shaped unique rugs.

Hand Tufted Persian Rugs
Hand tufted Oriental rugs are a fantastic alternative to oriental/Persian rugs that are hand-knotted. These Indian oriental tufted carpets are a stunning alternative to hand knotted rugs without the hefty price tag.

Hand Tufted Shag Rugs
Shag hand tufted area rugs have longer pile height and can mimic shaggy rugs. However, cleaning them is always a challenge.

Printed Tufted Carpets
These hand tufted area rugs and carpets are those that have stencil printing on them. Generally these rugs are tufted in plain pattern and white yarn. It is easy and convenient to print any desired design on a tufted surface rug made of wool and silk fibers.

How Much Do Tufted Rugs Cost

Tufted rugs price depends on various factors. Some of the most important things that affect how much a tufted rug costs are:

• Fiber
• Size
• Quality
• Design
• Brand

Fiber

The price of hand tufted area rugs depend significantly on the type of fiber used to make it. Rugs made from natural fibers like wool, cotton, and silk cost more than rugs made from synthetic materials like nylon or polypropylene.

Size

A rug’s price can also depend on its size. Most of the time, bigger rugs cost more than smaller ones.

Quality

The quality of the materials and how well it is made affect the price of a tufted-style rug. Generally, rugs made of good-quality materials and with better construction will cost more.

Design

The price can also be affected by the rug’s design, such as its pattern and color. Rugs with designs that are more detailed or complicated may cost more.

Brand

A rug’s price can also depend on its brand. Rugs from well-known, high-end brands may cost more than those from less-known brands.

When figuring out how much a tufted rug should cost, it’s essential to consider all these things and compare prices from different stores. Talk to a professional in the field or do more research online to find out how much the best tufted rugs are going for on the market right now.

Popular Hand Tufted Rug Materials

A combination of different materials, for example, wool and silk are quite a popular blend in hand tufted area rugs. FiRugs primarily uses high-quality wool and silk such as:

• New Zealand
• Worsted wool.
• Bamboo silk
• Viscose
• Cotton
• Recycled polyester

Are Hand Tufted Rugs Durable?

The materials and quality of construction used hand tufted area rugs determine how long it will last. The thickness and density of the pile, the type of yarn used, and the rug’s overall construction all determine how long it will survive.

Hand tufted carpets created with better materials and more care may last longer than their cheaper counterparts.

Benefits of Custom Tufted Rugs

There aren’t just one, two, or three advantages to cool tufted rugs. Hand tufted wool rugs made in India will surprise you that they account for more than 60% of all other pile types.

• Material: An interesting fact about a hand tufted rug art is that most of them are made of wool, the finest fiber for rugs. Yet, you will find tufted carpets made in bamboo silk, jute, acrylic, viscose, and polyester.
  
• Quick production: Be the rug small or extra-large, it takes less time to produce them. An average rug sizing 8’x10′ can take up to 5-10 days(excluding dying of wool) to complete.
  
• Inexpensive: While hand knotted area rugs are expensive, wool tufted carpets can mimic knotted carpets at a very low cost.
  
• Durable: Hand tufted area rugs are less durable than hand knotted rugs, but they last long. Hand tufted wool entryway rugs[link to entryway rugs] can be less durable than Hand tufted polyester rugs.
  
• Shape and size: Hand-tufted carpets also come in small and very large sizes. These rugs come in all shapes, like round, square triangles, animal figures, birds, and many modern irregular shapes.
  
• Colors: Another great advantage of tufted carpet is that it is made in plenty of colors. Match your flooring with the walls or the curtains. You can choose the color that decorates your room more beautifully.
  
• Carries all types of designs: Other than colors and shapes, they are also made in many designs and patterns. It will surprise you to know that the carpet can also be a duplicate of the hand-knotted rug. Hand tufted carpets can carry modern, traditional, as well as contemporary designs.
  
• Pads not required: The latex at the rug’s back forms like rubber and acts as a pad for the rug. So a rug pad isn’t required as the rubber protects the rug from slipping.

Problems With Hand Tufted Area Rugs

• Tufted-made carpets are less durable than knotted carpets.
• Since tufted carpets have latex backing, they are sensitive to place in moisture areas.
• Although less, there is shedding of fiber in these rugs since the yarn is not knotted to the rug’s foundation like hand-knotted rugs do.

How to Make Hand Tufted Wool Rugs

1. Collect Tools: A large cotton cloth or canvas is tightly stretched and pinned to a metal tufting rug frame. All four sides of the frame have a series of needle-like teeth. A stretched canvas on the tufting frame helps make custom tufting rugs easier and creates clear-cut designs.
   
2. Prepare Loom/Frame: Before tufting, the desired design is drawn on a big piece of clear paper that looks like butter paper. The designs on the paper are carefully pierced with tiny holes and then placed on the canvas. A cloth is then dipped into blue ink and rubbed on the paper. Doing so transfers the design from the paper onto the canvas.
   
3. Load Tufting Machine: Now begins the hand tufted rug making. Dyed-color wool or silk is set in the weaving tool called a professional tufting gun. The electric hand tufting gun rug machine is a semiotic tool that works with human hands. It is this tool that makes construction less labor-intensive and more inexpensive.
   
4. Start Tufting: Wool is shot through the canvas, where wool loops appear at the canvas backing. The canvas forms the foundation of the rug. This is basic compared to knotted rugs. The blue ink lines on the canvas guide the weavers to carry out the process easily.
   
5. Washing: After looping the whole design on the canvas, it is removed from the frame and sent for a wash. Washing brings more luster and sheen to the carpet.
   
6. Latex: The next step is to add the protecting layer to the looped canvas. This is important as it keeps the pile from coming apart from the rug. A hand-tufted rug is only complete with two latex layers.
   
7. Trimming and Embossing
   Once the washing and latexing of the rug is complete, the rug gets trimmed to the appropriate pile height. After trimming, embossing the design is done to highlight each design pattern that adds even more beauty to the rug.
   
8. Binding: Binding the edges of the rug not only secures the yarn from coming out but also gives a precise finish. A matching color yarn that is close to the border color is then hand-sewn with a rug binding needle.

How To Clean Hand Tufted Rug

Hand-tufted area rugs do not require professional cleaning, and cleaning is possible at home. Let’s discuss a few easy steps to clean hand tufted area rugs.

• Vacuum the rug regularly to avoid soil accumulation. Vacuum at least 1-2 times a month to keep the rug looking fresh and new.
  
• To clean wet stains, first, blot the stain with a paper towel. If there is excessive wet stain, blot and turn the rug upside down. This will prevent the stain from escaping deeper into the fiber and to its backing.
  
• Pour cold water into a bucket and mix any dishwashing soap or shampoo.
  
• Soak a piece of white cloth/towel into the mixture. Now rub it on the rug’s surface to clean the stain.
  
• Repeat the process until the stain disappears and then dry it with a clean, absorbent towel.
  
• Allow the rug to dry in the sun or the air before laying it on the floor. Never hang the rug to dry since it will expand and lose its form.

If the rug is unclean or the stains are difficult to remove, it may be preferable to have it professionally cleaned. A professional rug cleaner will know how to thoroughly and properly clean your rug.

Hand Tufted Rug Care And Maintenance

• Avoid placing wool tufted area rugs in moist areas, as the latex at their backs can loosen the yarn from the rug’s foundation.
• Even small tufted rugs should never go in for a machine wash because of the nature of their making.
• Only use spot cleaning whenever possible. Call for professional cleaning if needed. Always avoid letting these rugs get wet. Once the water reaches the rug’s backing, it can react with the glue and damage it.
• Water can cause the latex at the backing to weaken and lose its grip on the wool.
• Keep pets from playing around on adhesive-backed rugs. Pet paws can easily pull the yarn out when they scratch the rug, which causes more yarn to fall out of the rug.
• When packing these rugs, always prefer to roll them instead of folding them. Folding causes the stiff, dried latex to break and cause irreparable damage to the rug.
• Also, it can release a bad smell from imported tufted rugs when the adhesive breaks down.

What Pile Height In Hand-Tufted Carpets

The pile height styles used in hand-tufted area rugs include the following:

• Cut Pile
• Loop Pile
• Cut and loop pile
• Multi-level pile

Tufted Cut Pile Rug

A cut pile tufted rug is the most basic style of pile rug and is often 12mm-18mm. Tufted cut pile rugs are flat and even on top and woven from wool, synthetic materials, or a combination of the two.

Tufted Loop Pile Rug

The yarn is left uncut in a loop pile after being tufted into the rug’s backing. The end design is a rug with a textured surface and a more relaxed, rustic appearance. Wool is a common material for making loop pile rugs.

Tufted Cut and Loop Pile Rug

A cut-and-loop tufted style rug combines both styles. This means some designs in the rug have a cut pile, while the others are left uncut. The uncut portion forms the loop pile.

Tufted Multi-level Rug

A multi-level pile height tufted carpet adds a distinctive decorative effect to the look of the rug. Such a pile-style rug has two or more levels of pile height. For example, one level pile height is 14 mm, and another height is 16 mm.

How Long Do Hand-tufted Rugs Last

• Hand-tufted wool rugs last based on their materials, care, and foot traffic. High-quality hand-tufted carpets can last for years with proper care.
• Material affects a hand-tufted rug’s lifespan. Wool rugs last longer than nylon or polypropylene ones.
• Tufted carpets last longer due to their pile density. Denser the pile, the more durable they are.
• Hand-tufted area rugs can last longer with proper maintenance. Vacuuming, turning, and avoiding spills and stains can help the rug last longer.
• Hand-tufted rugs’ lifespans depend on many factors. However, a well-maintained hand-tufted rug can last for years.

How To Stop Hand Tufted Rug From Shedding

Since hand tufted area rugs are made by punching strands of yarn through a canvas backing using a hand-held tool called a “tufting gun.” This process can result in shedding, especially when the rug is new. Here are a few tips for reducing shedding in a hand-tufted rug:

1. Vacuum the rug regularly: Use a vacuum with a beater bar or a high-power setting to remove loose fibers from the rug’s surface. The beater will help to reduce shedding and maintain the overall appearance of the rug.
2. Use a lint roller: A lint roller can remove loose fibers from the rug’s surface. The roller is handy for eliminating fibers stuck to clothing or furniture.
3. Groom the rug: Use a groomer or a slicker brush to gently lift and remove loose fibers from the rug’s surface.
4. Avoid dragging heavy furniture across the rug: Moving heavy furniture across the rug can cause fibers to become loose and shed. Instead, lift the furniture when moving it to avoid damaging the rug.
5. Rotate the rug: Periodically rotating the rug will help to distribute the wear evenly, which can help to reduce shedding.

Attention: Please remember that hand tufted wool rug shedding is a naturally occurring phenomenon for a tufted rug. It may happen for a short time when you start to use it. Take care of your rug; it will gradually stop or lessen shedding and last longer.

Conclusion

Hand tufted area rugs are often more affordable and can be customized in size, shape, and color to suit the buyer’s specific needs.
Overall, hand tufted carpets are a popular and practical choice for residential and commercial spaces. So if you are looking for one, FiRugs, the leading hand tufted rug’s manufacturer, can produce and deliver one custom-made for you.

FAQ: Handmade Hand Tufted Woolen Carpets