The Real Difference Between Tufted and Hand Woven Area Rugs – Prescott Valley AZ
I’m Ruthie with Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care and there is a really easy way to tell the difference between a tufted and a hand woven area rug. Tufted area rugs have a piece of fabric covering the back of them so you can’t see the pattern from the front. Why is that? It all has to do with the way these area rugs are made.
As the name implies, hand woven rugs are created by weavers that hand knot face fibers around foundation fibers. Foundation fibers are typically made from either wool or cotton and are called warp and weft yarns. When these rugs are well-taken care of they can last through many generations!
On the other hand, you have tufted area rugs. Tufted rugs aren’t necessarily “cheap” rugs but they do lack the same structural integrity a hand woven rug has. They also don’t last nearly as long as hand woven rugs. Rather than being knotted, tufted rugs have yarns that are punched through a mesh foundation with a tufting tool. Once the design is completed, a layer of latex glue is applied before a piece of fabric is laid over the back to make it look nice and finished.
You can probably imagine that latex glue isn’t made to last forever. Most latex glues begin to dry up and crack within about 10 years. One indication that the latex in your tufted rug is breaking down is finding a fine white powder beneath your rug. Once the latex begins breaking down, you have two options – either replace or restore.
Restoring a tufted rug means that the backing will be removed and the dried up latex will be scraped off. A new layer of latex will be applied, followed by a new piece of fabric. Replacing an area rug that you have enjoyed for years can be difficult, which is why Arizona Oriental offers this kind of repair for tufted area rugs so you can continue to enjoy it for a few more years.
Till next time, enjoy your beautiful art for your floors and remember a clean rug is a rug that can last you a lifetime!
Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care serves Prescott Valley, Prescott, Sedona, and much of the Northern Arizona areas. We meet the highest standards in professional cleaning of area rugs with rug wash specialists having earned the highest training, including certification as WOOLSAFE FIBRE CARE SPECIALISTS through the WOOLSAFE ORGANISATION. Such extraordinary certification ensures the area rugs of our client’s receive the utmost in care.
Have more questions about the difference between hand woven and tufted area rugs? Call us at 928-445-1718, visit our website at www.ArizonaOriental.com, or stop by Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at our rug washing facility at 565 EZ Street, Prescott, AZ 86301 (pick-up and delivery also available). (06-22-17)
