How to Repair a Rug with Holes in It
Not long ago, The Washington Post did some coverage about repairing wall to wall carpeting after your dog decides to dig a hole in it, explaining that patching a damaged carpet was best left in the hands of professionals, the article did say that materials like by combining scraps of carpeting and seam tape, you could affect a fairly decent, very small repair. You would have to cut out the damage and position the replacement piece, as well as flipping over the installed rug to make that repair. And even with care, you may notice the new area. Thus, they say you should usually contact a pro.
Now, if the experts are saying that you probably shouldn’t try to repair a rug with holes in it if you want it to be unnoticeable, that must apply doubly so to finer, oriental rugs.
Can You Repair a Rug with Holes in It?
Imagine taking a knife or scissors to a hand-tied or handwoven rug. It would destroy it because severing the warp and weave threads will cause it to begin unraveling or falling apart. Instead, if you have a damaged oriental rug, and you decide to repair a rug with holes in it, you’ll have to use sewing and tying techniques to get the job done.
Damage Versus Wear
As you might know, rugs tend to wear differently based on the type of rug. For example, in a wall to wall installation, it is usually the main traffic areas that face a lot of wear. With oriental rugs, though, “the edges and ends of carpets need attention before anything else.” The fringe area is particularly prone to damage, but you can also develop holes at the edges.
To do this sort of repair work means you have to see that all of the edges are still properly wrapped with specialty stitches and that overcasting stitches are used where areas of unraveling. However, if you have a very valuable rug with areas in the field or body of the rug showing signs of wear, damage or holes, you’ll have to find experts to help.
The Conclusion: Fixing Rug Holes is a Job for Experts
Why? To repair a rug with holes in it of this kind, you are left with paying an expert to re-weave the rug where holes have developed, or to put in strong but temporary flat stitches can be used to (as one expert explains) “protect the warp threads (foundation threads) from being broken, but still keep the cost of the repair to a minimum and make the rug useable without reweaving the holes.”
The thing to remember is that whenever you find you need to repair a rug with holes in it, the sooner you take action, the better. Whether it is a very fine rug or a modern wall to wall rug, the holes or damage only worsen over time. A beautifully made oriental rug will not just wear more or sustain greater damage, but it will also begin to lose value. Protect rugs by getting expert repairs at the first signs of wear or damage of any kind.
