Have you ever been hand tufted rugs/carpet shopping before? If you have, you are aware that there is a vast array of carpets on the market, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. However, do you know what the most common form of area rug used in house interiors is? It’s the hand-tufted rug, of course!
This style of area rug is reasonably priced and comes in a wide range of distinctive colors and designs. Hand-tufted area rugs have acquired a lot of momentum in the affordable design sector, thanks to their simplicity of production (in comparison to hand-knotted carpets).
What are hand-tufted carpets?
Hand-tufted carpets are a relatively new method of producing handcrafted carpets. Hand-tufted rugs, unlike hand-knotted rugs, are manufactured without knots and require a fraction of the effort.
An area rug that has been tufted together with adhesive is known as a tufted area rug. The rug fiber is wrapped using a tufted gun or hand tool after the pattern is stenciled onto a fabric canvas using a marker. The back of the canvas is then liberally coated with latex adhesive to keep the fibers in place, and a secondary coating is put on top to conceal it.
How are Hand-Tufted carpets made?
Hand-tufted carpets are a relatively new method of producing handcrafted carpets. Hand-tufted rugs, unlike hand-knotted rugs, are manufactured without knots and require a quarter of the effort. Hand-tufted rugs are manufactured by forcing yarn through a perforated canvas backing stretched on a frame using a tool called a ‘hand tufter’ or tufting gun.
After this is completed, the rug is taken from the frame and the ‘tufts’ are held in place with latex adhesive by a craftsman. The rug is then coated with a final durable fabric backing when the glue has dried.
This style of rug-making produces a long-lasting, precise handcrafted rug that can withstand heavy foot activity for many years.
Types of Hand-Tufted Rugs
Hand-tufted carpets, despite their low cost, are still one of the most luxury and designer-like alternatives when it comes to buying an area rug. They’re also available in a variety of yarn qualities and sorts. In fact, the quality of the yarn affects how luxurious they are. These carpets are often twisted piles, velvet, or loop pile.
Inorganic and organic fabrics and threads are used to make hand-tufted carpets. Natural yarn versions are of exceptionally excellent quality. Many of them are made entirely of New Zealand wool yarn. Nylon, cotton, and linen are among the other materials used. The sheens on the most opulent hand-tufted carpets are generally silk or bamboo.
They may give the overall design a wonderful depth when combined with the wool. Merino and semi-worsted wool yarns are two more types of yarn used in hand-tufted carpets. These are much finer and are employed in highly elaborate and elaborate rug patterns. Petit point loops and low tight cut-pile patterns can also benefit from these. Using these yarns has a number of additional advantages like those of being soft, smooth, and highly resilient.
Pricing for Hand-Tufted Carpets
Hand tufted carpets are often less costly than hand-knotted carpets, as previously stated. However, the price range is ultimately determined by the quality and kind of yarn used in the arrangement. A decent quality hand-tufted area rug in the price range of $600 – $1200 for a 4’x6′ area rug may be found. All you have to do now is choose based on your requirement and budget!
Pros of Hand-Tufted Carpets
- It is highly durable and resilient.
- Affordable Pricing makes it a must-have.
- These carpets have a smooth and soft feel to them.
- Customization can help alleviate the look of surroundings.
- Handcrafted rugs can easily withstand heavy foot activity for years.
- Tufted area rugs are straightforward to create, allowing them to be manufactured in the forms, designs, and colors that purchasers choose.
Cons of Hand-Tufted Carpets
1. Has a bad odor to it
The odor of tufted area rugs manufactured in India, China, or Pakistan has been said to be unpleasant, ranging from moderate to obnoxious. The latex adhesive used to produce them is the source of the odor. The adhesive is frequently of poor quality, and it is occasionally blended with fillers like marble dust to help it spread faster. The stink is irreversible; no amount of expert cleaning or deodorizing chemicals will be able to remove it.
To minimize downtime, give the area rug a thorough whiff, then roll it up and embrace the open ends of the roll or “grin” the rug threads. Because of various aromas and air movement at the store, the smell may not always be obvious, but once home in a smaller place, it can be rather noticeable.
2. The rug fiber might shed
Wool tufted area rugs are prone to this. The grade of the wool fibers varies. Pull-on the wool strands to assess if the rug will shed profusely. If they readily break off, the rug will wear out faster, and the fibers may become an irritation in the air. Another method is to brush your fingers over the rug and count the number of fibers that fly about. This is not a problem with synthetic tufted area rugs.
3. You might suffer dye bleeds
When wet, a tufted area rug with a dark-colored backing may leak. When using a carpet over a light-colored carpet, an underpad should be used to prevent color transfer. To assess if it will bleed, rub a moist cloth against the backside to see if there is any color transmission. Also, if a durable marker was not used to stencil the pattern onto the fabric, it may bleed.
4. Harder to clean and maintain
Another factor at play when purchasing a tufted area rug is the intended purpose. Synthetic tufted area rugs acquire dirty appearing rapidly in heavy usage areas, and the grey drabness persists. If you have dogs, tufted area rugs are not a smart choice. If your pet has an accident, the stench is extremely difficult to remove since the glue absorbs it.
Stains are harder to eliminate since the area rug is bonded together and cannot be washed as completely. If you clean tufted area rugs with too much dampness and/or heat, they might delaminate.