Hand Tufted Rugs

While the most valuable and most durable handmade rugs are those that are hand knotted there is a different type of handmade rug that doesn’t involve any knots at all. These rugs are those know as hand-tufted. Though hand-tufted rugs were very fashionable in the 1920’s and 1930’s they are less so today. Though they may not be as popular today they do offer people a discount rugs option to for a hand made rug.

The base material used in creating hand-tufted rugs is a canvas fabric. The pile of hand-tufted rugs, like most other rugs, comes in different types of wool rugs, silk, synthetic fibers and combinations of materials so they are suitable for everything from traditional rugs and contemporary rugs to kids rugs and bath rugs.

Hand-tufted rugs look very similar to those that are hand-knotted. But while they appear comparable they not nearly as durable as hand knotted oriental rugs. On the other hand they also cost considerably less. The pile on hand-tufted rugs is created with a tool that inserts each tuft as apposed to hand tying each tuft to the backing. In that they are far easier to make and therefore use less labor than hand knotting they are much less expensive.

When producing hand-tufted area rugs they start by cutting the canvas backing material into the desired size and shape. Then they stretched it over a backing frame. A drawing of the rug pattern is projected onto the material and the design is traced onto the backing. Then numbers are given to each area of the pattern to define the colors to be used there. The colored tufts of yarns are then driven into the backing using a tufting gun. Once all the tufts are in place a latex glue is applied to the backing to secure them. The loops (Like the ones you get with shag rugs) at the top of each tuft are then cut to create the standard looking pile. A protective material is then laminated on the back of the rug to keep the rug from damaging the floor in the home where the carpet rugs will be placed.