Have you found your rug going bald around the edges or around furniture? Rug patching could be the solution to your problem, but until you call for help and hire a carpet cleaning and restoration company, let’s find out first what causes those holes.
What Causes Holes in Your Rug?
Before determining what causes the deterioration of your rug, take a look at the damage and observe the aspect of the holes. Different types of holes usually indicate damage from different causes.
Moving heavy furniture
When you move heavy furniture without lifting it, the furniture can rub against the rug or carpet and tear it. As a result, you will be dealing with tears rather than holes. The good news is you can easily prevent such problems by using special moving equipment.
Accidents
Cigarette burns are another common cause of rug holes – you will find small holes with burning marks around them. Avoid smoking near your rug to prevent fire hazard.
Carpet beetles
The idea of having a pest living in their carpet terrifies most people, but this can easily happen. Carpet beetles will only eat through rugs made from natural fibers (such as original oriental rugs) and will leave irregular holes behind them. You can find out more about carpet beetles (life cycles, signs of infestation, extermination) from this carpet beetle treatment article.
Why Patch Your Rug?
Now that you have discovered what has been eating through your carpet and eliminated the cause, it is time to repair the carpet or rug. While discarding the rug can be quite tempting, there are several reasons why it is a good idea to have it patched:
Save money
Since patching most times ensures satisfactory results, it can be a very good alternative to replacing your rug and supporting the costs of a new one.
Reduce environmental impact
Manufacturing a rug uses multiple resources and it is recommended to use such items for a long time. If the rug is made from natural fibers, it can be composted. But if the rug is synthetic, it may be difficult or impossible to recycle it and it will end up in the landfill. Repairing damaged items rather than replacing them enables us to take care of our planet.
Preserve the value of an expensive rug
When the damaged rug is an expensive piece, such as an oriental rug, the financial loss can be quite significant. Rebinding or at least patching the rug is definitely worth trying in order to save a valuable possession.
What Is Involved in Rug/Carpet Patching?
Rug patching is a simple process and some owners try to do it themselves, especially with carpets. Patching is easier done with carpets because you can match the pile, color, and style of carpeting for perfect repair that is hard to notice. This method is also used for deliberately cutting out severely stained areas from a carpet and replacing them with a matching patch.
When it comes to rug that have a pattern, patching can be a little more complicated. Finding a matching new piece of rug may be impossible, this is why professional restoration including rebinding is usually recommended. Regardless of what you are patching, a carpet or a rug, the process includes more or less the following steps:
Prepare tools and materials
Equipment needed includes carpet knife and seam roller. Necessary materials are donor carpeting, double-sided carpet tape, and optionally remnant carpet to fix the donor area.
Identify the damaged area
Patching works for small, localized spots that are worn, have holes, or are stained beyond repair. The area to be patched should not exceed 1 square foot.
Find donor carpet
The donor carpet should ideally be a new version of the same type of carpeting as the area with holes/damage. Patches made with a different type of carpet are obvious, so you will need to source from unused remnants from the same carpeting. This is why you should keep remnants from the original installation and preserve them in good conditions. If the carpet is not too old, you can be lucky and find remnants at the store. Keep information about the brand and style of carpet as visual matching is not always error-free.
Mark and cut out the damaged section
Establish a square around the damaged area and cut it, taking care to separate the tufts to reduce the number of tufts that will get cut.
Obtain the donor carpet piece
Take the damaged area and place it over the donor carpet area. Use the original piece as a template and draw around it with a pen. Cut out the donor carpet, again avoiding to cut tufts.
Test donor piece
Carpets are milled and their nap runs in one direction. Determine which way the carpet nap naturally lies by running your hand across the carpet in several directions. Match the direction of the donor piece with the direction of the carpet.
Apply carpet tape
Be careful as carpet tape is very sticky and gives you only one chance to stick it down. Cut four strips of carpet tape to cover the perimeter of the patch area. Remove the protective paper and apply carpet tape on the floor. Remove the protective paper from the top of all strips.
Blend the patch into the carpet
Install the carpet patch in the original carpet and press it firmly in place. Rub across the carpeting in all directions to help the patch blend with the rest of the carpeting.
Do you find the process too difficult or time-consuming? You can always use rug patching NY services for excellent results!
