Types of Area Rugs

The range of area rug styles is immense and includes patterns, sizes, fiber, color and construction (weave) technique. Of these, construction is the most important because it determines a rug’s cost and use. Before you start shopping for area rugs, know these basic weave types:

Hand Knotted

The centuries old weaving technique of traditional Oriental rugs results in a dense, tight construction that’s durable and holds its value. Hand-knotting is reflected in the cost.

Hand Loomed

Weavers manually pass yarn through a loom. Although still classified as handmade, this weave type is less expensive than hand knotted.

Hand Tufted

Yarn is tied to a fabric backing via a tufting tool. Both cut (tufted) and looped pile are achieved with this technique

Machine Loomed

These rugs offer lots of style variation, including precision patterns, and are typically the most affordable.

Flatweave

This weaving technique creates a low-profile surface with no pile. Typically made of cotton or wool. A key feature of flatweave rugs is they’re reversible.