In the past, we may have spent less money on “cheaper” items, without caring if they lasted longer than we’d hoped. We could always get another one because, hey, it’s cheap! Now it’s fair to agree that quality is essentially better than quantity, especially when it comes to household items such as tables, mattresses, and furniture of your own. The same stands true for home decor items like rugs. So, how can you tell the difference between a high-quality rug and one that will shed next week? Cost aside, your rug should have some standard qualities. When you’re looking for your ideal rug, your local Denver rug company should have a warehouse of high-quality and long-lasting rugs.

How To Choose a Good Quality Rug

Choosing a high-quality rug isn’t all that difficult. In fact, with these simple steps, you can pretty much tell a cheap rug from a well-made rug right away. If the cost hasn’t given it away, you can certainly look at other qualities.

  • Appearance – First, the appearance and shape of the rug will be precise and exact most of the time when you are looking for a high-quality rug. Although you may experience some irregularities, the rug will be pretty consistent with dimensions and measurements. Your Denver rug company should have well-made rugs that lay evenly and flatly on the floor’s surface. They shouldn’t curl at the edges or have uneven sides. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell, but poorly made rugs will appear to have an unnatural shine or bright appearance. They may even seem washed out in their colors.
  • Knotted or Synthetic Fibers – Handmade rugs come with a number of knots per square inch. This makes a total difference in the denseness and the quality. You may find up to 290 knots per square inch for high-quality rugs. That just means you’ll get a softer and cleaner texture as well as a sharper artistic design. With 30 knots or less, you will notice uneven designs and a coarser texture.
  • Handmade or Flat Weave – It’s incredibly simple to make a rug using a machine these days. It’s also cost-effective in production and labor, too. But they lack the quality that handmade or flat- weave rugs have. These types of rugs are top-notch in quality and show it very well. Hand tufting, a hand-weaving technique, uses the loom to weave yarn fibers tightly together to create the rug’s design and unique shape.

It’s All In the Make

Synthetic and natural fibers can often be confused by the naked eye. But upon closer inspection, you can discern the distinctions right away.

Synthetic fibers consist of polyester, nylon, olefin, and viscose. Polyester fibers can be anti-allergenic, stain and fade-resistant, ultra-durable and soft. But this fiber can easily shed and wear much faster than higher-quality fibers. Viscose has a silk-like texture and is static resistant. Viscose is also on the expensive side and is susceptible to stains. Nylon is a sustainable synthetic fiber that is easy to clean and is durable. Although it has strong fibers and is relatively inexpensive, it is not static resistant! Lastly, olefin is much like wool but doesn’t bounce back after a while. Its sensitivity to heat and agitation means it doesn’t do very well moving from room to room.

Your natural fibers will be silk, wool, or cotton. Wool rugs will usually be vibrant and can withstand heavy traffic. Wool is an expansive fiber that allows the fibers to breathe while remaining extremely durable with excellent color retention. Cotton rugs can be flat-weaved or braided. They are usually machine washable and are fairly durable, heat and static resistant. Although it maintains its durability, it does stain easily. And lastly, silk is a luxurious fiber for your rug. It is lightweight, flame resistant, and pliable, which means it can stretch to up to 20% of its length. Silk rugs are an expensive and sensitive rug fiber but do add luxury and beauty to your home like none other.

All this to say, you have many options at your local Denver rug company. You see, even some synthetic fibers can add charm and withstand traffic in any room in your home. The Carpet Mill offers a wide variety of rugs, flooring styles, and more in their expansive showroom. Stop at one of their convenient locations today!