November 8, 2026 · 2 min read
What rug repair involves, and when it is worth it
Frayed edges, worn fringe and thin patches: what each rug repair does, when it is worth doing, and when to stop and call us.
Small damage rarely stays small
A handmade rug is held together by its edges and ends. Once those start to go, the knots beside them have nothing holding them in place, and a loose thread can become a missing row.
That is why the cheapest repair is usually the early one. If you can see a problem starting, it is worth having it looked at before the rug goes back on the floor for another winter.
What each repair does
- Hand serging re-wraps the side edges by hand, so they stop fraying and hold their shape.
- Securing stabilises loose ends, worn areas and weak spots before they become larger damage.
- Re-weaving puts new pile into areas that are worn or damaged.
- New binding replaces a worn or broken binding along the ends of the rug.
- New fringes replace fringe that has worn away or been damaged.
We do all of these in house.
When repair is worth it
There is no single answer, but these are the questions we ask when someone brings a rug in.
- Is it hand-knotted? A hand-knotted rug can be repaired knot by knot. A machine-made rug generally cannot be repaired in the same way. Our guide to hand-knotted rugs explains the difference.
- Is the foundation sound? Worn pile can be rebuilt. A rug whose foundation has rotted or become brittle is a harder case.
- Does it matter to you? Some rugs are worth repairing because of what they are. Others are worth repairing because of whose they were. Both are good reasons.
When to stop and call us
- The edge is unravelling and you can see the threads coming away.
- The fringe has started to disappear and the knots at the end are exposed.
- A patch has worn thin enough to show the foundation underneath.
- You can see moth damage, or the rug has been wet for a long time.
Please do not trim loose threads. On a handmade rug, a thread that looks stray may be part of the structure.
Bring it in
Call either showroom or bring the rug in. We will look at it with you, tell you what it needs, and tell you honestly whether we think it is worth doing.
