Hanging a Rug
In General
hanging an oriental rug, whether a silk Qum Persian, or a family heirloom hooked rug, is among the most elegant forms of displaying a carpet. There are three common ways to display a carpet depending on the application. Carefully assess what characteristics your rug has: flimsy, heavy, stiff, or floppy and light. Displaying your rug could lead to curling corners on edges or ends. The carpet may be more susceptible to sun fade. Decide what will be the top or bottom of the rug prior to mounting. This should be determined if the design is uni-directional, or decide if you would like to have the rug appear lighter or darker. For lighter, hang the carpet pile pointing towards the floor, darker toward the ceiling.
For Heavier, Thicker, Fragile and/or Floppy rugs
Sewing several long banded cloth sleeves to the reverse side of the rug to evenly distribute weight is effective for most any rug. These sleeves can measure as short as two feet in length or even run the entire width of the carpet intended for display. It is sometimes quite tedious to mount these longer sleeves as well as remove them, however is one of the best and safest ways to both protect and display your investment.
For Moderate Gauge, Light Weight and/or Rigid Rugs
Sewn cloth tabs on the reverse side of the rug are effective in reducing time consuming, continuous sewing. Tabs are easier to add and remove as they’re significantly less invasive. Working from the outside to the inside by determining opposite mounting points first will help in making a straighter, more true finished mount. Cloth loops or tabs are often the most commonly found means of making a rug ready for display on a wall.
For Light-Weight Rigid Rugs and or Tapestries
Stitch small gauge key rings to the back of the rug. This is the least labor intensive means to displaying a rug, however, may also result in the most damage if not properly fixed or too heavy a rug is used. Do bear in mind, that if your rug is particularly floppy, these rings may show through on the front as small dimples while the weight of the carpet or textile pulls on mounting points.
This particular 4′x6′ (High quality triple ply wool Indian allover kashan design) had been hanging width wise for three years with only eight rings. This rug is an example of a carpet too heavy to be mounted on rings as the weight has placed too much strain on the warps of the carpet.
General Mounting Assistance
Remember, a hand knotted rug or tapestry is not always even on the top. Use a yard stick to note either end first, and then work inwards to determine correct mounting points and eliminate uneven weight distribution. For smaller rugs to be mounted behind glass, be sure to specify with your frame specialist to not use any form of adhesive or permanent, irreversible techniques.
Other more uncommon methods of hanging your rug include framing, or use of velcro for very lightweight tapestries and smaller rugs.
Contact us for rug mounting hardware including clips, rods and finished decorative displays.
