Being woven with natural fibres, Persian and Oriental rugs are extremely vulnerable and periodically require some maintenance and restoration. Today we are talking about the most common carpet restoration interventions.
The restoration of carpets must be entrusted to expert hands. We at Hobart have been operating in the Persian and Oriental carpet sector, thanks to our in-depth knowledge of the different weaving and knotting techniques of the materials, we carry out accurate restorations and repairs on every type of carpet, to keep the beauty of the product unaltered.
Incorrect restoration work can cause severe damage to the carpet structure and contribute to its loss of value. Similarly, not realizing the need for restoration in time can compromise the value of your artifact.
So let’s see what are the most common restoration interventions and the parts of the carpet that require the most attention!
Repair of carpet fringes and edges
The most fragile parts of the carpet are the edges and fringes, or the “edges” of the carpet. Their repair is one of the most frequent and common restoration interventions and is mostly due to incorrect maintenance: the vacuum cleaner can be used to clean the carpet, as long as it is used at low power and avoids fringes!
FRINGE REPAIR
The fringes of the carpet are the visible part – in some carpets – of the warp threads and run the entire length of the carpet supporting the knots. If you want to learn more about the various ways of weaving and knotting the hand-knotted carpet.
The most frequent interventions concerning the fringes are two: the first relates to the integrity of the carpet and the function of the fringes, while the second is mostly related to the fringes intended as a decorative element.
As for the first case, when the tie that holds the fringes tight, the carpet runs the risk of loosening.
The knots risk slipping away destroying the parts of the carpet near the ends.
If an intervention on the tie-off is necessary, the restorer will make a thick “overedge stitch” along both ends with needle and thread. In this way, a simple intervention will allow the carpet to be stable and welded again.
The second most frequent case concerning the repair of the fringes is mainly related to their decorative function.
If the fringes are so worn that they are missing in some places, the main solutions are two: either you proceed with the insertion of new fringes by choosing a thread similar to the original warp, or you get the fringes directly from the carpet.
HEM REPAIR
The hems (also called edges) are formed by one or more warps joined together and anchored to the body of the carpet, sometimes thanks to the use of a protective wool cord. On this part of the carpet we intervene in three cases:
- the protection cord is damaged/frayed, but the internal warp is intact;
- the protective cord is damaged and the hem is partially detached from the body of the carpet;
- the edge, in addition to having lost the lining cord and being detached from the body of the carpet at several points, is also broken/cut.
The situation is very simple to remedy in the first two cases, in which the restoration interventions are minimally invasive and consist of the repair or replacement of the protective wool cord.
The last case, on the other hand, requires more complex work. The restorer must completely remove the edge and the protective cord and re-arrange one or more warp threads, securing it/them with wefts inserted into the body of the carpet for several centimetres. Finally, if originally present, it covers the new edge with a new protective cord.
Repair of the worn fleece of the carpet
Sometimes it is only the fleece of the carpet that has holes, while its structure (made up of warp and weft) remains intact.
Among the main causes are moths, insects that feed on natural fibres and in particular on the wool with which the carpet fleece is made.
Other causes concern the continuous rubbing of chairs, heavy furniture and armchairs affecting a specific area of the carpet, ruining its surface.
The restoration operation consists in applying new knots with the help of small crochet. It is a long and meticulous intervention, which only expert hands can make perfect and imperceptible.
To obtain a good result the colours and the type of wool of the original fleece must be respected, the height of the shaving of the fleece must be the same and the density of the knots must remain homogeneous.
We remind you that in the case of moths, the timeliness of the intervention and washing with anti-moth treatment is very important.
Reconstruction of holes and tears in the weave of the carpet
It happens that carpets have more or less large holes which, unlike the previous case, affect both the fleece and the entire structure made up of weft and warp.
The causes are various and concern, for example, burns, wear caused by rubbing of chairs, tables, armchairs and so on. In the latter cases, it is important to restore the carpet already when the fleece is worn (previous case) without waiting for the “hole” to be created in the carpet.
However, a skilled restorer can integrate the missing parts making the carpet uniform and restoring it to its original beauty and the restoration techniques vary according to the extent of the damage.
If the hole is not very large, first of all, a canvas is built, that is a dense weft of fabric, whose wefts are grafted into the body of the rug and, subsequently, the knots are applied to it.
If the hole is more extensive, the restorer must perform real weaving work, using a loom and inserting the new warps inside the carpet and in-depth (for at least 5cm).
But be careful!
We want to reiterate the importance of entrusting your carpets to be restored to experts in the sector. Saving money on this type of intervention risks ruining the integrity of your carpet.
That’s why at Hobart we offer you a complete consultancy and restoration service:
- Fringe repair
- Edge repair
- Reconstruction of cuts
- Reconstruction of holes and tears in the carpet texture
- Stain removal
- Smudging of colours and recolouring
- Reinforcement of the corners
For a quote or free advice on our Persian and Oriental carpet washing and restoration services, do not hesitate to contact us, or visit our site.
