FAQs
HOW DO I KNOW IF A MACHINE MADE CARPET IS GOOD QUALITY?
The quality of a machine made carpet can be determined in a few ways, mainly through its compact knots, materials, and the coloring method utilized. The density of a machine made carpet and can be measured in the number of knots it has per square inch, a higher knot count carpet will have greater detail in its design and the material will feel denser. Higher quality machine made carpets are made from Polypropaline, Acrylic, Wool and Silk
WHAT SHAPES AND SIZES DO MACHINE MADE CARPETS COME IN?
Machine made carpets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most common sizes include: 80×150, 100×150, 120×170, 160×230, 200×290, 200×300, 250×350 and 300×400 (All sizes are measured in (Centimetres). There are many more sizes available on offer as well, from 50cm x 100cm runners and doormats, all the way up to 500cm x 800cm extra large carpets.
HOW OFTEN DO MACHINE MADE CARPETS NEED TO BE WASHED?
This depends on the type and usage of the carpet, carpets typically should be washed after 5-6 months of normal day to day usage. Keep in mind that this heavily depends on the usage as well as the pile type, quality, pile type, and material of the selected machine made carpet.
CAN MY ALLERGIES BE AFFECTED BY A MACHINE MADE CARPET?
Its a common misconception that carpets are the root cause of allergic reactions, a carpet can help people with allergies. Carpets act as a filter in a room, trapping dust, pollen, pet fur, and any other dirt that the fibers can catch. Although the carpet has to be cleaned using correct methods to make sure it can continue trapping allergens and improve air quality. We still recommend you consult a specialist when you pick and purchase a carpet, especially if a person who is hypoallergic may come into contact with the carpet.
WHY DO HANDMADE CARPETS HAVE IRREGULAR SIZES AND PROPORTIONS?
Handmade carpets do not have perfectly straight corners, or straight edges, as the material and techniques used are very basic, and therefore result in slightly different proprtions compared to that of a factory made carpet where all sizes and proportions are done by machines.
WHY DO SOME HANDMADE CARPETS HAVE WRITING ON THEM?
Some handmade pieces will have some writing on the side of the their design. This is a signature from the carpet weaver, and/or the tribe, family or the town they come from, this is very common in high-end persian handmade carpets. Some carpet weavers are well-known for their designs and peices, and these carpets are one the works they have created. These peices are rare and have great value.
HOW SHOULD I CLEAN AND MAINTAIN A HANDMADE CARPET?
Handmade carpets should be kept out of direct sunlight to avoid the colours from fading, this should also be combined with rotating and re-organising furniture placement on the carpet at least once a month to avoid permanent marks. Vaccuming the carpets can also be done to avoid the natural fibers being packed with dust, although the beater bar should be removed to avoid loose fibers being pulled. If spills do occur do not use any normal cleaning agent. Use paper towels to absorb as much of the liquid and bring the carpet to our store to be cleaned using proper techniques and chemicals special for cleaning handmade pieces.
HOW ARE CARPETS USED IN SOUNDPROOFING A ROOM?
Carpets can be used for soundproofing since they can partially absorb the sound which is created, blocking it from leaving the room, the room will not fully be sound proofed (if carpets are only placed on the floor) as carpets are not able to fully absorb the sounds which are created within the room.
WHAT IS A KNOT COUNT AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT CARPETS?
A knot count is a unit of measure, it is the amount of knots in the carpets either by centimetre and/or inch, the Knot count affects the Density of the carpets, as the higher the knot count the higher the density of chosen carpet. The knot count also affects the design of the carpet as the higher the knot count per cm/inch, the less the ‘pixelation’ of the carpet’s design.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN, ‘MACHINE MADE’, ‘HAND MADE’, ‘HAND TUFTED’ AND ‘WALL TO WALL’ CARPETS?
Machine made carpets: Carpets that are, as the name suggests, made by machines. Machine made carpets are typically made in factories, using chemical dyes and the knots in the carpets are created by machine.
Hand made carpets : Handmade carpets are made by a loom, usually made by a group of artisans who dedicate months and years to create the handmade carpet. Handmade carpets take time to produce as the designs forged are very intricate, require high skill, and above all, patience. Handmade carpets are mostly made in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. Each region has different specialities ranging from the designs used, the type of carpets, whether it is a kilim or a qum designed carpet. Handmade carpets also use vegetable and fruit dyes in the production cycle, Silk, Wool, Cotton are some of the most common materials used in Handmade carpets.
Hand Tufted carpets : Hand tufted carpets are wool carpets that are created by using a “tufting gun”, A gun which has woolen threads connected to it, The carpet weaver creates the carpet by connecting the imprinted design on the back of the carpet with a ‘scrim’ which is another foundation. The finished result is very similar to that of a wool Handmade carpet.
Wall to wall carpets : A wall to wall carpet is typically used to cover the entire floor of an area, to “carpet” the entire area, wall to wall carpets are glued to the floor and are made by machine.
WHY DO SOME ORIENTAL RUGS HAVE UNEVEN COLOR BANDS?
Some oriental rugs occasionally have uneven colors due to the seasons the carpet was created in, this affects the dyes and the wool pile, which may sometimes result in uneven color bands across some carpets.
WHY DO SOME CARPETS LOOK DIFFERENT FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER?
Each carpet has both a ‘brighter’ side, and a ‘darker’ side, This is basically where the pile of he carpet is facing, as some carpets are created by tying down the pile and pulling it, eventually resulting in the fibres facing one direction.