The layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropyleneA synthetic fiber used in carpet manufacturing, known for its excellent stain and moisture resistance, colorfastness, and affordability., polyesterA synthetic carpet fiber made from recycled plastic bottles, known for its softness, stain resistance, and eco-friendly properties. or nylonA synthetic fiber commonly used in carpet manufacturing, known for its durability, resilience, and stain resistance when properly treated.), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knottedA rug construction in which the weaver ties each knot of wool or silk pile yarn by hand around adjacent warp threads on a loom, then runs a weft through the row and beats it down. The cut knot ends form the pile, the warps and wefts form the foundation, and the warp ends become the fringe. A rug can take months or even years, and the work leaves subtle irregularities: patterns not perfectly symmetrical, opposite edges a few inches different in length, an uneven fringe. Authentic Persian, Oriental and Turkish rugs are hand-knotted, unlike hand-tufted rugs (sometimes sold as “handmade”) and machine-made ones, whose backs feel stiff and evenly aligned. rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design.
A type of flooring that combines multiple layers of different materials for improved stability and performance. In the context of carpet, may refer to carpet tilesSquare sections of carpet (typically 18"×18" or 24"×24") that can be installed individually and replaced as needed. Popular in commercial settings for their flexibility, ease of installation, and reduced waste during replacement. with engineered backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. systems designed for specific performance characteristics.
A rug made by punching pileThe surface of a rug or carpet, made of upright fibers in cut tufts or loops. In a hand-knotted rug it is formed by the cut ends of thousands of wool or silk knots tied onto the warp row by row, trimmed lightly during weaving and given its final height by shearing at finishing. Pile thickness, measured from the back of the rug to the top of the pile, typically runs from low, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3 to 6 mm), to high, about 1/2 to 5/8 inch (13 to 16 mm). Fine, dense designs are cut short to keep the pattern sharp; higher pile suits traffic and heavy furniture, lower pile suits door clearance and humid rooms. yarn through a stretched cloth base with a hand-held tufting tool and fixing the loops with a glued backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design., rather than tying knots by hand around warp and weftThe two thread systems that make up a carpet's foundation: the warp, the vertical threads strung on the loom first, and the weft, the horizontal threads passed through them between rows of knots. The foundation is usually cotton, though wool is common in tribal and older rugs and silk in very fine ones. Single-weft rugs, standard in the greater Hamadan area, show zigzag rows of white warp dots on the back and have a thinner pile, whereas double-weft construction, standard in fine, tightly woven rugs and in Bijar and Heriz, hides the warp and gives a thicker, denser pile. The warp ends form the fringe, and extra weft passes at each end form the flat-woven kilim end that secures the pile. threads. Its back shows cloth and adhesive instead of individual knots and feels less soft than a knotted rug's. It ranks below hand-knottedA rug construction in which the weaver ties each knot of wool or silk pile yarn by hand around adjacent warp threads on a loom, then runs a weft through the row and beats it down. The cut knot ends form the pile, the warps and wefts form the foundation, and the warp ends become the fringe. A rug can take months or even years, and the work leaves subtle irregularities: patterns not perfectly symmetrical, opposite edges a few inches different in length, an uneven fringe. Authentic Persian, Oriental and Turkish rugs are hand-knotted, unlike hand-tufted rugs (sometimes sold as “handmade”) and machine-made ones, whose backs feel stiff and evenly aligned. and above machine-made rugs, does not last as long as a knotted rug, and is not considered a genuine Persian or Oriental rugA hand-knotted rug from the weaving lands of Asia and the Middle East, usually named for the city or region it comes from and known for intricate designs. In the trade pairing “Persian and Oriental,” Persian means made in Iran and Oriental covers the other origins, such as Turkey, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and China, for example Pakistan-made Kazak, Oushak-design and Bokhara rugs or Afghan Khal Mohammadi rugs; used broadly, the word also takes in Persian rugs. Look-alikes from Pakistan, India or China are not Persian. Only hand-knotted rugs are authentic; hand-tufted rugs, which are sometimes sold as “handmade,” and machine-made rugs rank below. A rug’s country and city of origin tell a buyer what to expect of its typical colors and quality.. Because it is sometimes sold simply as "handmade", the term hand-knotted is the one that identifies a knotted rug.
A loose sales label for a rug made by hand rather than by machine. It is sometimes simply another word for hand-knottedA rug construction in which the weaver ties each knot of wool or silk pile yarn by hand around adjacent warp threads on a loom, then runs a weft through the row and beats it down. The cut knot ends form the pile, the warps and wefts form the foundation, and the warp ends become the fringe. A rug can take months or even years, and the work leaves subtle irregularities: patterns not perfectly symmetrical, opposite edges a few inches different in length, an uneven fringe. Authentic Persian, Oriental and Turkish rugs are hand-knotted, unlike hand-tufted rugs (sometimes sold as “handmade”) and machine-made ones, whose backs feel stiff and evenly aligned., but it is not a guarantee of it: some dealers apply it to hand-tuftedA rug made by punching pile yarn through a stretched cloth base with a hand-held tufting tool and fixing the loops with a glued backing, rather than tying knots by hand around warp and weft threads. Its back shows cloth and adhesive instead of individual knots and feels less soft than a knotted rug's. It ranks below hand-knotted and above machine-made rugs, does not last as long as a knotted rug, and is not considered a genuine Persian or Oriental rug. Because it is sometimes sold simply as "handmade", the term hand-knotted is the one that identifies a knotted rug. rugs, in which yarn is punched through a backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. with a hand-held tufting gun. Hand-tufted rugs rank below hand-knotted ones, are not expected to last as long and are not considered authentic Persian or Oriental rugs, so hand-knotted is the term to look for in a description. Machine-made rugs rank lowest.
A natural fiber used in carpet backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. and sometimes as pileThe surface of a rug or carpet, made of upright fibers in cut tufts or loops. In a hand-knotted rug it is formed by the cut ends of thousands of wool or silk knots tied onto the warp row by row, trimmed lightly during weaving and given its final height by shearing at finishing. Pile thickness, measured from the back of the rug to the top of the pile, typically runs from low, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3 to 6 mm), to high, about 1/2 to 5/8 inch (13 to 16 mm). Fine, dense designs are cut short to keep the pattern sharp; higher pile suits traffic and heavy furniture, lower pile suits door clearance and humid rooms. material. Known for its strength but susceptible to moisture damage.
A synthetic rubber compound applied to the back of carpets to secure the tufts and provide dimensional stability. Available in various formulations including SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber) and synthetic latex, which offer different levels of flexibility and durability.
Carpet made from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled materials. May include fibers made from recycled plastic bottles (PETA synthetic carpet fiber made from recycled plastic bottles, known for its softness, stain resistance, and eco-friendly properties.), reclaimed nylonA synthetic fiber commonly used in carpet manufacturing, known for its durability, resilience, and stain resistance when properly treated. from used carpets, or recycled backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. materials.
A laboratory measure of the force needed to pull a single tuft out of a carpet's backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design., usually expressed in pounds or newtons. It is one of the most revealing specs on a carpet datasheet: low tuft bind is what turns a snag into a run, especially in loop pileA carpet construction where the yarn forms loops that remain uncut on the surface. Available in level loop (all loops the same height) or multi-level loop (varying heights to create patterns or texture). Generally more durable and less prone to crushing than cut pile carpets. where one pulled loop can unzip a whole row. Good latexing or thermal bonding raises it dramatically.
The most common type of machine-made carpet, created by inserting yarn tufts into a backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. material using high-speed tufting machines.
A single-layer backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. system applied to carpet, typically made of latex or synthetic materials. Unlike traditional carpets with primary and secondary backings, unitary-backed carpets have a single, more substantial backing layer that provides stability and dimensional integrity.
The capillary action by which a spill absorbed deep in the backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. climbs back up the pileThe surface of a rug or carpet, made of upright fibers in cut tufts or loops. In a hand-knotted rug it is formed by the cut ends of thousands of wool or silk knots tied onto the warp row by row, trimmed lightly during weaving and given its final height by shearing at finishing. Pile thickness, measured from the back of the rug to the top of the pile, typically runs from low, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3 to 6 mm), to high, about 1/2 to 5/8 inch (13 to 16 mm). Fine, dense designs are cut short to keep the pattern sharp; higher pile suits traffic and heavy furniture, lower pile suits door clearance and humid rooms. as the carpet dries — the reason a "removed" stain can reappear a day after cleaning. Professionals defeat wicking by extracting moisture thoroughly and drying fast, or by placing weighted absorbent pads over the spot overnight. If a stain keeps returning, the residue below the pile, not the fiber, is the culprit.
A specialized tufting technique where the needles create an X-pattern in the carpet backingThe layer on the underside of a tufted or machine-made carpet that provides stability and structure. Primary backing holds the carpet fibers, while secondary backing adds strength and dimensional stability. The back of these carpets is typically stiff and plastic-like because it is synthetic (polypropylene, polyester or nylon), and it does not reveal the front pattern. A hand-knotted rug has no separate backing, canvas or latex layer: its back is the woven foundation, usually cotton, with the knots in plain view, softer to the touch and showing the front design. rather than straight rows. This method increases tuft bindA laboratory measure of the force needed to pull a single tuft out of a carpet's backing, usually expressed in pounds or newtons. It is one of the most revealing specs on a carpet datasheet: low tuft bind is what turns a snag into a run, especially in loop pile where one pulled loop can unzip a whole row. Good latexing or thermal bonding raises it dramatically. strength and creates a more stable, durable carpet construction that resists pileThe surface of a rug or carpet, made of upright fibers in cut tufts or loops. In a hand-knotted rug it is formed by the cut ends of thousands of wool or silk knots tied onto the warp row by row, trimmed lightly during weaving and given its final height by shearing at finishing. Pile thickness, measured from the back of the rug to the top of the pile, typically runs from low, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3 to 6 mm), to high, about 1/2 to 5/8 inch (13 to 16 mm). Fine, dense designs are cut short to keep the pattern sharp; higher pile suits traffic and heavy furniture, lower pile suits door clearance and humid rooms. distortion in high-traffic areas.