Rugs and Carpet- Types of rugs and Recommended Uses(Terrence Charles)

General Outdoor Rug Information

What exactly makes a rug suitable for outside usage?

            Generally, outdoor rugs are created out of studier materials than their indoor brothers, think jute, sisal, raffia, bamboo, cotton, coir, and plastic fibers instead of wools, silks, and leathers. These are materials that accept/reject water easily and won’t ruin on contact or submergence. They are almost always flat-woven, extremely low pile, or felted rugs either left un-backed or covered on the reverse in a rubber or non-slip compound for easy spot or hose cleansing. In attempt to increase waterproofness, resistance to mold, and colorfastness, these products are usually covered with another treatment to increase the longevity of the rug.

Outdoor Rug Fibers

Artificial

Nylon

Most common thread used in carpets, yet has an easy susceptibility to stains due to permeability

Polypropylene(Olefin)

Commonly found in tightly looped carpets for high use areas

Polyester

Is resistant to stains and water, yet it crushes easily and begins to matt after some use

Acrylic

Breaks down into a shedding fuzz after continued use, but it is the most colorfast and washable of all fibers. Can replicate the touch of wool fiber

These materials through modern process can assume the hand/feeling of cotton when spun and woven or knotted in a rug.

Natural

            Jute

Fiber is extracted from stalk after soaking the plant, and it is spun into a biodegradable yarn then woven or tufted into carpets in various patterns. It is colourfast, has insulating properties, and is sustainable throughout its entire life cycle from not needing irrigation to its ability to be reabsorbed into the earth after its use.

            Sisal

A fiber extracted from the plant and dried after the leaves are crushed. High-grade crops are used to manufacture yarn to produce carpets that don’t trap dust, yet it isn’t recommended for areas that receive frequent amounts of water.

            Raffia

The ribbon fibber of the raffia palm is extracted from the underside of the frond. It can be dyed or incorporated raw into textiles due its natural tensile strength

            Bamboo

                        Fibers that can be harvested are very short and must be reprocessed with t                        he aid of chemicals to then be extruded in a mixed state as a yarn/thread.

            Cotton

Common fiber harvested from the bulb of the plant and then refined into yarn for use in breathable textiles. It easily saturated by water

            Coir

It is the fibrous material extracted from in-between the inner shell and outer layer of a coconut. It has a rougher brown type processed into primarily into flooring, and younger white type that is processed into rope and yarn. The fibers themselves are innately resistant to damage by salt and fresh water 

These materials will always retain their rough natural characteristics unless processed into a very fine thread before weaving or knotting. They tend to retain their natural earthy smell even when fully aired out.

Outdoor Rug Pile Types

Piles are created by the various construction properties of each rug type

Uncut Pile

Is when the threads are looped and left un-cut creating a berber pile that can be tightly woven or loose. This type is generally sturdier than any cut pile

Cut Piles

            Saxony Cut Pile

Is constructed out of individual fibers that come straight up and show footpaths and lines after vacuuming.

            Textured Cut Pile

Is similar to the Saxony yet it is constructed out fibers twisted together instead of individual strands, which make it less susceptible to visible crushing and suitable for mid-to high traffic areas

            Frieze Cut Pile

Is constructed out of individual fibers that curl and kink together to form a tightly woven surface that is suitable for commercial use. When made out of darker fibers dirt is easily hidden

            Plush/Velvet Pile

Is constructed out of a dense short tightly packed pile that shows footpaths, and it is not suitable for high traffic areas sense the pile is easily crushed and matted

Outdoor Rug Construction Techniques

Most rugs are constructed using a warp and weft technique found primarily in fabric. They can either be knotted or woven on a loom by hand or machine. The warp are the threads that generally runs horizontally and holds the pattern, while the weft are the structural fibers run vertically that in some cases are exposed or hold pattern as well.

Woven

Can be hand crafted or machine made with extremely accurate patterns and color placements on a loom similar to fabric and tapestry. The weft is usually invisible, and the pile can be cut, looped(berber), or a mixture of both for multi-dimensional effect.

Needlefelt

Is crafted out of felted synthetic fibers that can be organically or machine shaped then needled together to form a carpet that is then attached to a backing

Knotted

Can be handcrafted or machine made, and the main difference between this and a woven in that additional non structural weft threads are added in to create a plush pile effect when cut.

Tufted

Most common way to produce carpet in which the material is forced through a first backing that creates the pile, then it is attached to another backing of natural weave or artificial rubberized material for strength

Flatweave

Is found in floor cloths and tapestries were either the warp or weft is manipulated in a tight weave to produce patterns.