When choosing the right rug, there are a lot of things you need to consider. You first need to choose the type such as oriental rugs, Turkish rugs, Persian rugs, etc. Then you have to choose the right color, the quality, the material, and the pile of the rug. What is a rug pile and why is it important? Here is everything you need to know about it.
What Is A Rug Pile?
Rug pile is the face of the rug. The slightly protruded surface of the rug that you see is the pile of the rug. Some rugs can be very thickly protruded and some can be flush with the rug foundation. The pile is where the strands are knotted to make the rug design. So, the pile height of the rug is how thick or thin the rug’s surface is.
The pile of the rug is prepared on a loom, on which the rug foundation is placed. The strands are then woven through and knots are made. When each knot is made, the weaver cuts the knot and that’s how the thick surface or face of the rug is created.
The pile of the rug ensures how thick and cushiony the rug is. It needs to be perfect in height – not too thick or too thin, because too thick and it’s basically a sponge and too thin and it’ll be uncomfortable.
Different Rug Pile Heights
Now that you know what rug piles are, here are some of the most common pile heights available. Depending on what type of rug you’re getting and the general maintenance involved in the rug, you can get whichever pile height suits you well. This will only make your life easier in the end and you’ll get a rug that is truly perfect in every sense of the word.
Low-Pile Rugs
As the name suggests, a low-pile rug has the lowest pile height. It can be anywhere between less than 1/4th of an inch to 1/4th of an inch thick. This pile is normally found in silk rugs. Since silk is a very thin strand and there is not a lot that can make this rug thicker and more cushiony, the pile will also be thinner.
Thinner pile rugs are easier to maintain and they can also dry up pretty quickly, so that is something you should know if you’re considering it.
Medium-Pile Rugs
Medium-pile rugs are the perfect liaison between low and high-pile rugs. These rugs are thinner than high-pile rugs, but a bit thicker than low-pile rugs themselves. The pile height will fall anywhere between 1/4th of an inch to ½ inch in thickness.
These rugs are perfect for daily use because they’re not as heavy, they’re easier to maintain and they can also be quite sturdy because they’re not low-pile. They have a lot of give in them and they can withstand a lot of things that low-pile rugs can’t, while still being easy to maintain.
High-Pile Rugs
High-pile rugs are the rugs with the highest pile height. It can lie anywhere between ½ an inch to 3/4th of an inch thick. Some Persian rugs can also have a high pile height of more than 3/4th of an inch, which is just going to be the thickest, cushiony rug you’ve ever seen.
As thick and amazing as these rugs are though, the high pile height can be highly inconvenient. That’s because the high pile of the rug can capture a lot of dust in it and it can be impossible to move so you’ll need more than just your two hands to move the heavy rug around.
Things To Know About Rug Piles When Buying
Well, now you know the different pile heights rugs are available. Here are some of the things you need to know about rug pipes and why they’re important when it comes to the quality and characteristics of a rug.
Relation With Knot Density
Knot density is defined as the number of knots in one per square inch space of a rug. The higher the knot density, the thinner the pile will be. That’s because when there is a high knot density, more of the pile is shaved off to show the prominent design of the rug. Similarly, the lower the knot density, the thicker the pile will be. That’s why handmade rugs VA appear less thick than others because their knot density is high.
Rug Use
The next bit has to do with how the rug is used in your room and what kind of pile would be perfect for you. It all boils down to the use in your room. If you use your rug a lot and there is a lot of foot traffic, then you may want to go for a high-pile and durable rug.
The cushiony effect of the rug will be perfect for those high-traffic areas in the rooms. Low-pile rugs are perfect for places where rugs can get wet quickly, so bathrooms and kitchens are nice options.
Maintenance Of Different Rug Piles
The pile height is also related to the maintenance of the rug and how easy or hard it is to maintain a rug. When it comes to low-pile rugs, you don’t need to care for them a lot. Since they have a high knot density, they’re pretty durable on their own.
High-pile rugs can shed over time because even though the pile height is a lot, it doesn’t take away the fact that it can be squashed pretty quickly too.
For Different Rooms
Rug pile heights can also be different for different rooms. Again, this depends on the foot traffic and the type of room you have and how many people are in it. When it comes to buying rugs for a bedroom, medium-pile rugs are perfect. They will not wear out, they will look amazing and they will be easy to maintain.
When it comes to the kitchen or bathrooms, then low-pile rugs are the way to go. They won’t get damaged by water, since the knot density is stellar and you’ll be in for a treat when you put your feet on this rug because the feel is just out of this world even though they are thin.
Which Is Better?
This is a question that everyone wants the answer to. Which pile height is better for you?
Well, at the end of the day, there is no perfect or singular answer to this question. The rug pile you go for depends solely on how things operate in your house. It all boils down to the foot traffic, whether there are any pets in the house or not, or if rugs are generally undisturbed. On top of it all, the maintenance of the rug is crucial to think about too.
So, you want to factor in all of these things and come to the right decision, because you know where a certain rug with a certain pile height wins or loses.
Conclusion
Rug pile is very important to think about because you don’t want to go for a rug that’s too thin or too thick. The perfect rug pile can now be easily determined. So, now take a look at some awesome silk rugs Virginia that may be interest you.
