More and more people are shopping for Rugs Online these days, and for good reasons. Going to traditional rug outlets is quickly becoming outdated, and online rug dealers are transforming the entire industry by making the rug shopping process easier than ever before.
We’ve partnered up with the online rug industry specialists at Rug Source to support us in developing this list of tips that rug shoppers should keep in mind as they’re browsing online sites, so take it from the pros in that the following factors are important!
Avoiding Measuring Mistakes
There’re no denying just how vast online rug stores are in terms of inventory, so you’re inevitably going to come across particular rugs that come in different sizes. One of the most important things an online rug shopper can do is take their own measurements and know EXACTLY what size would work within their desired space.
Knowing your precise rug measurements will go a long way in terms of efficiently getting you to your best available options. One thing to keep in mind when you’re making household measurements is to keep your furniture in mind.
No one wants to have to ship a heavy area rug back because they made the wrong measurements, so this is a huge mistake to avoid!
Know What Rug Material You’re Looking At
One of the inherent issues associated with online rug shopping is that you won’t be able to get a physical touch of a rug that you’re interested in, so this means that you’re going to need to be cognizant of different rug materials and what they provide.
Here’s a brief overview of some common rug materials:
- Jute is extremely durable and is great for outdoor areas like your patio or porch. This material however isn’t as cozy as some of the others, and these fibers aren’t too insulating.
- Synthetic rug materials are typically more affordable, and they’re also rather durable and easy to clean. One thing to keep in mind is that these rugs will typically have a chemical smell for a brief amount of time right when you receive it.
- Wool is by far the most popular rug material out there that is warm, cozy and durable to stress and stains. Wool tends to be more expensive as compared to synthetic rugs, but these rugs will always last much longer.
- Cotton is an affordable rug material that is durable like wool is. It may not be quite as durable as wool, but it tends to be easy to clean.
- Silk is a smooth and shiny rug material that is absolutely beautiful. The only issue to keep in mind when it comes to silk rugs is durability, because these rugs are very delicate. Silk is good for wall decorations and low-traffic areas like your bedroom.
Durability Is A Key Factor To Keep In Mind
There are some attributes of area rugs that will help you better decipher its overall durability, including pile, line count and needle count.
A rug’s pile will indicate how deep the rug fibers go into the foundation of the rug. This means a low pile rug will be less plush and stiffer, and a high pile rug will be soft with long fibers. Low pile rugs are typically easier to clean and take care of, and high pile rugs are better for fireplaces and very cozy areas where you’d like to lay down on your floor.
Line count is typically evaluated within knots per square inch, and as this metric increases so does the rug’s overall quality. Rugs that have 200-400+ knots per square inch are incredibly high quality that will provide a lot of clarity within the design, but there are some rugs that go up into thousands of knots per square inch as well!
Needle count refers to the numbers of fiber/yarn loops within a rug, so the higher the needle count the more durable an area rug will be.
Saving Money Online
What’s great about shopping online for rugs is that you’ll likely be able to find a really great combination of quality and affordability that you won’t get in a showroom.
Rug Source just so happens to be a great online rug shopping outlet, so check out their website via the link at the top of the page to see if they have the perfect area rug for you and your home!