Mostly the area rugs were not dated when they were manufactured so most of the people get confused about the lifespan after preparation. Relax, there is no rocket science behind the finding of the lifespan of your area rugs. You just need to check some characteristics to understand how old your rug is before purchasing. No one can find the exact lifespan or age of the rug but you can estimate its age. The value, quality and authenticity of the rug is determined by its age. There occur many changes over time as the pile might be worn away with exposing its base and also show wear. In some cases, the old rugs remain in good condition from the front side then the back of the rug helps to estimate its age. As we know new rugs have a cozy and fuzzy back texture when put on the floor, the pressure and friction due to walking over the rug reduce their fuzziness. So old rugs become flat and smooth from the back resulting in sandy and frictionless surfaces. Some of the characteristics of the rugs mentioned below show how you can estimate the lifespan of your area rugs.
Style Changed with Time
Antique carpets or rugs have unique styles according to their period. So, you can easily know the age through rug style or design as we all know that the Ziegler Mahal pattern is produced at a particular time in the past and not a present style. The pattern of a specific place during a specific time can be distinguished easily. Nowadays, everything is available on the internet irrespective of the period. You can get all the information on rug patterns by going through their literature review which directs you towards the age or era of the required area rug. Nowadays, the
modern rugs might be a remake of an older one that can conform by comparison with the old rug pattern. There is always a little bit of fluctuation between the original and remake/replica design. The professionals and experts in that field will tell you about the difference in originality. In short everything including dyes, color, design, materials have been changed over time. The old rugs not only have different weaving techniques, dyes or colors, and materials but also depict the cultural and traditional authenticity of that era.
Limited Damaged Control Over Time
This does not matter whether you walk on area rugs carefully and vacuum / deep clean weekly because there will occur changes with time. The area rugs are damaged or worn-up due to friction and pressure exerted gradually on them. if someone repairs the piece with the help of a professional but still there will be traces which are obvious. The old remedy for solid stains is the rule of thumb. This treatment is faster and better than any other method. Old carpets cross more traffic than the new one that's why you will spot the changes. The handmade rug was produced in the past unlike through machinery used in rug markets. The knots of the handmade rugs expand and tear apart which shed sometimes. The expert cannot control too much damage sometimes which appears in front of you clearly to think whether this rug is too old. The cleaning or patching over the damaged area cannot work at a certain point. Your rug pieces appearance and damage look give you an idea about the length of the time in which your rug functions.
Knots Per Square Inches Value Matter
The number of knots per square inch can be determined by just multiplying the number of knots in vertical rows and horizontal columns in one inch of the rug. In literature, the KPSI value is less in rugs during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as compared to in modern rugs because of their different manufacturing techniques. You can easily differentiate between the age of various
area rugs by simply counting the knots per square inch of the specific rug. There is a direct relation between knots per square inch and the quality of the area rug. The KPSI value varies for different qualities of rugs.
Poor quality rugs have ≤80 ksi value.
Between medium and good Quality rugs have 120 to 330 kpsi value.
Very Good Quality rug has ≥330 kpsi value.
The quality of the rug or carpets depends on the number of knots per square inch. statistics tell us that a good quality area rug has approximately greater than 330 kpsi. The kpsi value also tells about the longevity of the rug. A very good quality area rug with knots per square inch value greater than 330 kpsi lasts for 50 to 100 years. Hence the Knots per square value matter a lot to estimate the age of the rug.
Color / Dyeing Techniques
The color and dye of the area rug are some of the basic factors to determine the lifespan of the area rug. There is a big difference between the preparation method of colors and dyes for old time and modern time rugs. The bleaching method is now used for the present rugs to get prolonged results in rugs appearance. These dyes and colors have such a chemical due to which there is little transition in the color of the upper cover and bottom of the rug pile with time. while on the other hand, old manufacturers use vegetables or fruit colors for their rugs. These are natural dyes and easily fade under exposure to light. In some cases, the old rugs remain in good condition from the front side then the back of the rug helps to estimate its age. The color fades on the exposure of light so if the color of the rug is pale then we can say this one is an old rug. Let us suppose the rug color is pale or light by default then we check its period by comparing the pile color with pile foundation which is a folded pile piece during the preparation of the rug. In the late nineteenth century, dyes were mostly used for the preparation of carpets. If your rug faded most then it means your rug was made in the nineteenth century. In short there is a big difference between preparing techniques of dyes and colors which bring different outcomes.
Corrosion or Oxidation Processes in Rugs
Corrosion is a science term linked with metal. In this process, the metal reacts with the oxygen present in the surrounding which results in corrosion. The metal crudes and changes its color with time. These changes indicate how old that thing is. Now you think that there is a link between corrosion and rugs. Yes, this process also occurs in the rugs because metals are also present in them. From where metals come in rugs. Natural dyes used for rugs have metals like iron, copper, tin, aluminum, etc. in them. These dyes are permanent and do not fade over time which keeps rugs vibrant and bright like day one after several years of functioning. Iron and copper were the most common metals used in dyeing and coloring in old times. These metals react chemically and provide binding force between fibers and color molecules. This chemical binding increases the quality and longevity of the area rug. The aesthetic harmony between primary and secondary colors built due to dye color including metallic salt. On the other hand, these natural dyes had the opposite effect with time because metal corrodes / oxides. This corrosion breaks the bonding between fiber molecules and turns rug pile brittle which gradually flakes off. There is a different concentration of metal elements in the dye which results in uneven corrosion on the surface of the rug. Dark colors like black and brown contain a higher concentration of metals than light colors. As dark colors contain more ratio of element so corrode more than light colors.
Rug Wears with Time
You might consider the terms oxidation, corrosion, and wear similar to each other but the fact is that there is a bit of difference when it comes to the rugs. The oxidation/corrosion process makes the rug look aged similar to antique rugs. All the types of changes occur with time in rugs. The apparent result of wear and corrosion looks similar but there is a big difference in their causes. A rug wears because people walk on the rug over a period which depicts the long period functioning of a rug. The rugs wear off when people walk over and expose
the foundation or base of the rug. This rug may shed because of pressure and friction acting on it. Wear is more uniform over the whole surface of the rug while corrosion is not uniform because corrosion depends on the metallic color of the rug.
Average Lifespan of Area Rug
The average lifespan of the rugs is not cut and dry. Many factors affect the duration of rug functioning like what you have in your place, who you live with, and surrounding weather conditions where you live. Usually, the rug lasts for many years under proper maintenance. The average rug lifespan is 5 to 10 years for a house having two to four family members. After this lifetime, the rugs turn frayed and old. The rug pile surface wears from the outer side and comes out white carpet below. Sometimes stains due to some burns or chemical liquor sunk in the rug which turn the dyeing color dull and pale. This is the reason you need to change the rugs after 5-10 years because of unappealing visual quality and discomfort arising in the rug with time. If your rug is under the use of kids and pets, then the life span can go even lower. Animals can tear up the rugs with their claws and kids make a murky appearance by stains. That's why proper rug maintenance is necessary if your place is grabbed by kids or animals.
Maintenance Tips to Increases Lifespan of your Rug
Maintenance plays an important role in adding more years to the average rug lifespan through which you keep the rug for a decade before replacing it. For low traffic areas like bathrooms or closets have to vacuum after 2 or 3 days while vacuuming on a daily basis is needed for high traffic areas. The old remedy for solid stains is the rule of thumb. This treatment is faster and better than any other method. Nowadays, the stains are easily spotted and cleaned up but you have to do treatment as fast you get a new stain. Once the stain sunk in the rug and settled, it caused permanent damage. Dab the stained area with a towel or white cloth piece urgently and then do further treatment for a particular stain. The following points must be kept in mind for proper maintenance of your rug. Not take too much time to vacuum. Constantly move the rug from their place. Keep your rug away from wet, moisture or humid places. High traffic areas should be vacuumed on a daily basis. Remove stains as soon as possible. Put the softer and sensitive rug in low traffic areas. Keep away rugs from direct sunlight. Deal with the help of a professional as fast as if it tore or wore out.
In the End
Your rug life is in your hand. It depends on you how little or long life you want. Your treatment with your rug keeps them for a long time.
RugKnots provides you with some facts to differentiate between the old and new rug as mentioned above. Rugknots give satisfaction to their customers and allow them to check every minute detail about area rugs. There is no secret between Rugknots and their customers so we welcome you all to check the value, quality, longevity, and authenticity of our area rugs. If you have any queries related to the area rugs then go to the email side of Rugknots at info@rugknot.com and also call at (301) 660-7046.
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