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DIY Area Rug Binding Repair

Dale Yalanovsky

Anyone who owns an area rug is almost certainly going to come face to face with the prospect of tron or cracked binding repair. With the constant abuse rugs take, from being walked on, shook out, washed and dried, even the best of rug binding is going to break down at some point, and need to be repaired.

Stabilizing the Repair Area

The cracked or torn binding will need to be stabilized first so that it does not keep running through the length of your rug. Do this by matching up some heavy gauge sewing thread to a basic color of your rug. This thread is available at any department store in the sewing section.

If the tear in the binding is exposed on the top of the rug, now is the time to trim some fibers from a corner and press them into the separation. This will cover up any binding spots that might have been showing, and the stitching will hold them in place.

Flip over the area rug and expose the binding separation; this is where you will begin. Manually thread a needle with your choice of colored thread, and beginning at one end of the tear, begin stitching the tear closed. The color of your thread will make it difficult, if not impossible, to see this repair, so stitch your way carefully from one side to the other.

Glue and Seal

After sewing and stabilizing the separation, dab a little glue over the stitching. This can be a contact cement, a silicone sealant, or a general use household glue. Any or all of those will work well, and this will also give added strength to any fibers that you had pressed into the original separation.

After the glue has been dabbed on, cut off a piece of duct tape that will completely cover the stitching. Apply the duct tape by pressing firmly, particularly on the edges to give it a good solid seal. This will keep the stitches protected, making the repair last far longer.