Carpet Binding and Finishing - CarpetMart Flooring Blog

In need a cheap area rug option, but don’t want to settle for a low-quality area rug? Need to finish off a carpet with some edging or fringe? One of our best-kept secrets is that we offer full Carpet Binding and Finishing services within almost every store location!

Binding a carpet keeps the edges of your carpet from fraying and falling apart over time. There are a couple options available to complete this binding process. This can be done with a small, portable machine that rides along the floor on wheels. There is also the option of a larger machine that sits atop a large air table. We have the large table system set up in most of our store locations.

There are also products available that are best for a DIY project. These seem great for a small, short-term solution when it’s not practical to bring your rug to a place that offers traditional binding. For longevity, however, it is recommended to use traditional, sewn-on binding. There are several variations of the tape that is sewn on and offers many options for a perfectly customized look.

There are a couple of options when you are looking to have binding added to the edge of a carpet:

The first is a simple polyester tape, the most widely used binding tape, and what most people think of when they think of carpet binding. Typically, the tape is matched as close as possible to the color of the carpet so it blends well. This is the easiest, most economical way to finish off the edge of raw carpeting. Regular Binding

Another binding option is the 3″ wide cotton sisal tape. This tape leaves you with a nice wide (about 1 inch) edge on the carpet, perfect for a more distinct look. Wide Binding

If you’ve ever looked closely at the edge of an oriental area rug, you’ll see that the edges are finished with a continuous thread and looping pattern like this:

To have traditional surging done on a rug or carpeting is very expensive, and can take weeks to complete. For this to be done correctly the rug will need to be sent away for finishing. Thankfully, there is a much more cost-effective option with a very similar look referred to as surge tape. It works the same way traditional polyester binding tape does but offers the more refined look of surging. Perfect for the ends of that new runner, or whenever you need a more classic, polished look.

Traditional fringing is sewn into the ends of an oriental rug when it’s woven at the mill. It’s a classic look that is expected of most traditional oriental rugs and runners.

If you buy a custom-cut runner from a roll it will need to be finished off in some way on the ends. If you are a fan of fringing, you are still in luck. First, the carpet is bound with traditional binding tape, and then the fringing is glued on using a commercial grade hot glue gun. The perfect final touch for a new rug!

Our binding team members work very hard to bring you the finished pieces that you are looking for with extreme attention to detail. With steady hands and sharp eyes, they create a custom product for our customers every day!

If you have never had a chance to see the binding process from start to finish you can check out this video and watch the team in action!