The finishing touches

What carpet binding actually is

Binding is a colour-matched cloth tape stitched around the raw edge of a cut piece of carpet. It seals the edge so the pile and backing cannot fray, and gives a crisp, straight outline that makes the piece read as a rug rather than an offcut.

Whipping is the alternative: a hand-finished yarn edge that is overlocked around the perimeter. It looks softer and more traditional and suits wool and wool-rich carpets particularly well.

When binding an offcut is worth it

• You have a decent square metre or two left over after a room has been fitted and would rather use it than skip it.
• You want a rug that matches the carpet elsewhere in the house exactly — impossible to buy, easy to make.
• You need an awkward size: a long hall runner, a narrow galley-kitchen strip, or a landing mat.
• You want warmth and softness over laminate, vinyl or LVT without covering the whole floor.

Choosing the right size

Size is what makes a rug look designed rather than dropped in. Measure the furniture, not just the room.

• Living rooms — the rug should sit under at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs so the seating reads as one group.
• Dining rooms — allow enough beyond the table edge that chairs stay on the rug when pulled out.
• Bedrooms — either one rug that runs past the foot of the bed, or narrow runners down each side.
• Hallways — leave an even margin of hard floor showing on both sides of a runner rather than filling the width.

Edge finishes compared

1. 1Cloth binding: crisp and modern, colour matched or deliberately contrasted. Hard-wearing and the most popular choice.
2. 2Wool whipping: hand-finished and softer looking. A natural partner for wool and wool-rich carpets.
3. 3Wide binding: a deeper tape that frames the rug more strongly — useful when you want the edge to be part of the design.

Picking the right carpet for a rug

Any carpet we supply can be made into a rug, but some behave better than others once cut.

• Twist piles are the safest all-rounder — hard-wearing and they hold a bound edge neatly.
• Wool and wool-rich carpets feel best underfoot and take a whipped edge beautifully.
• Deep, loose shag piles can look lovely but need care at the edge, so ask us before committing.
• On hard floors, add a rug underlay so the rug grips and does not creep or curl.

How we make yours

1. 1Choose: pick a carpet in the showroom, or bring in an offcut you already have, and choose the binding colour alongside it.
2. 2Measure: we confirm the finished size against your furniture and the space it has to sit in.
3. 3Make: the piece is cut square and the edge bound or whipped in the workshop — nothing is trimmed on site to make it fit.
4. 4Deliver: most bound rugs and runners are ready within a week or so; we will confirm a realistic timescale when you order.

Looking after a bound rug

• Rotate it a couple of times a year so wear and any sun fading stays even.
• Vacuum on a lower suction setting and keep a beater bar away from the bound edge.
• Blot spills immediately rather than rubbing, especially near the edge tape.
• If a stitch works loose, bring it back in — it is usually a quick repair.