A simple online search for oriental rugs online will give you some idea as to how big the rug industry really is. There are literally millions of stores around the world that claim to be selling the highest quality Persian and oriental rugs but many times they cannot simply be trusted.

Unless you know the difference between knotted and machine made rugs (both of this is valuable knowledge) finding truly authentic oriental rugs can be difficult. Most people will also need to have some knowledge of the range of designs as well as an understanding of patterns and colors which indicate exactly which region that rug was made in.

So, obviously being fully aware of the quality helps to safe guard you from ending up with substandard rugs as well as ensures that your purchase increases in value and bring lots of pleasure to you over the next few decades. Below we look at five big mistakes that you should avoid when buying oriental rugs.

Mistake no. 1: Not examining the wear and tear

When you are buying oriental rugs it is important that you inspect the rug for wear and tear, make note of uniform fading areas, and unexplained fading patterns, damage, dryness or brittleness. You may also want to look for signs of two or more rugs which were previously joined together, this can be found by examining the seam. Some less scrupulous dealers are known to use color enhancement techniques, one of the most common being painting over a faded area or section, plus they will artificially age substandard i.e. cheap rugs to sell them off as antiques at 100 times their actual price.

Mistake no. 2: Not examining the weave

All genuine handmade oriental rugs are knotted and there are specific geographic areas that are known for their number of knots for every square inch. If you don’t check the weave you’ll have no idea where the rug was made, when it was made and its fair price. Also, you may end up with a tufted rug which is way cheaper but of lower quality. Tufting is a process whereby wool is quickly pushed into the weft and warp, then sealed over on the back using an adhesive. When the adhesive dries and later disintegrates the wool becomes loose and eventually becomes unusable. If you are in the market for an oriental rug then this is definitely not the one you want to buy but you could end up with one if you do not inspect the weave properly.

Mistake no. 3: Not checking the rug for consistency

You should always check the defining lines within the rug’s or carpet’s design. If you don’t you’ll not be able to tell the difference between a manufactured and a handmade rug. Usually, a manufactured rug has a consistent pattern. Hand knotted oriental rugs because they are done by human beings often have inconsistencies or mistakes within the pattern, both of which are prized since they are testament to the thousands of man hours required to make these rugs. Handmade rugs even the most expertly crafted ones have anomalies, often with the overall graphic signatures which are weaved into the design.

Mistake no. 4: Not checking if the color is fast

If you don’t run a color fastness test then you’ll never know what you are buying. All genuinely handmade oriental rugs are made using wool which has been dyed using vegetable based dyes which are not absorbed by all the filaments. Manufactured carpets and rugs happen to be in 99% of the cases treated with chemicals and so the color will be uniform. But of course these have a lower value because they are not handmade.

There are many expert buyers who would ask the seller to put the rug in their home for a week. Any dealer who is worth his salt knows that these rugs are purchased as an investment as well as a thing of beauty which is to be used for decades. One way to avoid all of the trouble above according to Scatter Mats which is one of the leading Oriental rug sellers in Australia is to buy from a certified and reputed seller who has been around for a long time. Since, these sellers have put in so much time and effort into establishing a reputed business they will not spoil it by selling knockoffs.