Oriental Rug

Jan Ali, our dependable rug repair expert, can do many forms of rug repair on the premises. Jan Ali is a Hazara who traces his lineage back to Chinngis Khan. He belongs to the tribe of Hazara which translates as "one thousand" in reference to the 1000 warriors that were left by Chinngis Khan to guard Central Asia from the mountain frontier of Afghanistan, some 800 years ago. So he is tough and believes in doing things right! Your rug could not be in safer hands. Jan has also physically traversed much of Asia on foot so he really knows his rugs.

Jan Ali is as old as the sands of time - perhaps even older - he won't say so we don't know. When you enter the shop, Jan sits there quietly in the corner, assiduously making his repairs, and blends so well into the surrounds that most people don't even know he is there. He is a chameleon. Jan Ali has undertaken meticulous repair work here at The Persian Carpet for forty years and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have such an expert gracing us with his presence!

Most repair work comprises either selvedge or hemstitch or fringe repair. Selvedge is when the side of the rug has become loose and frayed and the cotton foundation threads are exposed. In this case Jan Ali runs a continuous loop down the length of the side of the rug using the appropriate yarn. Often, the ends of a rug also can torn up by vacuum cleaners. When this happens there is nothing to stop each hand-tied knot from working itself free. In order to secure the end and stop further damage Jan Ali runs a hemstitch. Finally, when the fringe is completely ruined some clients prefer new fringe to be sewn on rather than a hemstitch. Each of these services is priced by the linear foot:

• Selvedge - $20 per linear foot
• Hemstitch - $20 per linear foot
• Fringe - $20 per linear foot

Jan Ali can also repair tears and install any means to hang the rug. Each piece is priced on the basis of the work required.

The most severe damage to a rug occurs when a hole appears in the actual field of the rug. This often occurs where a table leg has been placed and water has settled around the base of the leg. Fortunately, and especially if you have a nice antique rug, the damaged area can be rewoven and replied. There is no set charge for this service. Each rug is assessed on a case by case basis and needs to be sent to New York to have the rug repaired. This procedure can be expensive but will only add to the value of your rug.

Occasionally, when there is a water leak and a rug gets wet, the cotton warp and weft strings which make for the foundation of the rug become stressed, and the edges of the rug curl. We can treat this problem through the process of “blocking”, when starch is applied to the edges of the rug and blocks of wood are pressed together on either side of the rug with vice-grips. This service is $20 per linear foot.

The Persian Carpet proudly provides rug repair services for Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Greensboro and Burlington.