Carpet vs Rug
Difference between carpet and rug is not that hard to understand. One can say that carpets are used all over the world as flooring, and rug is just another word that is referred to this flooring. It is half true because a rug is also used as flooring. However, a carpet and a rug are not the same thing. As a result, you cannot say a rug is just another word to refer to carpet. So, we cannot use these words as synonyms as there are differences between a carpet and a rug that will be highlighted in this article. These differences are very easy to understand.
What is a Rug?
Rugs are not usually longer than 2m or in other words, 6.5 feet. People prefer to call smaller pieces that are either kept in the center of a room or below a bed as rugs. If it covers less than 40 square feet area of the room, it is a rug. When it comes to removing, rugs are just placed on the floor and can be moved here and there. This proves to be a plus point in favor of rugs, and this is why many prefer to keep rugs in rooms and other places in their homes rather than getting carpets installed that prove to be difficult in cases of shifting. Rugs are made of materials like cotton, wool, hemp, and jute, and also they come in different patterns and textures. Here also, smaller size of rugs helps as they can be made in more textures and patterns than carpets. When it comes to cleaning, rugs can be easily cleaned at home.
What is a Carpet?
A carpet is anything larger than 2m or in other words, 6.5 feet. People call a wall to wall covering as a carpet. Irrespective of the size of the room, if the flooring is such that it covers the entire room, it is a carpet. When it comes to the ease with which it can be removed, carpets tend to be difficult in removing from the floor or the wall. Carpets are made of materials like cotton, wool, hemp, and jute, and also they comein different patterns and textures. In general, carpets are thicker than rugs, and they give a luxurious feel when they are thicker. When it comes to cleaning, professionals may be required to get cleaning of carpets done.
What is the difference between Carpet and Rug?
• A rug is smaller than a carpet. In other words, a rug is less than 2m (6.5 feet) in length.
• People call a wall to wall covering as a carpet and prefer to call smaller pieces that are either kept in the center of a room or below a bed as rugs.
• The size difference can be put in the following manner as well. Irrespective of the size of the room, if the flooring is such that it covers the entire room, it is a carpet, but if it covers less than 40 square feet area of the room, it is a rug. Though this is an arbitrary differentiation, it helps in deciding whether the piece of flooring is a carpet or a rug.
• Another difference lies in the ease with which flooring can be removed. While carpets tend to be difficult in removing from the floor or the wall, rugs are just placed on the floor and can be moved here and there.
• Rugs and carpets, though both are made of similar materials like cotton, wool, hemp, and jute, differ in terms of patterns and textures. Rugs can come in more patterns than carpets.
• Cleaning of rugs is easier than carpets and professionals may be required to get cleaning of carpets done. On the other hand, rugs can be easily cleaned at home.
• In general, carpets are thicker than rugs, and they give a luxurious feel when they are thicker.
• When it comes to price, the manufacturer decides the price depending on the way the carpet or the rug was made. For example, a hand woven rug can be more expensive than a machine made rug. Same can be said about carpets. So deciding which is more expensive, rug or carpet, depends on the situation.
• Floor to floor and wall to wall coverings are called carpets.
• Rugs require little maintenance and can be easily moved while it is difficult to clean a carpet and also to move it from one place to another.
Images Courtesy:
- Carpet by Dainis Matisons (CC BY 2.0)
- Fakhrali rug via Wikicommons (Public Domain)
