Many techniques involve sewing fabric loops to the back of the rug and weaving a pole through which hangs on mounted hooks or to stitch Velcro to the back of the rug which is stuck to the other Velcro side that is glued to a mounted board.
While these methods may work, this involves a bit more work than necessary to hang a rug and also makes a semi-permanent change in the rug which many people may not want to make.
This rug hanging method involves using one or more tack-strips which can be found at most major hardware stores for only a few dollars for several feet. Tack strips are more commonly used during carpet installation but this is another very clever way to use them.
1. Decide if you want your rug hanging freely (this uses one tack strip across the top and creates a slight billowing effect) or to be completely secured to the wall from each side (this uses a tack strip along each edge of the rug and there is no billowing effect). If you want your rug hanging freely, measure how wide the top of the rug is that you want to hang. If you want to secure it from all sides, measure the top, bottom, and both sides as well. Obtain this measured length in tack strips.
2. Coat the tack strip(s) in a clear finish or with paint and let dry. This insures that no acid from the wooden tack strips can damage the back of the rug once it is hanging.
3. Using a level to make sure the tack strip is straight, hold the strip where the top of the rug will hang and hammer in the nails along the tack strip (if hanging a heavy rug, these nails should line up with studs behind the wall which can be found using a "stud finder"). If you are securing it from each side, repeat this process for the remaining tack strips, making sure to measure where each one should go.
4. Lift the rug up to the top tack strip and press it firmly against the strip (with help from someone else if it is heavy). Use two or three upholstery nails to secure each corner of the rug (and possibly the middle if desired) by nailing them through the rug and into the mounted tack strip. The upholstery nails are both functional and decorative as they secure the rug to the tack
strip. If securing each edge, repeat for the three other edges by doing the sides first and doing the bottom last.
Notes on hanging a rug on a wall:
Be careful when handling the tack strips. The tacks only stick out about a half inch or less but they are very sharp!
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