Oriental Rug Repair | Hand-Knotted Reweaving + Restoration

145+

Years of Repair

Continuously repairing oriental rugs since 1881.

4

Generations

Repair craft passed down four generations of the same family.

Top 8

Nationally Recognized

Listed by the Oriental Rug Buyers Guide as one of the country's top rug authorities.

BBB

Accredited

Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, Memphis chapter.

Hand-knotted oriental rugs are designed to last for generations — but they are also designed to be repaired. The construction itself is built around the assumption that worn areas, damaged edges, and lost fringe will eventually need attention. The repair techniques used in the great weaving centers of the Middle East and Asia have been refined over centuries, and the same hand methods are still the only way to repair an oriental rug correctly. Anything else — adhesive, stitching shortcuts, machine binding — is immediately visible on a hand-knotted rug and reduces its value.

Fred Remmers Rug Cleaners has been repairing oriental rugs since 1881. Four generations of family training. Our repair work covers every weaving tradition: Persian (Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan, Heriz, Qom, Mashhad, Kerman, and tribal), Turkish (Hereke, Kayseri, Ushak, Konya), Caucasian (Kazak, Shirvan, Kuba, Karabagh), Indian (Agra, Jaipur, Mirzapur), Tibetan, Chinese, and the smaller regional traditions. Each repair starts with identifying the rug's specific construction — knot type (Persian asymmetric or Turkish symmetric), knot density, foundation material, pile fiber — and matching the repair technique exactly.

The full scope of our oriental rug repair includes reweaving missing or damaged areas, patching holes and tears, repairing or replacing worn selvage and overcasting (the rug's edges), repairing or replacing damaged fringe, repairing the foundation when warps or wefts have failed, and color touch-up for faded or worn pile. We handle pet damage, moth damage, water damage, and burn damage routinely. Every repair starts with an honest written estimate — including, in rare cases, telling you when a rug is not worth repairing economically. The default for any quality oriental rug, though, is repair: replacement is almost never the right answer.

Need cleaning along with repair? See our oriental rug cleaning page. Have an antique that needs restoration? See our antique rug restoration page. For a written valuation, see our oriental rug appraisal page.

Every repair we perform

Hand techniques for every type of damage.

Oriental rug damage takes many forms. We have specialized hand techniques for each.

Reweaving

Missing or worn pile rebuilt knot-by-knot using matched wool and the rug's original knot type (Persian or Turkish). The most fundamental oriental rug repair.

Patching

Holes and tears repaired by inserting matched material into the foundation and re-knotting the pile. Done correctly, the patch is invisible from the front.

Selvage & overcasting

The rug's edges (long sides) wear before anything else. We repair, replace, or fully rebuild selvage cords and overcasting using traditional hand stitches.

Fringe repair & replacement

Fringe is the structural foundation extending beyond the pile, not just decoration. Damaged fringe is secured, repaired, or replaced — never simply trimmed off.

Foundation repair

When the cotton or wool warps and wefts fail, the rug's structure is at risk. We repair foundation damage before any pile work, restoring structural integrity.

Color touch-up

Faded or sun-bleached areas restored with hand-dyeing methods that match the original colors. Used for spot correction, not full re-coloring.

Our Process

Hand repair, step by step.

1. Assessment & estimate

Identify construction, document damage, photograph affected areas, write a detailed estimate with options when appropriate. Honest pricing up front.

2. Material matching

Source or hand-dye wool to match the original color, gauge, and twist. Foundation materials matched to original cotton or wool. Critical for invisible repair.

3. Foundation preparation

If foundation is damaged, repair warps and wefts first. Pile cannot be re-knotted onto a compromised foundation; this step is non-negotiable.

4. Hand reweaving or patching

Re-knot the pile using the rug's original knot type. Persian asymmetric or Turkish symmetric — never substituted. Knot density matched to the original.

5. Edge & fringe finishing

Selvage, overcasting, and fringe finished using traditional hand stitches. The rug's edges should be as durable as the body of the repair.

6. Final inspection & clean

Final inspection by a senior craftsperson. Most repairs are paired with a wool-appropriate cleaning that integrates the new work with the existing rug.

Where We Serve

Oriental rug repair across 5 metros.

Hand reweaving and restoration for oriental rugs in every market we serve. Free pick-up, free delivery.

Tennessee · HQ Memphis Mid-South's oldest rug specialist Middle Tennessee Nashville Belle Meade, Brentwood, Franklin OKC Metro Oklahoma City Edmond to Norman, rare expertise Northeast Oklahoma Tulsa Maple Ridge, Brookside antique specialty DFW Metroplex Dallas Highland Park to Frisco, high-value collections

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions.

What kinds of oriental rug damage can be repaired?

Almost every kind: missing knots and pile loss (reweaving), holes and tears (patching), worn or unraveling edges (selvage and overcasting), damaged or missing fringe (fringe repair or replacement), foundation damage (warp and weft repair), faded or worn color areas (color touch-up), pet damage, moth damage, and water damage. The question is rarely whether something can be repaired — it is whether the repair is economically worth the cost on the specific rug. We provide an honest assessment with a written estimate.

How is oriental rug repair different from regular rug repair?

Oriental rugs are hand-knotted, which means repair must also be done by hand using the same knotting structure (Persian asymmetric or Turkish symmetric), the same wool gauge, and matched dyes. Machine-made rugs can sometimes be repaired with adhesive or stitching shortcuts; on a hand-knotted oriental, those shortcuts are immediately visible and reduce the rug's value. We re-knot, re-weave, and re-finish by hand using the same techniques the original weavers used.

How much does oriental rug repair cost?

Repair pricing depends on the type, size, and complexity of the work. Small selvage or fringe repairs may run $100–$300; larger reweaving or patching work runs higher and is quoted by the square inch of work. Major restoration projects on antique pieces can run into thousands. We always provide a written estimate before any work begins, with options at different cost levels when appropriate.

Should I repair my oriental rug or replace it?

For any hand-knotted oriental rug — even modest pieces — repair almost always makes more sense than replacement. The construction quality of even a basic hand-knotted rug exceeds what is available new at any reasonable price. We give honest assessments: in rare cases where the cost of repair would exceed the rug's value and we don't see sentimental reasons to proceed, we will tell you. But the default for any quality oriental rug is repair.

How long does oriental rug repair take?

Repair timelines depend entirely on scope. Minor selvage and fringe work is typically completed in two to three weeks. Patching and small reweaving runs four to six weeks. Major reweaving or restoration projects can take two to six months — repair is hand work, and there is no way to rush it without showing in the result. We always provide a specific timeline with the written estimate.

Service Area

Available across five metros.

Free pick-up and delivery in every city we serve. Tap a city for local details and your nearest phone number.

Tennessee Memphis (901) 278-3704 Tennessee Nashville (615) 730-8515 Oklahoma Oklahoma City (405) 972-3150 Oklahoma Tulsa (918) 973-5460 Texas Dallas (972) 532-8940

Oriental Rug Repair since 1881.