The Basics Of Buying Cheap Area Rugs
Buying area rugs can be a little intimidating at first with all the different shapes, styles, and colors that are available today, but there is no better of bringing all of your furniture, room accessories, and other home decor together in a colorful cost effective way than using an area rug.
So if you want to learn a little about the basics of buying cheap area rugs so that you will be more informed as to what is available, how well they hold up in high traffic areas, and where to find the highest quality rugs at the best price then follow along as we go through some of the basics.
Shapes and Sizes Of Area Rugs
Area rugs come in all different shapes and sizes, but there are a few common shapes and sizes that you will find once you start looking. One of the benefits of purchasing a rug that is of a common shape and size is the fact that they are more than likely a lot less expensive compared to other similar rugs.
Common Area Rug Shapes
The shape of the area rug that you pick out most of the times depends on what style of rug that you are looking at and more importantly what room you are planning on putting it in. For instance if you are looking at placing a braided rug in your dining room under a round dining room table chances are you are going to go with a large round rug. On the other hand if you are looking at purchasing Persian rug for your living room then you are probably looking for more of a large rectangular rug that will fit the room.
So what are some of the more common area rug shapes that you can expect to see while shopping for that new area rug? Rectangular rugs are probably the most popular and widely available rugs out on the market today, with round rugs following a close second. After that you have square, oval, and then custom shaped rugs that are usually harder to find and sometimes cost a little more.
One other popular type of rug for hallways and sometimes on stairs is the runner rugs. Runners are just really long oftentimes rectangular, but sometimes oval rugs that are designed to be placed in long thin areas of the house. These rugs usually come in sizes like 2×8, 2×10, or even a 3×10 rug size.
Common Sizes Of Area Rugs
There are several common area rug sizes that you will find at just about any retail store that carries rugs. Most of the sizes are based on where they are used in the room, and here are the more common sizes:
- 3×5 – 4×6 Rugs : These small accent rugs are usually used in front of doors, or maybe even as kitchen rugs for in front of the sink or stove.
- 5×8 – 6×9 Rugs : These medium sized area rugs are usually used within a bedroom or a smaller living room.
- 7×9 – 10×14 Rugs : These large area rugs are more commonly used in dinning rooms or in larger living rooms. I would have to say that the 9×12 area rug has to be the most popular and widely used rug.
If you are looking to purchase an area rug that is larger than a 10×14 rug then you can probably expect to pay a premium price for just about any rug that you find.
Types Of Rugs And Area Rugs
When you go out looking for the perfect area rug to compliment your room for the first time you will soon realize that there is a huge number of different types of rugs to choose from. So to take some of the confusion out of picking your first rug we are going to talk about a few of them.
Wool Rugs - These rugs are usually made from spun and woven sheeps wool, but can also be made from alpaca, goats, and llamas as well. Wool area rugs are quite durable not to mention very warm and soft which is why they are a favorite among many home owners. Some of the more popular types of wool rugs are the Persian rugs which have been around for centuries. Then there are the braided rugs which a lot of people who decorate with more of a country or rustic decor prefer, and finally more modern contemporary area rugs have been becoming more and more popular with their wild designs and colors.
Silk Rugs – These rugs are fairly expensive compared to rugs made out of other materials, and they usually need a little more care as well. So quite often people who buy a silk rug like Persian or Oriental rug often times place these rugs in low traffic area.
Natural Fiber Rugs – Natural Fiber Rugs are just that rugs that are made natural materials like hemp, sisal, jute, and seagrass to name a few. Rugs made out of natural fibers are usually quite durable and hold up quite well in high traffic areas. Natural rugs are popular with people who are living more green and are more conscious about buying environmentally friendly rugs and products.
Animal Hide Rugs – These rugs are made from the actual hide of what was once a live animal. Cow hide rugs are probably the most widely used rug out of this group just for the simple fact that they are inexpensive and more widely available than more exotic animal hides. Another great thing about cow hide rugs is that they can be colored and dyed to make them look like other more exotic animals. An example of this is zebra print rugs which if you were to buy an actual zebra rug you would probably pay at least three times as much for it than you would for a cow hide rug with a zebra print on it that looks very similar. Some other popular animal hide rugs are sheep skin rugs, bear skin rugs (both black bear skin rugs & polar bear rugs), buffalo skin rugs, leopard skin rugs just to name a few.
Outdoor Rugs – Many outdoor rugs today are made out of weather resistant synthetic fibers like polypropylene and nylon blends. These man made materials are not only weather resistant, but they won’t fade as quickly after being out in direct sunlight day after day which makes them the perfect material for outdoor rugs.
These are just a few of the many types of area rugs that are out there. As you do your research to find the perfect rug for your home just remember that not all expensive rugs are more durable, will last longer and be right for your particular application. Sometime a less expensive or cheap are rug will work just as well.
Where To Buy Cheap Area Rugs
Finding a cheap area rug is really just a matter of knowing where to look. There are lots of places where you can find discontinued and discounted rugs. Some of them you probably even have close by your home.
My favorite place to start my search for the perfect rug has to be Walmart. Walmart rugs are always inexpensive because the buy them in large volume and pass the savings on to their customers. Plus they always have good selection of not only area rugs, but bath mats and kitchen rugs as well. Even though almost everyone lives within a short drive of Walmart now days, you might just want to check out Walmart.com before you leave home to check out their selection of rugs and to see if they have any sales or discounts going on. You can also check out other discount retailers like KMart and Target they usually have a small selection of cheap area rugs as well.
Another good place to find inexpensive and cheap area rugs and rug pads is your local home improvement store like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Menards. These place no longer just carry carpet, but also have a nice selection rugs as well often at discount prices. As a matter of fact I bought my living room rug last year at Menards so check these places out they sell more than carpets for your home and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how many different area rugs under $100 that they have in stock.
Probably the most popular place anymore to buy a new rug has to be by ordering a rug online. There are hundreds if not thousands of websites selling rugs, but I prefer to use Amazon. They have a huge selection of rugs on their website and you are almost always going to find the lowest price on what ever new rug you are looking at there.
So before you go out and buy that new rug remember to do your research so that you know what you are looking for before you leave home, and don’t forget to to check out the big discount retail stores in your area along with the home improvement stores to find the best deals on cheap area rugs.
