I often get the question: what do you use to glue your carpet? It’s high time I write a blog about it.
When to glue
The first time you encounter gluing is when you’ve finished tufting, but the fabric is still stretched on the frame. This is important because the carpet can lose its shape if it dries while it’s no longer stretched. So the carpet is still hanging on the frame.
Then you use glue again to fold the edges. This only applies to small rugs and mirror edges, not to pillows and flower pots. I’ll come back to the latter two at the end of the blog.
Which glue
For gluing the back of the carpet (which you always do), you can use different glues, but I prefer white craft glue. This secures all the threads well, but keeps the carpet flexible. In my shop, for example, I sell glue from artist junior, and this is an affordable solution. Modge podge and similar products also work very well, but quickly become unaffordable in these quantities.
However, if I want to hang something on the wall, I like to use Bison waterkit. This glue creates a hard layer on the back and makes the carpet stiff. It does smell a bit, but it’s water-based and not harmful to health.
I use a glue gun to glue the edges. If it’s a straight edge, I cut it every 10cm; for a round edge, I cut as often as necessary to be able to glue the edge nicely to the back. Then I apply glue to the back of the carpet and stick the edge on. Be careful with your fingers here. Glue can come out from under the edge or even through the fabric, depending on which one you use. The glue is very hot, and you can burn your fingers. I use a plastic bottle that contained nail polish remover to roll the pieces of fabric onto the glue.
Finally, you can choose to finish the back. This can be done with an anti-slip fabric, felt, and/or finishing tape. For this finishing, I often use spray adhesive. When necessary, you can also use the glue gun again for loose corners.
If you still have questions after this blog, I invite you to leave a message below or contact me through the contact form.
