Thanks to the use of the term 'carpet' being used interchangeably with rugs, it's easy to think that Moroccan Rugs are only meant for ravishing your floors. However, a hanging rug looks beautiful adorning your walls!

I always say, “there is nothing better than hanging a woollen Moroccan Rug on the wall”. You may wish to preserve a beautiful rug or one with sentimental value, or you may wish to hide a crack of a blemished wall. Or you may simply wish to hide something behind it – there are lots of reasons why you might want to hang a rug on the wall.

While others are comparatively lighter and hence easier to dangle on your walls, hand-knotted rugs can be more cumbersome and extra care needs to be taken. Firstly, rug size matters – the bigger the rug, the heavier it tends to be. Secondly, you need to be extra cautious while dealing with Moroccan Rugs to prevent damage to both the rug and the wall.

Benefits of Hanging Rug on Wall

While we have already touched upon this topic, here are a few advantages to hanging your precious rug:

Aesthetically Pleasing: The right rug can work wonders embellishing your wall. In Interior Design speak, it helps regulate the flow across the surroundings, providing a balance by resonating with existing elements. In other words, opposites attract. A colourful rug suits neutral surfaces while a neutral rug suits colourful surfaces.

It's trendy: Rugs are an alternative hanging to paintings. Not only that, it is a multi sensory piece of art – one you can touch to enjoy the softness of the rug.

Preserves the Rug: There may be a rug with an extra-ordinary sentimental or material value that you intend to maintain. The most convenient way to do that is by rug wall hanging. This way the rug stays away from footfalls and you never forget to have it cleaned!

How to Hang Your Rug On The Wall

DO:

• Keep in mind the size of your rug!
• Decide whether you want your hanging carpet freely or flush to the wall (this effects which method you will use).
• Clean your hanging rug every few months using a vacuum attachment. It can always get dusty on the wall!

DON'T:

• Avoid direct sunlight, as exposure can damage the vegetable dies in your rug over time.
• Don't hang a rug near a heating source. This could have a catastrophic impact on the fibers.
• Don't use raw wood or un-coated metals (like nails) to hang your rug, over time this will also damage your rug. A nail hanging rug would pull itself apart.
• Do not use sticky adhesives!.

Once you're prepared, continue reading to learn our step-by-step instructions on how to hang up a rug. The estimated time and expenditure have also been noted for your convenience.

1) The Velcro Method

If you ask a museum how they hang their Moroccan Rugs on a wall, they will likely say “Velcro!”. There seems to be a consensus among Moroccan Rug experts that the Velcro method is the safest way to hang a rug on the wall. It guarantees safety and finesse.

Velcro consists of 2 individual strips-loop and the hook. Loop, being the fuzzier part, is sewn to the rug. The hook makes its way on the wall.

We recommend a 2-inch thick strip for larger and heavier rugs. It may sound scary to stitch into your rug, but the stitching will be easily removable if you ever decide to put the rug back on the floor.

We recommend that you do not use sticky-back Velcro, as this will be hard to remove, and will most likely leave a sticky residue on the back of your rug.

Not only is the Velcro Method safe, but it also creates a clean and professional look, and the rug will be easy to move.

Materials Needed:

• 2-inch wide Velcro, by the yard
• Unbleached muslin fabric
• Carpet thread + needle scissors
• A 2.5-inch wide piece of flat wood
• Staple gun, drill, screws, a stud finder (optional)

Estimated cost: $25 + drill and screws

Estimated Time: 2 hours

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Buy a few yards of 2-inch wide Velcro at a fabric or crafts store, or online.
• Purchase some unbleached muslin. This is what you will be attaching directly to your rug for protection!
• Measure the width of your rug and cut the Velcro and muslin accordingly.
• Sew the "fuzzy" soft side of the Velcro to your muslin strip and sew the muslin strip directly to the back of your rug with a whip stitch, preferably using a carpet thread that matches a colour in your rug.
• To hide the stitching, use a thread that is close in colour to the rug. Then guide your needle carefully through the rug fibres.
• Cut a piece of flat, treated wood to be the width of your rug. The wood should measure [width of your rug] x 2.5 inches.
• Use a staple gun to attach the "hooked" hard side of your Velcro to the piece of wood — staple about every six inches or less to ensure a stronghold.
• Mount the wood on your wall using a drill and screws.
• Press your rug to the Velcro!

2) Hanging from a Pole

This method is similar to hanging curtains, and involves stitching a casing on the back of your Moroccan Rug. The casing is a tube of fabric that will snugly hold a pole, which will hang from the wall. The pole evenly distributes the weight of the carpet to avoid stressing the rug and also looks trendy and ornate. Whether you use a fitted, short rod that hides behind the rug or a long rod that protrudes either end, it will bring elegance to any wall.

This method requires a bit of extra work, but it is an immaculate, safe way to hang a rug on a wall, EVEN HEAVY ONES! Plus your rug will look professionally hung!

Materials Needed:

• Sturdy fabric, preferably heavy cotton, linen, or cotton twill
• Carpet thread
• Scissors
• Pole
• Wall anchor
• Drill, screws

Estimated cost: $45 + drill and screws

Estimated time: 3 hours

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Decide if you want to be able to see the pole. If you do want to see the rod, measure the width of your rug and subtract 2 inches, and if not, then subtract 4 inches from each side.
• Measure the thickness of your pole. You will want your rod to fit snugly in the casing. The length of your fabric should be a few inches shorter than the length of your rug, and the width of your fabric should be 3 inches more than the thickness of your pole.
• After measuring your fabric, attach it directly to the top of the back of your rug. It is recommended that you try to get two warp threads in each stitch to get the best support.
• Measure and prepare your wall for hanging the pole by measuring the width of your rug and where you want the pole to fall. Hang the pole anchors to the wall using a drill and screws.
• Slide the pole through the casing on the rug and hang the pole on the wall.

3) Carpet Clamps / Rug Clips

Carpet clamps or rug clips are another popular way to display rugs on the wall, often used in museums and rug shops.

The only issue with rug clamps is that the weight of the rug could be unevenly distributed, which can cause the shape to warp over time.

Nevertheless, the clamp method is a classic approach to hanging a rug, which provides a professional look.

Materials Needed:

• Rug clamps
• Rod
• Drill, screws

Estimated cost: $55 + drill and screws

Estimated time: 1 hour

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Purchase a set of rug clamps and a rod
• Attach the rod to the wall using the drill and screws
• Space the clamps our evenly on your rug (measure if needed)
• Hang it up!

4) Layering small rugs on a Pole

We don’t recommend this method for larger rugs, but this is a great way to hang small rugs and to experiment with layering several rugs together for an adaptable display. Layering is the foiling of rugs over one another in order to create a contrast. It is simple and creative, and allows you to experiment with contrasting rug colours and patterns. It isn’t easy to pull this type of display off, but is a great way to rotate your rugs if you have several small ones in the house that you wish to change every so often.

Materials Needed:

• Rug clamps
• Rod
• Drill, screws

Estimated cost: Ranges depending on the cost of the rod, + drill and screws

Estimated time: 30 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS:

5) Tackless Carpet Strips

You can buy tackless carpet strips online or at any home improvement store. They are usually used to secure carpeting on the floor, but can also be used to hang rugs on walls.

This method requires that you hang the carpet strips on the wall, and attach your antique oriental rugs to them. This method requires less work than the Velcro and Casing methods, and is a bit cheaper, but is also riskier. It may pull the fibers of your rug loose, damaging its integrity and beauty so be wary of this method!

Materials Needed:

• Tackless rug strips
• Nails
• Paint/clear sealer
• Level

Estimated Price: $5-10

Estimated Time: 1+ hours

INSTRUCTIONS:

• To protect your rug from the wood and nails, paint or seal the rug strip and let it dry completely.
• Using a level to ensure the strip is entirely straight, attach the piece to the wall using nails or screws.
• Lift the rug and press it into the strap to attach it. For extra support, hammer nails into the corners.
• Pro Tip: If you want the rug to hang flush to the wall, use the strips to create a frame, and repeat the steps above for each section of the frame

Which method should I use?

Great question! It's common to be undecided over the method you should use for each has its own pros and cons. Velcro and the rod are much more sophisticated and safer but a bit time-consuming. Similarly, layering is limited, and tackless carpet strips are risky, and Carpet Clamps offers a good middle ground if done in a balanced manner.

So, how to hang carpet on the wall safely, efficiently, and with finesse? We personally use Carpet Clamps in our store to showcase our rugs, and they have worked great! That said, we are careful to proportionally distribute the weight of the rug and we don’t hang our rugs for long in our store. This minimises the risk of warping – and if you are looking for a long term hanging solution you might want to consider either the Velcro or Pole method. Then again, you might want to go for tackless strips in case your rug isn't worth much!

From experience, we will say that if you're having trouble with Moroccan wall hangings, grab a friend or two to help! Rugs can be relatively awkward and bulky to hang, so to ensure your safety (especially if you're using a ladder - yikes!) ask for help with lifting the rug.

Where to find great Moroccan Rugs?

Benisouk are experts in Moroccan Rugs. We have deep ties with the Berber Communities along the ancient Rug Road and source directly from them, allowing them a chance to earn money to buy manufactured goods which make their nomadic lifestyles easier. It also means that we can guarantee every rug we sell is 100% authentic and can also have rugs made to order - if you have a particular design in mind

If you are looking for an amazing selection of rugs, you will find so many options by visiting Benisouk. Benisouk is a leading acquiescor of Beautiful and Authentic Moroccan Rugs from their makers.