Sisal Rugs
Ideal Underfoot

Sisal rugs have a natural beauty that is unparalleled, offering a color and texture that blend easily into any design setting.

The sisal fiber is harvested from a dark green spiky Agave plant which thrives in tropical, semiarid regions in countries like Africa, Asia, and Central America, and produces smooth fibers that are stronger than many other common fibers such as flax, hemp, and jute.

This makes it ideal for floor coverings and for the intricate weave patterns found in these carpets.

Naturally hardwearing, but like most plant fibers sisal absorbs moisture readily, so it should be used in dry areas of a home or office with light to medium traffic and never outside.

Regular vacuuming is important to keeping the surface clean, and because they absorb liquids, you will want to be careful about spills. If you do spill, blot it immediately with a clean towel and continue to blot until the liquid is removed, then dry with a hair dryer. Never steam clean, or shampoo sisal rugs wet.

One of the most versatile, sisal is a natural fiber rug that is antistatic, sound absorbing and naturally resilient and fires retardant making it an ideal material for a floor covering.

Sisal rugs are often left in their natural color from the plant from which they are made. They can be bleached for a lighter even more neutral look, or dyed for a subtle hint of color without impairing the natural look, in just about any color imaginable.

Sisal is also often combined with other fibers, especially coir and wool for additional strength and stability. They can shrink and expand with changes in the humidity and really not appropriate for moist indoor areas like the bathroom, kitchen, basements or any other area that is humid.

(I would also suggest not using them in a covered porch that would be exposed to the elements.)

Sunlight is a factor as well. The un dyed natural fibers become gradually darker over a period of time, as well as any dyed areas can fade. If your rug is going to be used in a room that gets a lot of sunlight you'll need to rotate the rug fairly regularly.

Impression marks from furniture sitting on the rug will be evident so select a flat weave if your furniture will be resting on top of the rug.

(Natural fiber rugs are not recommended for stairs because the surface of the fibers can be slippery.)

Sisal rugs offer you much flexibility in the overall design of the room you are using them in.

Many times you will see sisal offer as a broadloom for wall to wall installation. It looks great but can become a little tricky and challenging when installing. The recommended method of installing sisal is a direct glue down so you will want to be sure to inquire if your carpet installer has experience with sisal.

If you want the look of wall-to-wall sisal without having to install it, you could simply measure so you have a little space between the rug and your wall. But I would probably recommend going with a border of at least 2-3 feet all the way around for a room size rug. Otherwise you can choose to use just an area size rug to meet your needs, like in a dining room.

When placing a rug under the dining room table, measure the space that includes the chairs when they are pushed back from the table so that they will still remain on the rug. Once the size is measured, you can then tape off the space on the floor to see how it will appear and make any adjustments if necessary.

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