How to Use Iron-On Rug Binding

The edges of rugs and carpets can be finished in two ways: with binding or serging. These edges give them a finished look, and iron-on rug binding is one of the easiest methods to use. Serging is continuously wrapped yarn that goes around the rug's edges, but binding provides a more classic, tailored look. Companies use industrial machines to bind their rugs and carpets, but you can do it at home with little effort.

Carpet binding is a strip of polyester or cotton fabric that gets folded over the edge of a carpet or rug and stitched on with binding machines. The material blends with the carpet or rug and prevents it from fraying or unraveling. You can bind carpet remnants to create area rugs, bind store-bought rugs or bind rugs that you make on your own.

Carpet binding tape is used to bind the edges of rugs and carpets and is made from polyester or cotton and other materials to coordinate with your rug or carpet. You don't need an iron with this kind of binding product, but you will need scissors and a hot glue gun. You can also use iron-on carpet binding if you like.

You can use latch-hook rug binding tape to finish the edges of area rugs. The binding usually comes in 3- to 4-yard packages, so calculate how much you'll need before buying your supplies.

Using latch-hook rug binding tape is easy. All you need are the rug, iron-on rug binding, straight pins, a tape measure, scissors, a flat surface and an iron. Place the rug right-side down on the flat surface, bending back one of the unfinished edges. Crease it to make it stay flat, keeping the iron at the temperature suggested on the package label.

Trim the rug's edge, leaving about 1/2 inch on all sides. Place the iron-on rug binding on one side as close to the finished part as you can. Secure it with straight pins and then do the same with the other sides. Now, you can iron on the binding. You can also find latch-hook binding that you can sew into the rug.

You can use carpet binding tape to turn a carpet remnant into a rug. First, take the remnant and trim off any fraying or irregularities around the perimeter, making sure that all the edges are straight. Measure and cut the carpet binding tape for the entire rug. Then, pull back the paper backing and start applying it to the carpet, starting on the middle of one cut edge.

Extend the binding past the corners, cut the flat part and stop at its piping. Keeping the paper turned back, overlap its backing as you round the corner. Work your way around the rug until you get to where you started.

Use the hot glue gun to seal the beginning and ending parts. You should only need one bead of glue for this. Next, lay down 1/8 inch of glue between the edges of the tape and rug on one side. Hold it firmly together for a few minutes. Repeat the entire process for the other sides of the rug.