Buying a wool rug is easy. Buying the right one takes three decisions, and the word "wool" on a listing settles only one of them. It tells you the fibre. It does not tell you how the rug was made, what size to order, or whether it will suit the room you have in mind. Take those in turn and the choice gets much simpler. Every size below is in cm.
If you already know what you want, browse all wool rugs. If not, read on.
Why wool
Each strand of wool is crimped like a small spring, so the pile bounces back after footfall and furniture. Wool also carries lanolin, a natural wax that slows a spill soaking in and gives you time to blot it. It is warm underfoot in winter and it takes dye well, which is why so many hand-knotted and hand-woven rugs are made from it. It still needs looking after, and our guide to caring for a wool rug covers the routine.
First, how the rug was made
Two wool rugs can look alike in a photo and behave very differently on the floor. The difference is construction. A hand-knotted rug has a knot tied by hand around the warp threads on a loom, row after row, so the pile stands upright and the pattern shows on the back. A hand-tufted rug is made by punching wool yarn through a stretched backing with a hand-held gun, then sealing the back, which is quicker than knotting. A hand-woven rug, or flatweave, has no pile at all: weft threads pass over and under the warp, and the pattern shows on both faces. A kilim is made this way.
We set the three side by side in hand-knotted vs hand-tufted vs hand-woven rugs. Our product titles name the construction, so you can shop by it: hand-knotted rugs and flatweave rugs each have their own collection.
Then, the room
Construction should follow the room.
| Room | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Living room | A pile rug is soft underfoot. Choose one large enough for the front legs of your sofa and chairs to sit on it. |
| Bedroom | Pile is pleasant when your feet meet it first thing. Let the rug extend past both sides of the bed. |
| Dining room | A low or flat surface lets chairs slide. Flatweave suits this well. |
| Hall | A flatweave runner has no pile to flatten, and it clears the door. A dense low-pile runner also works. |
A flatweave is firm underfoot and needs a non-slip rug pad. A thick pile can catch on a door, so check the clearance before you order.
Then, the size
Wool rugs are often searched for in feet: 5x7, 8x10, 9x12. Our listings give every size in cm, and these are the common ones as we list them.
| Size (ft) | Listed size (cm) | Usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| 5 x 7 | 150 x 215 | Small living room, reading corner, under a coffee table |
| 6 x 9 | 185 x 275 | Bedroom, small dining table |
| 8 x 10 | 245 x 305 | Sofa and chairs, dining table for six |
| 9 x 12 | 275 x 365 | Large or open-plan living room |
Leave about 30 cm of bare floor around the edge. The room-by-room guide, with the sums for beds and dining tables, is in rug sizes in cm: 9x12, 8x10 and 5x7 explained. If no standard size fits, see our custom size rugs.
Before you buy
Read the listing for four things: the construction, the size in cm rather than only in feet, the fibre, and where the rug was made. If it says wool, it should say wool, not a blend you discover later. We name the region because "handmade" on its own says little, and rugs from Pakistan and Afghanistan are woven in named traditions. You can read about them in our guide to handmade rugs and Afghan rug types explained.
A few rules of thumb. For softness in a living room or bedroom, choose knotted or tufted pile. For a hall, kitchen or dining room, choose a flatweave with a non-slip pad. For a large rug without a deep pile, a flatweave in the size you need does the job. And if you are unsure of the size, lay masking tape on the floor before you order.
Browse all wool rugs or every handmade rug, or start from your room size in the collections for 5x7, 8x10 and 9x12.
Questions we get asked
What size is a 9x12 wool rug in cm?
275 x 365 cm as we list it. An 8x10 is 245 x 305 cm and a 5x7 is 150 x 215 cm. Every listing shows its exact size in cm.
What is the difference between hand-knotted, hand-tufted and hand-woven?
Hand-knotted rugs are tied knot by knot on a loom. Hand-tufted rugs have yarn punched through a backing with a hand-held gun. Hand-woven rugs are flat, with no pile, made by weaving weft across warp.
Are wool rugs good for a hall or busy room?
Wool fibre springs back after footfall. For a hall, a flat-woven wool kilim runner has no pile to flatten, and a dense low-pile runner also suits. Add a non-slip pad whichever you choose.
How do I look after a wool rug?
Vacuum regularly, blot spills at once without rubbing, and keep the rug out of long direct sun. Our wool rug care guide has the full routine.
Can I get a wool rug in a size that is not listed?
Standard sizes are listed in cm on every product. For anything else, see our custom size rugs or get in touch and tell us the size you need.
