How to Frame a Navajo Rug Under Glass

Measure the rug to determine its precise dimensions. Measure the thickness of the rug if it is any thicker than standard mat board.

Purchase a frame that is large enough to hold the rug, sturdy enough to support the rug and aesthetically complimentary to the rug's patterns and colors. Make sure the frame is deep enough if the rug is especially thick.

Purchase fabric with which you can cover the back of the frame if the rug is not going to cover it entirely. A brown paper background around the edge of the rug would detract from it striking qualities. Select fabric that is a finely woven, solid color, so that it does not detract from the rug.

Open the frame by removing the backing from the frame itself. Lay the backing face up on your work surface. Cover the backing with the supplemental fabric if desired. Hot glue or staple gun the fabric at the corners of the frame backing to hold it in place.

Lay the rug face up on the frame backing. Arrange the rug exactly as you want it to appear in the frame. Pay attention to every detail including the position of fringe and loose threads. Remove any lint on the rug.

Fit a piece of matboard behind the frame backing, if the frame is too deep to hold the rug in place on its own. Do not use a mounting aid, like Velcro or adhesive. By pressing the glass, rug and backing against one another, you can create enough force to hold the rug in place. Add matboard as an additional layer, if necessary, to achieve that force.

Turn the brackets on the back of the frame to hold all of the materials in place. Cover the back of the frame with paper, if desired. Add any critical hanging implements to the back of the frame, if you are hanging it.