How to Self-Install Rug Edging

Preparation

• 1

  Create a clean edge on all sides of the rug. Trim off loose backing or threads, using sharp scissors. Cut away stray threads with a metal straight edge and a utility knife to get the cleanest edges.

• 2

  Remove the instant binding product from the package. Examine it so that you understand how it is put together. You should see a decorative piping attached to a stiff, wide tape. The wide tape should have a protective backing paper. Cut through the piping and the tape with sharp scissors to create a clean edge.

• 3

  Place the rug face up on a hard-surfaced floor. Sit on top of the rug and face an edge of the rug. Do not face a corner. The process needs to begin from a straight edge of the rug. Set all the necessary tools on the hard floor in front of you.

• 4

  Unroll a few feet of the piping material and take the backing off it. Removing the backing reveals the stickiness of the tape.

Attaching the Tape

• 5

  Grasp the rug at the middle point of the rug edge and lift it a few inches from the floor. Place the sticky side of the tape against the rug backing or underside of the rug. At the same time, push the piping up against the rug edge. Press the rug down and against the floor. Press on top of the tape to adhere the adhesive to the back of the rug.

• 6

  Continue moving along the rug edge attaching the piping to the rug. Stop when you reach the first corner and place the rug on to the floor. You will now turn the corner with the piping. The product will be molded around the corner but first the tape must be nipped with the scissors to make the fit clean and tight. The piping and tape should extend out away from the rug and the raw edge of the rug (the edge without the piping attached) should run perpendicular toward the extended tape.

• 7

  Snip the sticky tape up to the binding, using the scissors and using the raw edge of the rug as a guide. Do not cut into the piping or it could be severed from the rug altogether and you'll have to begin the process all over.

• 8

  Remove another foot of the backing from the loose sticky tape and lift up the rug corner. With the other hand, grasp the loose piping and wrap it tightly around the pointed corner of the rug.

• 9

  Push the sticky tape against the underside of the rug and push the piping against the raw edge of the rug. Press the rug to the floor to adhere the sticky tape to the underside of the rug. Continue as before, attaching the self-piping around the edges of the rug, turning corners until all edges of the rug are covered with piping.

Finishing the Edging

• 10

  Return to the starting point. You should still have piping and tape connected on one end to the remaining roll of edging product. Pretend for a moment that the piping will continue to be wrapped around the edges of the rug and past the starting point.

• 11

  Lift the rug up and pull the loose piping toward the next corner and under the already attached piping. Place the rug on the floor and take a look at the result. You should see the original cut end of the starting point sitting on top of the unattached piping.

• 12

  Cut through the piping and the attached sticky tape to completely sever the product from the original roll, using the exposed end of the piping as a guide for where to sever the edging away from the roll. The two ends of the piping should butt up to one another and touch.

• 13

  Place a drop of hot glue between the two ends of piping and push the two ends together. Hold for a few seconds to allow the glue to bind.

• 14

  Heat the glue gun and place a thin bead of glue between the piping and the raw edge of the rug. Work in smaller increments of about 6 inches and place a stream of glue between the rug edge and the piping and press the two together. Hold for a few moments to allow the glue to seal the two together.

• 15

  Continue the process until all the piping is attached to the rug's edges with glue.