Antique Rug Restoration in Waukesha

Hand Reweaving for Persian, Oriental, and Antique Rugs

Handmade rugs are built one knot at a time, on a foundation of cotton, wool, or silk that ages differently depending on how the rug has been stored, walked on, and cleaned over the years. A carpet damage repair that ignores that construction, such as a machine-stitched patch or a fusible tape applied to a torn edge, tends to create a stiff spot that pulls against the surrounding pile and can cause new damage down the road. Reweaving a damaged section back into a handmade rug takes a steady hand and a close eye for the original knotting, so the repair sits and moves with the rest of the rug instead of against it.

At Shabahang Rug Gallery in Waukesha, our family has worked with handmade rugs since 1885, and Bruce Shabahang, our owner, still travels several times a year to buy directly from weavers overseas. That first hand exposure to how a rug is actually made informs how our Waukesha antique rug restoration team approaches a repair, whether that means matching a century-old vegetable dye or working around a foundation that has grown brittle with age.

Why does a damaged rug need professional restoration instead of a quick fix? Because a repair that looks fine on day one can weaken the rug over time. Fraying edges that go untreated will keep unraveling, and a loose thread pulled the wrong way can travel across an entire row of knots. Our restoration team stabilizes the damaged area first, then rebuilds it using yarns chosen to match the rug's original wool or silk, so the repair holds up under normal foot traffic rather than becoming a repeat problem.

Our Rug Repair and Restoration Process

Every rug is inspected before any work begins. Our carpet damage repair team in Waukesha identifies the type of damage, the rug's material, age, and construction, and any prior repairs, then puts together a plan and a quote for that specific piece. Here's what happens next:

1. We review the damage and the proposed repair with you before starting work.
2. Loose ends, tears, and unraveling areas are stabilized so the damage doesn't spread.
3. Pile and foundation are rewoven by hand using matching wool or silk yarns.
4. Fringes are repaired or rewrapped, and edges are re-bound as needed.
5. Stained, sooty, or odor-affected areas are treated as part of the restoration.
6. A final inspection is performed before the rug is returned or delivered.

The approach we take, and the yarns and dyes we choose, depend on the rug's age, fiber, weave density, and country of origin. On rare or especially fragile pieces, our Waukesha antique rug restoration team will test an approach on a small area first rather than applying a standard method to a rug that may not tolerate it.

What Sets Our Carpet Damage Repair Services in Waukesha Apart

• Hand reweaving by master weavers, not machine stitching or fusible patches.
• Specialized treatment for moth damage, water and fire damage, mildew, odor, and staining.
• Color and texture matched to the rug's original dye lot as closely as the materials allow.
• Rugs insured while in our care, from drop-off through return.
• Three Certified Rug Specialists on staff, trained to identify a rug's fiber, construction, and age as part of every inspection.
• We also offer rug cleaning, appraisals, custom weaving, and rug pads to help protect your rug going forward.

Can moth damage, water damage, and fire damage really be repaired? In many cases, yes, though the outcome depends on how much of the rug's structure survived. Moths feed on the wool in the pile and, left unchecked, can chew through the foundation itself, so a rug with isolated moth damage is usually a good repair candidate while heavy structural loss may call for reweaving a larger section. Water and fire damage are assessed the same way. We examine how far the damage reached into the foundation before recommending a repair, and we would rather tell you a piece isn't a good candidate than take on a repair unlikely to hold.

Restoring Fragile, Silk, and Antique Rugs

Antique, silk, and other delicate handmade rugs get our most careful attention, handled directly by our senior antique rug restoration pros in Waukesha. A rug with weak selvages, dry rot, or old repairs from a previous attempt needs a different touch than a newer wool piece in otherwise good condition, so we test our approach before committing to it. If a rug also needs cleaning once repairs are complete, our Waukesha team can handle that in-house as part of the same visit.

Rug Repair FAQs

How much does rug repair cost?

Pricing for a carpet damage repair in Waukesha depends on the size of the damaged area, the rug's fiber and age, and how much reweaving or fringe work the repair calls for, since restoring a silk antique takes considerably more time than patching a small tear in a newer wool rug. We inspect the rug and provide a quote before any work begins, so there are no surprises added at pickup.

How long does antique rug restoration take?

Turnaround depends on how much reweaving the rug needs and how intricate the pattern is, since matching an antique's original knotting takes longer than a simple fringe repair. Bring the rug in, or send photos of the damage, and our Waukesha team can give you a realistic timeline before you commit.

Do you repair rugs purchased somewhere else?

Yes. Our Waukesha antique rug restoration team works on handmade rugs regardless of where they were bought, including rugs inherited, purchased overseas, or found at an estate sale. If you're not sure what you have, we can identify the rug's origin and construction while it's here for inspection.

Is it worth restoring an old or antique rug?

That depends on the rug's condition, materials, and what it means to you, and it's a fair question to ask before paying for repair work. A rug with a sound foundation and isolated damage is often worth restoring, especially if it's a family piece or a finer weave, while a rug with widespread structural loss may cost more to restore than to replace. Our Waukesha team will give you an honest antique rug restoration assessment either way.

Can you match the color of an old or faded rug?

In most cases, yes, using dyes selected to match the surrounding wool or silk as closely as possible. Older rugs dyed with natural pigments can be harder to match exactly than newer synthetic dyes, so our team tests the color on a small area before committing to the full repair.

Which areas do you serve?

Our Waukesha rug and carpet damage repair team serves customers throughout southeastern Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Brookfield, Pewaukee, Delafield, Bayside, Fox Point, Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa, and Elm Grove.

Restore Your Rug Today

Let Shabahang Rug Gallery bring your handmade Persian, Oriental, wool, silk, tribal, or antique rug back to its original condition. We also offer rug cleaning, appraisals, custom weaving, and rug pads to help protect it for years to come.

Call our antique rug restoration team in Waukesha at (262) 717-1111 or visit us at 160 Kossow Rd, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday appointments are available on request.

Call (262)-717-1111 For More Info