Installed Carpet Archives - D.A. Burns & Sons

Distressed Rugs: A Trend That Has Taken Root

A few years ago, we wrote about the “distressed” rug trend that had reached such a high interest level that older, but maybe not collectible, rugs were becoming more difficult to find. To capitalize on the trend, newer rugs were being “distressed” by a variety of processes to make them look older, and manufacturers were…

The Great Garage Find: What To Look For When Buying Rugs From Individuals

Many customers bring in rugs for cleaning and repair assessments after they’ve purchased a rug from an individual. They say that discovering something unusual can be a fun part of their decorating story, and bargain pricing makes it worth the risk. If you’re going to do some thrifting at estate and yard sales, here are…

“Staying At Home” – Breaking Routines

How many times have you heard “unprecedented” or “in these uncertain times” recently? What began as phrases to describe scientific unknowns about a virus became part of an explanation for those struggling to make the best decisions they could, given those unknowns. We’ve had to learn new ways to do a lot of things, from hand…

Filtration Soil

Sometimes a Frequently Asked Question regarding installed carpet keeps getting asked, and sometimes we can add a bit more to the answer. Christina in Clyde Hill asked: What are these dark areas next to the wall? Terri in Greenwood asked: What is this dark square that matches the dresser? Michael, Downtown Seattle says, “There’s a “lightning bolt”…

Dry Rot

We previously offered a few words about the dangers of moisture and dry rot a few newsletters ago when talking about storing your rugs. Since then, there have been heavy rains that caused some home flooding, so we are now servicing some very wet rugs. We know that many people try to dry their rugs out at home, since insurance…

Winter is Coming…

…and fall is here now with the rainy season on the way and falling leaves filling the yard. Those leaves that look so pretty can also clog drains though, and create roof dams that cause leaks. A build-up on walks and driveways can also be just as slippery as ice. At D. A. Burns, we can…

Why Did The Color Change?

It’s become more common for companies to add dye to their product to make them more appealing, and we now see coffee, tea and wine being used to add color. The dyes can make the difference between a spot we can remove and a stain that permanently alters the color of a fiber. When a…

10 Fun Upholstery Facts and Fabrics

Lauren called from Capitol Hill and asked for advice about cleaning up a spill on her living room sofa. Since upholstery fabric can be made from a large variety of fibers and use varied construction methods, we asked if she happened to have any information about the fabric. She said, “The tag says polyester.” That’s…

D. A. Burns’ Carpet & Rug Workroom Works A Little Magic Every Day

Do you have a rug too big, too long, too small or the wrong shape to be of use? Does a favorite rug have unsightly wear or damage, and you keep it in storage because you can’t bear to throw it away? Is your favorite rug showing some wear, and you know you can’t get…

The American Carpet Industry – A Brief History

The Early Years of Woven Carpet In 1791, only 15 years after the Declaration of Independence, the first documented United States woven carpet mill came into existence. It was founded by William Sprague in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the early 1800s, skilled weavers created area rugs and carpets using handloom technology, enduring the same problems as…

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