Published January 2025 | Updated January 2025
When will I receive my rug? We hear this question a lot. How and when your rug is delivered are important factors to consider before placing your order. In this rug shipping guide, we’ve highlighted the main factors that influence production time, shipping, delivery options, and how to prepare your home for your new custom rug or broadloom carpet.
For more details, see our Shipping & Delivery resource page.
Lead Times & Shipping: What Impacts Delivery of Your Rug
You may have seen the term lead time on our product pages. Lead time is the period between when you place your order and when the rug is shipped. It includes the time needed for:
- Manufacturing or weaving the rug or carpet
- Finishing a custom rug (binding, serging, borders, hand-serging, etc.)
- Quality control
- Preparing the rug for dispatch
Once your rug leaves the workroom, it enters the hands of the delivery company and continues on to you.
Factors That Influence Lead Time
To help set expectations for how long production and shipping of your new rug takes, consider the following:
- Method of Production: All of our rugs are made to order. Some styles are handcrafted or produced by boutique workrooms that prioritize quality over speed, and require extra production time.
- Finishing: Specialty borders and edges like hand-serged finishes or detailed bindings add production time.
- Size of Rug: A smaller rug (like a 5×7) may be manageable for you to personally carry inside. A large 8×10 rug can weigh hundreds of pounds depending on the material, and having extra help on hand is a must. This impacts delivery choice—see Methods of Delivery below.
Methods of Delivery
During checkout process, you will be prompted to select a shipping method for your rug. We offer Standard Curbside Delivery, Enhanced Delivery, expedited shipping, international shipping and more.
Standard Curbside Delivery
- Fastest delivery timeline
- One driver delivers to your curb or driveway
- Best for smaller rugs or if you have help on hand to bring the rug inside
Enhanced Delivery (Over-the-Threshold Delivery)
- Delivered inside your home or building
- May include bringing the rug to the room of choice
- Additional fee applies
- Recommended for large rugs that are too heavy or bulky for one person to manage
- Longer delivery timeline compared to standard curbside
Expedited & International Shipping
Available depending on your location and rug type. We can help coordinate these options.
You can always reach out to us if you have questions or, for more details, see our Shipping & Delivery resource page.
Preparing For Your New Rug
- Clear The Way: Before your new rug arrives, make sure the path from entry to destination is clear. With a clear path, accidental damage to household items or interior walls is less likely to occur.
- Open Carefully: Once the roll of carpet is inside, carefully remove the packaging. Do not use a sharp blade that could damage the product.
- Lay It Out: Unroll the rug or carpet and let it loose-lay for 24 hours in the room. This allows the carpet to relax into its intended shape and will ease its compliance before placement or installation.
- Vacuum: A quick vacuum is a good idea. New rugs might shed or have residual fibers from the production process.
- Air it out: Some rugs have a scent when first unwrapped: Seagrass has a barn-like or grassy smell when new. Other natural fibers like sisal or wool have a fresh, earthy smell. And synthetic rugs might have a light manufacturing scent. These subtle odors will dissipate over time.
Preparing for Custom Rug Installation
If your rug will be delivered via Enhanced Delivery and/or placed professionally, here’s what typically happens on installation day:
- Installers may move furniture to access the space
- If you ordered a rug pad, it is placed first (see Do I really need a rug pad?)
- The rug is positioned and laid smoothly
- For staircases or tight areas, installers may custom-fit corners or angles
If you choose Enhanced Delivery with placement included, carriers may assist in getting the rug into position, but installers handle the actual fitting and trimming.
Preparing for Wall-To-Wall Installation
Installing carpet wall-to-wall requires its own set of rules and advanced planning.
- First, we highly recommend you work with a experienced installer.
- Installers help measure accurately, advise on how much material to order, and determine underlayment or padding needs
- Many flat weaves or natural fibers require specific installation methods
For installation help, we recommend:
- All the information you need for a successful project is in our post Flat Weave Carpet Installation—Everything You Need To Know. Installing carpet, whether flat weave or other, is a big project!
- To learn more about wall-to-wall carpet, see our resource Wall to Wall Carpet or review installation guidelines for specific materials here.
- All of our weaves that are available as broadloom come with Installation Guidelines that are accessible under the Installation tab on each weave page.
Questions?
How and when your rug is delivered are important things to consider. If you still have questions, please contact us. We here to help.
Our Rug Buying Guide is a one-stop shop for gathering all you need to know about buying a rug, from selecting the best material for your lifestyle to the delivery of your new rug.
