How to Hang a Navajo Rug on the Wall: A Step-by-Step Guide

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After decades of hanging thousands of Navajo rugs in our galleries and in our customers’ homes, we have found that Velcro is the easiest and safest way to hang a Navajo weaving. It supports the rug evenly along its whole top edge, it does not pierce or stress the wool, and it lets you take the rug down, rotate it, or move it whenever you like.

Free with every rug. If you buy a Navajo rug or weaving from Garland’s and want to hang it, we include the right amount of heavy-duty, 2-inch self-adhesive Velcro at no charge. Just ask when you order.

How Velcro holds a Navajo rug

Velcro has two sides: a stiff, scratchy hook side and a soft loop side. To hang a Navajo rug you only need the hook side. The hooks grip the fine fibers of the hand-spun wool on the back of the weaving, so the rug itself acts as the loop side.

Nothing is sewn, glued, or attached to the rug. You mount the hook tape to the wall (or to a wood strip), then press the top edge of the rug against it.

Corner of a Navajo rug folded back to show white Velcro hook tape on the wall behind it — The rug presses straight onto the hook side of the Velcro. Nothing is attached to the weaving.

What you’ll need

2-inch-wide self-adhesive Velcro hook tape, cut to the width of your rug
Scissors, a tape measure, and a level
Optional: a thin wood strip (lattice, a lath, or a wide yardstick) and small finishing nails or two eye hooks and picture wire

Method 1: Velcro directly on the wall

This is the quickest method and works well on smooth, painted walls.

Mark your line. Decide where the top of the rug should sit and draw a light pencil line with a level (or use painter’s tape).
Cut the Velcro to the width of the weaving so it supports the top edge from corner to corner.
Stick it to the wall. Peel off the backing and press the adhesive side firmly along your line. Let the adhesive set for a few hours, or overnight if you can, before hanging a large rug.
Hang the rug. Starting at one corner, press the top edge of the weaving onto the Velcro and work your way across so it is evenly supported.
Optional: Use a few short pieces of leftover Velcro under the bottom corners to help the rug lie perfectly flat against the wall.

Keep in mind: adhesive applied directly to a wall can lift paint when it is removed, and it may not hold well on textured walls, brick, or wallpaper. In those cases, use Method 2.

Method 2: Velcro on a wood strip (protects your wall)

Mounting the Velcro on a thin strip of wood keeps adhesive off your wall, works on almost any surface, and makes it easy to move the rug later.

Step 1. Cut the hook tape and the wood strip to the width of your rug, then peel off the adhesive backing.

Hands peeling the paper backing off self-adhesive Velcro tape beside a thin wood strip — Peel the backing off the self-adhesive Velcro.

Step 2. Press the Velcro firmly onto the wood strip along its full length.

Velcro hook tape pressed onto a thin wood lattice strip — Adhere the Velcro to a thin strip of wood, such as lattice or a yardstick.

Step 3. Mount the strip level on the wall with small finishing nails, or screw two eye hooks into the top of the strip and hang it from picture wire like a framed piece.

Hand nailing a Velcro-covered wood strip to a wall, with an inset showing an eye hook alternative — Nail the strip to the wall, or hang it from wire on eye hooks.

Step 4. Press the top edge of the weaving onto the Velcro from corner to corner. That’s it.

Hands pressing the top edge of a Navajo Tree of Life weaving onto the Velcro strip — Press the weaving onto the Velcro and it holds beautifully.

Hanging antique weavings: carpet tack strip

Some older and antique weavings have lost the soft surface fuzz that Velcro grips, and they may not hold. For these, we recommend carpet tack strip, available at any hardware store. It is a thin strip of wood with rows of small, angled tacks that point upward.

Cut the tack strip to the width of the weaving.
Nail it level to the wall with the tacks angled up and toward the ceiling.
Gently work the top edge of the weaving onto the tacks from one corner to the other. The tacks slip between the threads and spread the weight evenly across the full width.

For especially rare or valuable textiles, museums often have a textile conservator hand-stitch a band of cotton twill tape to the back of the top edge, with the soft (loop) side of Velcro sewn to that tape. If you own an important antique piece, contact us and we’re happy to talk through the options.

Where to hang your rug

Avoid direct sunlight. Sun is the biggest cause of fading, especially for vegetal-dyed rugs. Choose a wall that doesn’t get direct sun, and keep spotlights at a distance.
Avoid heat and moisture. Keep weavings away from fireplaces, heating vents, and humid rooms such as bathrooms.
Hang it at eye level. A good rule of thumb is to place the center of the rug about 57 to 60 inches from the floor. Over a sofa or console, leave about 8 to 10 inches between the furniture and the bottom of the rug.
Hang it the way it was woven. Most Navajo weavings hang best with the warp (the strong foundation threads) running up and down. If you’re not sure which way that is for your rug, just ask us.
Rotate it once or twice a year. Turning the rug end to end, or flipping it to the other side, keeps any fading even. Navajo rugs are woven with no “wrong” side, so either face can be displayed.

For cleaning, moth prevention, and storage, see our guide to caring for your Navajo rugs.

Using your weaving on the floor

Navajo rugs are durable enough for the floor. On hardwood or tile, always use a good rug pad. We recommend a pad with a non-slip rubber bottom and a felt top, which grips the weaving, keeps it flat, and prevents slipping.

Frequently asked questions

Do I attach anything to the rug itself?
No. Only the hook side of the Velcro is used, and it goes on the wall or wood strip. The rug presses directly onto it.

Which side of the Velcro goes on the wall?
The adhesive back of the hook (scratchy) side goes on the wall or strip, with the hooks facing out toward the rug. You won’t need the soft loop side.

Will Velcro hold a large rug, like a 5×8?
Yes. Velcro supports most large rugs. For very large or heavy weavings, use a double row of Velcro along the top, or mount it on a wood strip fixed into the studs.

Will Velcro damage my rug?
No. The hooks grip the surface fibers without pulling the weave apart. When you take the rug down, peel it away gently, starting at one corner, rather than pulling it off all at once.

My weaving won’t stick to the Velcro. What should I do?
This is common with older weavings that have lost their fuzz. Use carpet tack strip instead, as described above.

What Velcro do you recommend, and can I buy it from you?
We use heavy-duty, 2-inch self-adhesive hook tape. It comes free with any weaving purchased from Garland’s, and we also sell it by the foot. Contact us with the length you need.

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