Rug pads are not just an upsell for the rug sellers.
Should i get rug pad.
Here s a simple formula to follow.
Ensure you get the most out of your area rug by using an appropriate pad underneath it.
The type of carpet you select can dictate the thickness of the padding because too much cushion can damage some carpet types.
They bring several benefits to both your floor and your area rug.
This allows the edge of the rug to taper to the floor preventing a tripping hazard.
Cut pile residential carpet such as those with textures and twists should have padding with a thickness of 1 2.
Density is typically 2 5lbs.
The most important benefit is that the rug pad will keep your rug from slipping and getting bunched up.
If you can t find the appropriate size rug pad select one that s slightly larger than your rug.
You can easily trim the pad to achieve your desired shape and size.
Wait 1 2 days before trimming.
Rug pads should always be hidden underneath the rug hence the need to make them smaller than the rug.
Rug sizes are usually rounded off to the nearest whole standard size.
These could include comfort noise reduction and insulation from a cold subfloor.
Rug pad shapes and sizes keep in mind the size and shape of your rug.
Benefits of rug padding.
It may read 9 feet by 12 feet but the actual size could be smaller due to binding and rug making processes.
It also ensures that the rug pad won t be seen.
Smooth down any air bubbles that might be trapped between the pad and the area rug.
All area rugs no matter type thickness or size need rug pads to protect them and the floors they lie on.
The right rug pad will protect your floors from scratches spills and stains while protecting your rug from furniture indentations stabilizing it to facilitate vacuuming providing a buffer to minimize wear and tear and increasing air flow to keep it cleaner every day.
Thus the benefits of rug pads are numerous.
Carpet pads should be thick enough to provide sufficient cushion but thicker does not always mean better.
Density is 5.
The densities i just recommended are for standard rebond pad.
Don t rely on the rug label for an accurate measurement.
Ideally a rug pad should be slightly smaller than your rug.
Here is a full list of densities by pad type.
Density should be 12 lbs for durability.
Bunched up or sliding rugs are a safety issue and potential tripping hazard for everyone but especially kids pets and people with limited mobility.
A rug pad should be one inch less on all four sides of the rug or two inches less for each dimension.
Using the washi tape as a guide roll out your area rug pad and place the area rug directly on top.
Just be sure to leave about an inch on all sides of the rug uncovered to let the edges relax on the floor.
As a general rule a room that gets a lot of foot traffic will benefit from a low pile rug such as a dhurrie or kilim rug while a thicker rug will last longer in a room that doesn t get a lot of traffic.
In addition to the points listed above there are other non essential reasons for using a rug pad beneath an area rug.
