When looking for a rug, your primary concerns are likely its appearance and durability. Rug pads preserve both of these factors! They also protect the floor below, provide a degree of cushioning, dampen sounds and help the rug stay in place.
As you shop around, don’t forget about purchasing a rug pad. What should you consider?
Rug Pad Design
While rug pads share similar benefits, they’re not all identical. To start, having the right size prevents your rug from sliding around or its edges from curling or bunching up. A rug pad also helps lessen indents if you plan to place furniture on top and can offer some insulation.
Attributes vary based on material, including:
- Natural Materials: While these rug pads don’t offer much in the way of cushioning, their sturdy construction helps preserve your rug. Jute or horsehair may be used.
- Felt: The soft yet thicker construction lessens floor scratches from the rug and dents from furniture, while helping to dull sounds. However, the material does not offer sufficient grip. Pair a felt pad with a larger rug that’s less likely to slide around or a felt-rubber combination that offers more stability. A felt-only pad is also perfect for berber types of carpet that are installed wall to wall. A felt-rubber combination is great to provide cushioning, as well as stability for rugs 4×6 and larger.
- Memory Foam: Similar to a memory foam mattress, this material has a cushioning, responsive quality with more of a dampening effect and is a premier pad for wall-to- wall installations. It provides long-lasting durability, as well as moisture protection from any pet “accidents”.
- Rebonded Pad: This pad is primarily used for wall-to-wall installations and can include a moisture barrier as well. This type of pad comes in many different qualities and we recommend staying away from the lower quality grades.
- PVC: Polyvinyl chloride holds up better to the elements, including rain and sun. As such, PVC rug pads are best for the bathroom, porch or deck area. These pads have a “rubbery” nonskid characteristic and are generally used for small throw rugs to prevent slipping.
- Rubber: To keep small to medium-sized rugs in place, rubber provides the most secure grip. However, the material won’t provide sufficient cushioning and is not ideal underneath furniture.
In addition to material:
- Avoid purchasing a thicker pad for a low-pile or thinner rug, otherwise your floor will have a puffy effect and may create a trip hazard. The stress on a low-piled carpet is on the backing and the less the backing moves, the better.
- Thicker rug pads are better for heavier or high-pile rugs.
- Not all rug pads have the same edges. Certain materials can be trimmed down to a precise fit and should be purchased at a larger size, while others have fixed or finished edges. In all cases, make sure the pad is one to two inches shorter than the rug’s edge to better camouflage it.
- Before cleaning your rug, understand that certain rug pad materials will also need to be wiped down or vacuumed periodically.
Benefits of a Rug Pad
Rug pads offer the following benefits:
- Friction: They keep the rug in place to prevent it from slipping or sliding around and becoming a trip hazard.
- Floor Protection: A rug can abrade and scratch the surface of your floor. Years of staying in place may also cause the rug’s color to bleed into your flooring. A rug pad creates a barrier to preserve your flooring material, while maintaining the rug’s appearance. Whether your home has wooden, laminate or vinyl floors, use a rug pad for an extra layer of protection.
- Rug Protection: Years of foot traffic can compress a rug’s fibers. A pad improves the resilience of the rug’s construction, acting as a shock absorber to prevent a matted, worn appearance.
Explore our selection of area rugs and find the right rug pad to go with it! Visit a Kaoud Rugs showroom in Orange or Guilford today.