How to Choose The Right Rug Pad

• 30 October 2020
• 4 Min Read
• By Jaipur Rugs

Laying your favourite rug directly on the floor can prove to harmful to its longevity and also safety for those who live in the house. This is why we suggest you buy what we call a rug’s best friend- rug pads!

Rugs are not only a way to add aesthetic and beauty to a room and bring its décor elements together but also to provide comfort and protection to the floor. However, laying your favorite rug directly on the floor can prove harmful to its longevity and also safety for those who live in the house. This is why we suggest you buy what we call a rug’s best friend- rug pads! Rug pads not only provide extra protection to the floor as well as the rug by forming a layer in between but also increases grip so that it stays in place and keeps your footing firm. Rug pads will keep your floor free of the damage of abrasive wear and do away with any high-cost maintenance. Rug pads form a layer in between the rug or the carpeting of the whole floor and prevent any accidents from tripping on a rug that has shifted from its place. Moreover, it also prevents your furniture by providing a cushion to prevent causing damage to the floor. However, how do you figure out how to choose a rug pad that fits your rug, floor, and furniture perfectly? There are primarily three kinds of rug pads: grip, cushion, grip as well as cushion. But first, if you’re still wondering if you really need to buy a rug pad, let us help you with a few more reasons:

Not only do rug pads provide a layer of protection between the floor and the rug, but they also help the rug last longer. The slightly sticky layer of the rug pad holds the fiber together when you vacuum, something that area rugs need a frequent dose of to keep them clean. This also reduces friction and helps your rug last much longer. Without a rug pad, the signs of friction against the floor when vacuuming the rug will show in the form of wear and tear. With a rug pad, your rug won’t slide back and forth which means your floor doesn’t have to bear the brunt of the wear. If your house shelters pets and children, it is absolutely imperative to buy a rug pad along with a new rug or even for your old one. 

Rug pads do even more. They also provide extra insulation in the room which is super beneficial in the winter months. With a rug pad acting as a buffer between the rug and the floor, it is also super easy to clean those tricky areas! Rug pads also prevent your handmade rugs from bunching or grouping which might lead to long-term damage to the rug.

Now that you know the importance of rug pads, here’s how you can go about choosing the right one:

There are a few existing factors that you ought to take stock of before you go ahead and decide which type of rug pad to buy. For example, the flooring in your house, the dimension of the rugs, and the thickness of the rug pad as per your requirement (more on that below). As far as the size goes, if you’re confused when choosing a rug pad of the right size, it always helps to buy one that is a few inches larger so that you can then trim it to size. Ideally, a rug pad should extend just about to the edges of the rug without showing. 

Trimming rug pads is no master’s work. All you need are a pair of scissors to trim them to your desired shape and size. If you have a round or an oval rug, you can even trim the rug pad easily to that shape! Now, if you’re flooring is a smooth one, like hardwood or linoleum, get a grip-only rug pad to prevent accidents. In this case, you should buy a rug pad with extra rubber backing to save both the rug and the floor from all the friction. If you have natural fiber rugs like wool, bamboo silk, etc, go for a rug pad with a higher profile. 

As mentioned before, there are three kinds of rug pads: grip only, cushion only, and grip plus cushion. For your outdoor rugs, a grip-only rug pad is the right one to buy as it won’t soak up any moisture. When choosing a rug pad for high traffic areas or for rugs that run under a door, opt for the grip only one as it keeps a low profile. Cushioned rug pads, on the other hand, are perfect for areas that children of the house frequent. They’re also ideal for spaces like the study room as they help in muting noise. Now, imagine the best of both these kinds of rug pads into one and you’ll have the grip plus cushion rug pad. If you’re confused about which one to go for, we suggest that you opt for the latter as it is quite failproof. It is both skid-proof and provides the comfort of a cushioned rug pad. You can find these rug pads at Jaipur Rugs and easily trim them to fit your rug’s size.

Always opt for a rug pad of natural materials like natural rubber instead of cheap ones like PVC and synthetic materials which will end up causing more harm than doing good. 

Choosing a rug pad doesn’t have to be tricky at all. In fact, just realizing that buying a rug pad is crucial to protecting your floor and your rug is half the job done. Your extra special rugs need extra special care and that is why we only make natural rubber rug pads at Jaipur Rugs. Their quality is far more superior and they practically act as your rug’s best friends throughout. So, what are you wondering? Next time you think of buying a new rug, don’t forget to buy a rug pad with it too!