How To Choose A Rug Pad For Your Floor Type (Quiz)

There are lots of different types of area rugs and types of rug pads out there, so finding the right rug pad for your home can feel like a delicate game of Jenga.

Must be non-slip! But also safe for hardwood floors! And also fit under the doorway!

I’ll walk you through everything you need to consider when buying a rug pad. That way, you can be sure that:

• your rug pad will fit
• your rug pad will not stain or ruin your flooring
• and your rug pad will work well with your area rug

I’ll also introduce you to the best rug pads on the market, made with natural rubber and other materials that won’t ruin your floors.

Alright, let’s find you a rug pad match made in heaven.

Jump ahead:

• What To Look For In A Rug Pad
• For Small Area Rugs And Runners (Smaller Than 4ft X 6ft)
• For Medium Sized Area Rugs (Between 4ft X 6ft To 5ft X 9ft)
• For Large Or Oversized Area Rugs (8ft X 10ft Or Larger)
• Take The Quiz: Which Rug Pad Is Best For You?

What To Look For In A Rug Pad

There are a few things to know about rug pads before bringing one home. Here is everything to consider when shopping for a new rug pad.

Cushion/Thickness

Cushioned rug pads provide a luxurious comfort that is suitable for living spaces and bedrooms, under large rugs anchored by heavy furniture. Thicker pads do not fit under doorways, however, and don’t offer much non slip grip. A thick rug pad is not suited for high traffic areas, under doorways, or for grip.

There are some cases when you may not want cushioning and instead want something low profile to keep your area rug in place. If your area rug needs to fit underneath a doorway, then look for a thin rug pad made of natural rubber.

The Goldilocks of rug pads, the rug pad that’s not too thick and not too thin, is the felt and rubber rug pad. These are made with natural rubber backing and felt cushion on top. They work well under thin rugs and large rugs alike.

Read my rug pad thickness guide to know more.

Non-Slip Material

Most rug pads on the market contain synthetic materials like foam, PVC, and vinyl that can actually break down and damage the finish of your hardwood floors. A cheap rug pad will actually cost you more in the long run!

For most floor types, a natural rubber rug pad is a better choice since it has a natural non-slip grip that doesn’t damage laminate or wood floors.

Flooring Type

The most important consideration when choosing a rug pad for your area rug is actually the floor underneath it. Some types of materials can cause damage to your floors. Rubber, for example, can cause damage to vinyl flooring and PVC rug pads can damage hardwood floors.

Here are a few helpful tips for choosing a rug pad that is compatible with your floor type:

• Hardwood flooring: Avoid cheap rubber pads. Opt for a natural rubber pad instead, or a felt and rubber rug pad with natural rubber backing.
• Vinyl flooring: Avoid a rubber pad, it will damage vinyl flooring. Instead, choose felt rug pads or memory foam rug pads.
• Stone or tile flooring: Natural rubber and felt rug pads work well with stone and tile flooring.

Take the quiz: Use our tool to find the right rug pad for your home. Go to the quiz now.

For Small Area Rugs And Runners (Smaller Than 4ft X 6ft)

Small area rugs typically need slip resistance and a low profile (aka lay flat). The best rug pads for the job are:

For Medium Sized Area Rugs (Between 4ft X 6ft To 5ft X 9ft)

Medium sized rug pads can afford a bit more cushioning underfoot. There are a few types of rug pads, such as felt and rubber pads, that provide both extra cushion and non slip grip. The felt and rubber combo will also provide a bit more floor protection as it catches debris from the rug, which would otherwise fall through the rug fibers and damage the floor beneath.

These are the rug pads that we recommend for medium sized area rugs:

For Large Or Oversized Area Rugs (8ft X 10ft Or Larger)

Large rugs work well with memory foam rug pads, which provide more cushion than any other rug pads. If you’re not looking for the extreme cushion provided by memory foam pads, then thicker pads, in general, are recommended.

The weight of both the rug and any heavy furniture on the rug will keep the cushioned rug pads in place. These are the rug pads we recommend for large rugs:

Rug Pad	Non-Slip	Waterproof	Cushion	Eco-Friendly	Low Profile	Safe For All Floor Types*
Dual Surface	✔️		✔️			✔️
Super-Lock Natural	✔️			✔️	✔️	✔️
RugPro	✔️				✔️
Eco-Plush			✔️	✔️
Cloud Comfort Memory Foam		✔️	✔️
Nature’s Grip	✔️			✔️	✔️	✔️
Superior-Lock	✔️		✔️	✔️		✔️
Contour-Lock	✔️			✔️	✔️	✔️

Common Questions

Now that you’ve found a good rug pad for your home, let’s get into the nitty gritty and answer a few pesky questions.