Rug Pads; Good and Bad 

Are you putting in a new rug in your home? Don't forget that you need a pad to go along with that and yes, there are good and bad qualities when it comes to the unseen pad under your rug. First it is important to remember the purpose of adding that pad underneath your rug. The pad needs to most importantly protect your rug from wear on the backside from the flooring beneath, and also can add to the overall life expectancy of your new rug. At the same time, this pad will offer a bit of cushion to the rug and give it that soft feel underneath your feet so choosing the right pad for under your rug is truly essential.

It is amazing how many different options there are when it comes to choosing a pad for under your rug. Material is one of the major things that can differ in these pads. Some pads are made of synthetic fibers and others are made of natural fibers. Which should you choose? A lot depends on the fabric content of the rug to go over-top of the pad, and the amount of traffic is expected over the rug as a whole. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to compliment the fibers in your rug with the ones you choose for the fibers in your pad. If you have a delicate fiber content in your rug, a stronger pad fiber should be considered. If you have a stronger fiber in your rug, wear on the piece should be considered. If the rug is to get a lot of traffic, a pad with stronger fibers should be used. If it is more a decorative piece that will not need to sustain a lot of traffic, then perhaps a more gentle fiber can be considered in the pad. Again, compliment the material in the rug in consideration with the amount of wear the rug is to receive and that is an excellent way to determine what your pad needs to consist of.

Suggested Rug Shopping Places

Over-all, there are some general principals that should be considered whenever considering any form of pad for under your rug. Firstly, the thicker the pad, the better. This will provide the protection the rug needs from wear and tear against the floor much more effectively as more content provides more of a barrier between the carpet itself and the floor, especially when considering a rug for a high-traffic area.

Secondly, density of fiber should be considered and of course, the thicker the density, the less likely the pad is to wear down or break apart under the rug again providing better protection to the rug and the floor overall. 

Another things to be aware of is that if the rug is not in an area where moisture is a concern, rubber-backed pads should be avoided. These tend to adhere to the floor over time and make it difficult to remove the pad when the rug is taken up. It can also damage the floor beneath by sticking to it making it more of a task to return to the original flooring should you desire to do that at a later date.

And remember, just because a rug has a cushy feel under your feet does not mean it is the best choice for the space in which you wish to put it. This should be a final consideration after the other elements of the pad are considered and you should not choose a pad simply on the feel of it. Often, those that feel the softest are actually the least dense and of a softer fiber, both elements that can lessen the overall productivity of the pad and the life of your rug.

So use as much care in choosing a pad for underneath your new rug as you do in choosing that new rug and you should be satisfied with your choices for a long time to come.