A rug pad is a piece of material that you place underneath your rug. The rug pad will prevent your rug from sliding across the floor, and the rug pad will help to preventing the edges of your rug from curling upward. If the edges of your rug curl upward, you could trip over those edges.
Thus, choosing the correct rug pad for your rug are part of rug maintenance. The rug pad that you choose for your rug should be more slightly smaller than the rug. The rug pad should not extend past the rugs edge.
How to Choose and Use a Rug Pad
For example, you can measure your rugs width and length, and then purchase a rug pad that is approximately one inch smaller in each dimension than the rug. If the rug pad is larger than the rug, the rug pad may become visible under the rug. A visible rug pad may look bad in your home.
Additionally, if the rug pad is too small for the rug, the rugs edges may ripple or bunch up under the rug. The material of the rug pad is another important factor to consider when purchasing a rug pad. Felt rug pads are soft to the touch and will protect hardwood floors from being scratch by the rug.
Rubber rug pads has a high level of grip to them and are beneficial in areas of the home that receive alot of foot traffic. Blends of felt and rubber rugs pads offer the best of both world; they are soft for comfort and have good grip. Additionally, rug pads that have a waffle texture allow for air to circulate under the rug.
Air circulation help to prevent moisture from rugs from becoming trapped under the rug. The material of the rug pad that you should select is dependent upon the type of flooring that you have in your home and the amount of foot traffic that the area receive. The thickness of the rug pad is the last factor that you should consider.
Thin rug pads are beneficial for areas of the home where you do not want people to trip over the rug pad. Thick rug pads offer cushioning for individuals feet but may cause rugs with thick piles to lift at the edges of doorways. You should select rug pad thickness according to the rugs pile.
For instance, rugs with low pile rugs work well with thin rug pads but may require a thicker rug pad. High pile rugs require a thicker rug pad for the rug to maintain it’s loft. The shape of the rug pad should match the shape of the rug.
If the rug is rectangular, then the rug pad should also be rectangular to maintain the rug lines. If the rug is round, it is necessary to use a round rug pad so that it remains hidden underneath the rug. Using a rug pad that does not match the rugs shape can cause the rug to skew when place on the rug pad to one side of the rug.
Follow the steps to ensure that the rug pad is installed correct. First, lay the rug flat on the floor. Next, measure the rug to determine its width and length.
Calculate the rug pad dimensions such that the rug pad is one inch smaller in size than the rug on each side. Place the rug pad underneath the rug such that the rug is centered on the rug pad. Placing the rug pad off center can cause rugs to bunch on one side of the rug pad which can create a tripping hazard for an individuals in the room.
If the rug pad is not available in the correct size, purchase a rug pad that is one inch larger in size than the rug and cut the rug pad down to the required size. Maintaining the rug pad will ensure that the rug continues to perform its function correctly. Vacuum the rug and rug pad underneath the rug periodically to remove any dust that has accumulated underneath the rug.
In the case of spills on the rug, it is important to clean them quick to avoid mold building up on the rug pad. High-quality rug pads will last longer then those of low quality. Using the correct rug pad will not only keep the rug stable on the floor but will also protect the floor from damage.
