How to Use a Rug Pad on Carpet

August 22, 2022 0

A rug pad is a must-have accessory for any carpeted floor. Without a place, your new carpet can be ruined if it is not protected from moisture and scuffs. A rug pad also helps to protect the floor underneath from damage such as scratches or dents that could happen with heavy furniture pieces.

Additionally, adding a pad underneath your rug will protect both the flooring beneath and the underside of your rug itself from stains caused by spills or dirt buildup. This article will show you how to use a rug pad on carpet for your needs and how to place one safely under your area rugs.

10 Reasons Why You Should Use a Rug Pad on Carpet:

A rug pad will protect your carpet, extending its life.
Keep the rug in place on the floor to avoid dangerous slips and falls.
Prevents shaggy carpet fringe from forming.
Create a more level playing field for rugs to lay flat and flush against the floor, allowing the pattern to be seen from both sides.
Keeps a rug in place on hardwood, tile, or laminate flooring when using a non-skid pad underneath the entire rug, not just in high traffic areas.
Padding will make a wool rug feel softer underfoot and add an extra layer of cushion and insulation in cold climates.
A rug pad will help prevent your area rugs from buckling or bunching, which can cause permanent creases in the face of the fibers.
Helps to create a barrier between the carpet and hardwood floors for added comfort when transitioning from one type of flooring to another by using a rug pad that will not absorb moisture.
A rug pad will push your rugs towards the wall, creating an attractive border between carpet and floor molding.
In high traffic areas, a rug pad is needed to vacuum under the area rugs or carpets.

You Can Check It Out to Make High Traffic Carpet Look New

Instructions: How to Use a Rug Pad on Carpet

Step 1: Determine the Size of Rug Pad Needed

To figure out which size rug pad you need, first measure the length and width of your rug. Then multiply those two numbers to calculate its square footage. For example, if your 5′ x 7’8″ area rug measures 70″ x 96″, then it has a total square footage of 6,480 (70″ x 96″). This tells you how large your rug pad should be.

Step 2: Decide to Secure the Rug Pad Straight

If you would like to keep your new rug in place, consider adding tape or tack strips. For a permanent solution, use nails and glue to attach the pad directly to the floor.

Step 3: Roll Out the Pad on Carpet

Measure the Length and Width of Your Rug

Place the rug pad on top of the area rug and align it as best as possible with its shape. Then, use a tape measure to ensure that both ends and sides are perfectly straight against the floor. If not, rotate one back until they line up; this should not affect the thickness of the rug pad.

Step 4: Cut the Rug Pad if Needed

A rug pad will add a few inches of height to your area rug, so cut it below the bottom edge of the rug. In other words, subtract 5-6″ from that 96″ measurement so you would reduce this rug’s rug pad to 90″ x 70″.

Step 5: Make Sure the Rug Pad is on Straight

When you’re done, use a tape measure and pencil to mark where each edge of the pad meets the floor. If it’s not straight, remove the rug pad and re-lay it until it matches both marks along its edges. Then secure with painter’s tape or adhesive tape.

Step 6: Add a Rug Pad to Carpet

Now that you have a straight rug pad use tape or tack strips to attach it to the floor. To minimize wrinkling in high-traffic areas, face the weighted side of the pad towards the walls and not the traffic flow. Once everything is in place, enjoy your new area rug!

You Can Check It Out to Refinish Stairs That Were Carpeted

Some Tips and Suggestions:

Size is essential. Make sure you have enough to extend the size of the rug by at least one-third on each side. This will keep your rug stable and prevent slipping or bunching underfoot, which will cause damage to your carpet over time.
When using a pad on hardwood flooring, place carpet tape on the corners of your rug. This will prevent sliding and bunching, which can cause damage to your floor over time.
Using a clear pad under Oriental rugs is not recommended. These pads are slippery and can cause slipping, which could damage your valuable rugs over time.
If you have a rug that has fringe, we suggest using a nonslip pad and stitching down your fringe. This will prevent the fringe from catching on furniture and causing costly damage to its underside over time.
We suggest using a nonslip rug pad for wall-to-wall carpets or Oriental rugs where stapling or tacking is not recommended. These pads have rubber dots on the back and will not slip or harm your carpet over time.
Make sure your pad is at least 1″ larger than the rug on all sides.

What Size Rug Pad Do I Need?

You will need to measure the length and width of your carpet to determine what size rug pad you need. These measurements will help you determine how many squares (or inches) your rug is in total, then find a rug pad that matches this size.

Add an extra two feet onto each side of the actual measurement for overlap when attaching the backing. For example, if your carpet is 9 feet by 12 feet, this would be 108 square feet. Cut the carpet backing to this measurement.

To ensure proper coverage with enough overlap on each side, you will want to find a rug pad that is at least 110 inches long and wide. If you are working on hard surfaces, make sure that there are no irregularities in the floor, as these can cause problems. If your floor is not entirely smooth, you can level out the small bumps with a rug pad before attaching the backing.

Conclusion:

There are many benefits to using a rug pad. The most important thing is that it will protect your flooring from wear and tear, but there’s more! A quality rug pad can also help you get the right size for your space and keep your carpet looking tidy by hiding any lumps or bumps in the flooring beneath.

Once you have found the perfect product for all of these needs, we recommend installing it on top of some felt pads before laying down your new rug, so installation goes smoothly. We hope this blog post on how to use a rug pad on carpet has given you some tips and advice using a rug pad. Let us know if you have anything in mind in the comment below!