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Best felt rug pad

Which felt rug pads are best?

It’s always fun to pick out a colorful new rug for your home. But if you don’t want that rug sliding around your floor every time someone steps on it, then there’s one more purchase you need to make: a felt rug pad. 

Felt rug pads go under your rug and can be found in lots of different materials, including plastic, latex, felt and rubber. Besides preventing the rug from slipping, they provide extra protection for your floor and cushioning that feels amazing. If you’re looking for a quality felt rug pad, the Rug Pad USA Felt Rug Pad is durable and works well for all finishes and floors.

What to know before you buy a felt rug pad

Benefits

Felt rug pads provide several benefits to the overall environment of your home, your flooring and anyone who happens to walk on your area rug. 

  • Slip prevention: Most rug pads provide some kind of slip prevention — including slip-resistant coatings and materials and grid-like patterns — so people who walk on your rug are less likely to stumble and fall.
  • Protect your flooring: Rug pads can keep debris, spills and dirt from destroying your flooring. They also shield your floor from stains, scratches and nicks.
  • Improve the life of your rug: Rug pads extend the life of your rugs by preventing curling, folding and bunching that can cause damage over time.
  • Comfortable: Not all rug pads are dense, but pads that are meant to add cushioning have plenty of thickness. A thick rug pad makes your rug softer to walk on by absorbing shock, which is perfect for bedrooms, playrooms and family rooms.
  • Reduce noise: Rug pads help reduce noise and muffle sounds, including loud footfalls on flooring surfaces. The material used in felt rug pads, in particular, acts as soundproofing for loud noises.

Material

Rug pads come in a wide range of different materials, including cushiony felt and foam. The backing of many felt rug pads are composed of rubber or latex to prevent slipping, but not all rug pads have the nonslip feature.

Dimensions

Rug pads range in size from about 2 feet by 3 feet to 12 feet by 20 feet. Not all rug pads come in a diverse array of size options. However, you can always trim a bigger rug pad to fit a smaller rug, or put multiple rug pads side by side under a wide, long rug.

What to look for in a quality felt rug pad

Thickness

Rug pads meant to prevent slipping are not very thick. They’re usually only about an eighth of an inch thick or thinner. If you buy a thick rug pad, the depth can range from a quarter of an inch to about a half of an inch thick.

Breathability

Rug pad materials are typically created with airflow and breathability in mind in order to keep moisture from building up between the flooring and the pad. Breathability also makes suctioning debris and dirt with a vacuum cleaner easier and more effective.

Special features

Rug pads with mold and mildew protection work well in damp environments, while other pads are composed of plant-based materials and oils for environmentally conscious customers. If you or someone in your household suffers from allergies, look for a hypoallergenic rug pad.

How much you can expect to spend on a felt rug pad

Felt rug pads range in price from about $15-$100, depending on the quality, construction, materials and features. 

Felt rug pad FAQ

What can you put under a rug to make it softer?

A. Using a felt rug pad can offer some additional cushion under the rug, which gives it a softer feel. If you have a small rug, you need some gripping capacity, so a natural rubber and felt rug pad works well. For bigger rugs, you can choose a felt rug pad or a memory foam rug pad, which adds support along with softness.

What should you place under a thin rug?

A. Use a thick felt and rubber rug pad that is at least one-quarter of an inch thick to add some cushion and make a thin rug pad feel thicker. The density of a rug pad adds some grip and cushion to a thin area rug.

Do felt rug pads help with noise?

A. Yes, to an extent. Felt has a solid soundproofing capacity, so it can help buffer noise, but it is most effective when it’s thick and covers the majority of the floor. Smaller felt rug pads won’t do much, but dense and large felt rug pads can help dissolve sound waves.

Which side of a natural felt and rubber rug pad faces up?

A. The side of the rug pad with the coarse felt material faces up and attaches to the rug, while the natural rubber side faces the floor.

What’s the best felt rug pad to buy?

Top felt rug pad

Rug Pad USA Felt Rug Pad

What you need to know: This felt and rubber rug pad is nonslip, and it adds protection and comfort for all finishes and floors.

What you’ll love: The strong gripping power of the natural rubber backing keeps your rug firmly in place and prevents wrinkling, sliding and slipping in high-traffic areas. The pad also includes a durable cushion that adds extra comfort under the rug without additional bulk.

What you should consider: When it comes to slick floors, this rug pad does not have any grip.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top felt rug pad for the money

I Frmmy Felt Rug Pad

What you need to know: Non-slip and ultra strong with a thin profile, this felt pad locks your area rug into place.

What you’ll love: The super strength gripper on this rug pad helps keep your carpet from sliding around. Double-sided, anti-slip, silicone gel grips are also included for optimal traction. 

What you should consider: The rug sometimes still moves a few inches even with the rug pad.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Rugs.com Everyday Performance Rug Pad

What you need to know: This thick felt rug pad comes with nonslip backing, and it’s effective on any kind of flooring surface. 

What you’ll love: The natural rubber backing on this pad keeps the rug firmly in place and protects your floors while keeping your rug from buckling, which can be both unsafe and unsightly. The additional layer also encourages safety and reduces friction while vacuuming.

What you should consider: The rug pad is not as thick as you might expect.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

 

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Alex Kilpatrick writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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