RugPro

Our strongest gripping non slip rug pad - made with natural rubber and felt

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Contour-Lock

Best overall value for subtle cushioning and reliable gripping power

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Superior-Lock 1/4"

Cushioned felt combined with a reinforced natural rubber backing

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Eco-Plush 3/8"

Dense felt pad with generous cushioning for use with larger rugs that don’t require a non-slip pad

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Tough Decision? Visit our Buying Guide >

Rug Pads for Hardwood Floors

Why You Need Rug Pads Safe for Hardwood Floors

There are a lot of rug pads on the market that can stick to or stain hardwood floors making a mess of your expensive flooring. A cheap rug pad that uses plastic, glues, adhesives, or synthetic rubber pads can often react unpredictably with certain wood floor finishes.

To avoid this problem, we designed our pads specifically to make sure having a rug on wood flooring doesn’t have to damage your floor.

Will Rug Pads Damage Hardwood Floors?

The wrong rug pad can cause permanent damage to hardwood floors such as staining and scratching.

Will our rug pads damage your hardwood floors? No. As long as you follow your floor manufacturers instructions for finishes and curing times, our rug pads are entirely safe for wood floors.

Benefits of Our Hardwood Floor Rug Pads

Our rug pads for hardwood floors have a lot to offer from keeping you and your floor safe to being environmentally friendly.

Hardwood Floor Protectors

It’s good to protect any floors from potentially damaging rugs, but especially with hardwood floors. These pads will keep your wood flooring safe.

Rug Protection

Rugs can wear down from heavy furniture or general use too. Our quality rug pads act as an extra barrier to reduce friction between the rug and floors so your rug lasts longer.

Non Slip Pads for Hardwood Floors

Smaller rugs on slippery hardwood or rugs in high traffic areas can end up moving around. Our natural rubber or PVC rug pads can safely keep your rugs in place.

Area Rug Padding

If you have a large area rug (for example, an 8 x 10 rug) one of our cushioned rug pads for hardwood floors can give you added comfort.

Environmentally Friendly

Our Eco Plush rug pads use 100% recycled felt and our natural rubber is responsibly sourced.

USA-Made

Our domestic manufacturing allows us full control over what goes into our product.

 

★★★★★

No Slipping and Just Enough Cushion

My rug pad arrived quickly and was cut to fit perfectly! I appreciated the thorough descriptions of the various rug pad options which helped me to make the right choice for my antique kilim on hardwood floor - and it works perfectly! No slipping and just enough cushion. Thanks!

—  Shannon M. 5.0 star rating
SHOP ALL RUG PADS FOR HARDWOOD FLOORS

The Best Rug Padding for Hardwood Floors by Rug Size and Room

Each rug pad we manufacture is designed for a specific purpose. Determining the best rug pad for you depends on two things: your rug size and which room it’s going in.

You may want a rug pad that has more cushioning, but if your rug’s going in a high traffic area, such as a kitchen or hallway, a thicker pad might raise rugs too high off the ground, causing people to trip. In that case, you’ll want to go with a better gripping, lower profile rug pad.

Non Slip Runners for Hardwood Floors (2x8, 2x10, 3x8, 3x10)

Runner Rugs can act like banana peels in high traffic areas. A low profile, natural rubber rug pad will provide the most gripping power for runners more prone to slipping on hardwood floors.

Runner rug pads should have a lot of grip, and should be very low profile to avoid bulking (which may cause folks to trip). A rug pad with rubber on BOTH sides has more gripping power because they prevent rugs from slipping off the pad.

What’s best for runners on hardwood floors?

The best rug pad for runner rugs is our RugPro rug pad. It’s a low profile, high gripping rug pad designed to keep rugs anchored firmly to the floor without any cushion. If you want a little cushion, you may go with our Contour Lock pad as it is only 1/8" thick which is very minimal, but often we recommend thinner pads in high traffic areas

Also, thicker rug pads tend to not grip as well as thinner runs. Popular runner rug sizes include 2x8, 2x10, 2x12, 3x8, 3x10. Note: we will custom cut your rug pad into any size to match your runner rug perfectly.

★★★★★

Love My Runner Pad

Love the rug pad! Very well-made, and has held my 10-foot runner in place perfectly since I pulled it out of the shipping box! Good value, received quickly. A great purchase!

—  Martha Y. 

Small and Throw Rugs for Hardwood Floors (2x3 to 4x6)

For 2x3, 3x5, and 4x6 rugs (or any rug under 4x6 in size) on hardwood floors, you’ll want some sort of rug gripper to keep the rug in place.

Small rugs on hardwood floors, particularly in entryways and foyers, are prone to shifting and require a better gripping, heavy duty pad to keep them anchored to the floor.

What's best for grip on hardwood floors?

A lower profile, natural rubber rug pad like our Super Lock Natural, Nature’s Grip, and RugPro rug pads will offer the most gripping power under especially slippery small rugs in high traffic areas.

Medium Area Rugs for Wood Floors (4x6 - 6x9)

For medium sized rugs on hardwood floors, we generally recommend a natural rubber non-slip rug pad. Natural rubber grips better, lasts longer, and won't ever harm, stain, or strip hardwoods and polyurethane finishes.

Depending on the exact size of your rug, where you plan to put it in your home, and whether you anchor it with furniture, you’ll want different levels of grip, profile, and cushion.

Some of the most common rug pads our customers buy for this size range include RugPro, Contour Lock, or Superior Lock.

For thinner rugs that need door clearance, go for the 1/16 inch-thick RugPro. If you want a bit more cushion but still need a relatively low profile, go for the 1/8 inch-thick Contour Lock. If you want an extra plush feel, particularly for living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms, we’d recommend Superior Lock, which comes in two different thicknesses: 1/4 inch and 7/16 inch.

Large Area Rugs for Hardwood Floors (6x9, 8x10, 8x11 9x12)

For larger rugs on hardwood floors, particularly those placed in rooms where you spend the most time relaxing, we recommend a more cushioned rug pad for greater comfort.

Because furniture will often anchor larger rugs, you likely won't need to worry about getting a non-slip pad. That means you can focus on the luxury of cushioning, to whatever degree you desire.

You’ll get the highest level of cushion from our memory foam Cloud Comfort and felt Eco Plush rug pads.

XL & Oversize Area Rugs on Hardwood Floors (10x13,10x14,12x15)

Extra large rug sizes such as 10x13, 10x14, 12x15, often have furniture anchoring them down and will not require a non-slip rug pad.

We typically recommend going with one of our cushioned rug pads for more comfort throughout your rug.

Our #1 choice for budget-friendly rug cushioning on hardwood floors is our Eco Plush rug pad, which is 100% felt and comes in three thickness options – 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2". Our upgrade option for the ultimate luxury experience is our Cloud Comfort rug pad, which uses 100% visco elastic memory foam and comes in two thickness options – 1/4" and 7/16”Note that our cushioned rug pads are made without rubber and therefore won't prevent rugs from slipping.

Note: If you have a very thin rug that tends to bunch and wrinkle (such as a flatweave, seagrass, jute, sisal, dhurrie, cotton or kilim rug), you’ll want to get a non-slip rug pad like Superior Lock or Contour Lock.

What Is the Best Rug Pad for Hardwood Floors? (By Types of Rug Pads)

There are three basic types of rug pads for hardwood floors: a non slip rug pad, a cushioned rug pad, and pads that offer both rug padding and grip.

Best Non Slip Rug Pad For Hardwood Floors

The best non slip rug pad for wood floors depends on the size of the rug and where it is located in your home.

With smaller rugs and runner rugs in high traffic areas such as hallways and entryways, you wouldn't want a thick rug pad because it may cause people to trip. We recommend RugPro for these areas because it grips the best and won’t raise your rugs off the ground. You may also want RugPro in low traffic areas (living, dining, bedrooms) if you prefer no cushion or with thicker rugs to prevent rugs from bulking (i.e. shag rugs that are already very thick).

The best non slip rug pad with cushion is our Superior Lock rug pad. Available in 1/4" and 7/16" thick, Superior lock provides a comfortable layer of cushion combined with a non slip natural rubber backing to keep rugs anchored firmly to the floor.

For the Superior Lock pad, the natural rubber and needle-punched felt are heat-pressed together without any harmful adhesives so it will not damage or stain your wood floors.

Best Cushioned Rug Pad for Hard Floors

Cushioned rug pads make your rugs more comfortable and luxurious. We recommend cushioned pads for larger rugs in places where you and your family spend the most time and want to feel most comfortable. Think dens, living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms.

Our #1 rug pad for cushion is Eco-Plush (made with 100% felt). Our upgrade pick is Cloud Comfort (made with 100% memory foam). Note that these rug pads are NOT non-slip and won't prevent rugs from slipping. This means they’re best for larger (an 8x10 rug or larger), heavier rugs that have furniture anchoring them in place.

For larger rugs or rugs anchored down with furniture that do not require a non slip rug pad, choose our Eco-Plush 100% felt rug pads or our memory foam Cloud Comfort rug pad.

Cushion and Rug Gripper for Wood Floor

For smaller rugs or rugs that tend to shift, we offer non slip rug pads with cushion padding as well. The best non slip rug pad with cushion is our Superior Lock rug pad (a felt and rubber rug pad).

Our Superior Lock rug pads add comfort but also keep rugs anchored firmly to the floor - the best of both worlds!

Anything smaller than a 6x9 rug may tend to slip, so they typically need a rug pad with some grip. Same goes with thinner rugs, like flat-weaves that tend to wrinkle.

The thickest and most cushioned non slip rug pad we offer is our 7/16 inch-thick Superior Lock rug pad. For slightly less cushioning, we also have the Superior Lock in 1/4" thickness.

★★★★★

The Rugs Do Not Move

We use these pads on hardwood. They make the area rugs look good and lay flat. The Superior Lock pads are soft under your feet, but the most important thing is the rugs do not move. Even when our Old English Sheep Dog runs across them, they do not move. We have used pads in the past from big box stores, but never again. Superior Lock pads are superior to other pads we have tried.

—  Douglas L.

Your Rugs and Hardwood Floors Have Unique Needs. We’re Here to Help.

Matching the right rug pad for your wood floors and your rug is our top priority. These are the rug pads we recommend for special types of rugs.

Best Rug Pad for Under Furniture on Hardwood Floors

Thicker, denser rug pads provide more floor protection against heavy furniture. Most rug pads under furniture tend to stay put and thus won't need a non slip rug pad. Our Eco Plush rug pad is typically our #1 recommendation for large rugs with furniture, with Cloud Comfort being our upgrade pick.

Thick rug pads act as a buffer, absorbing the weight of heavy furniture and protecting your hardwood floors from damage. The thicker the pad, the more protection for your floors against furniture, while making rugs softer and more comfortable to walk on.

With smaller rugs or rugs that continue to shift under furniture, go with either our Contour Lock or Rug Pro rug pad for good gripping, or our Superior Lock, a felt and rubber rug pad, for a bit of cushion. Available in 1/4" and 7/16" inch thicknesses, Superior Lock will prevent rugs from slipping while providing a dense buffer layer of cushion to protect hardwood floors from furniture.

What’s Best for Pet Accidents/Moisture/Spillage on Hardwood Floors?

Anchor Grip and Cloud Comfort will both prevent liquids from reaching your floors, and thus prevent pet urine, or any other type of moisture, from reaching and damaging floor finishes.

Anchor grip is a low profile non slip rug pad designed for high traffic areas, but will not provide cushioning. Anchor grip performs just as well as a natural rubber rug pad and won’t harm hardwood floor finishes.

What Is the Best Rug Pad for Wool Rugs?

We get a lot of questions about what rug pads are best for their specific rug type. We have an in-depth article on the best rug pads for wool rugs and a more comprehensive article explaining which rug pads work best with each rug type. The quick answer for wool rugs though are:

  1. 1/8" is best for a thick/plush rug

  2. 1/4" is best for most rugs

  3. 1/2" is best for a thin/low profile rug

    This means your best choice will likely be our Superior Lock, Contour Lock, or RugPro rug pads.

    What Is the Best Rug Pad for Sisal and Jute Rugs on Hardwood Floors?

    A felt and rubber rug pad should always be used with sisal and jute rugs. We heat press the surface of our felt, which acts like velcro against the bottom of your sisal/jute rug, preventing your rug from shifting, wrinkling, or bunching. The felt and rubber rug pad makes a huge difference with this rug type.

    1. Flat pile (thin) sisal rugs (under 1/4 inch thick) work best with either Contour Lock or Superior Lock. Contour Lock is 1/8" thick, while Superior Lock is thicker at 1/4" or 7/16" thick. Contour Lock will allow rugs to lie flat without raising your rug off the floor. Superior Lock will provide more cushion if that’s what you prefer. Thinner rug pads won't work as well with sisal rugs because they won't hold them in place.

    2. Medium Pile (1/4 inch to 3/4 inch thick) - Buckling and wrinkling is less of an issue with thicker sisal and natural fiber rugs, as these rugs tend to lie flat on their own. Our #1 recommendation is Contour Lock. At 1/8" thick, it is still thick enough to grab the bottom of your sisal rug, but thin enough that it won't create much bulk under your already thick rug. You may use Superior Lock as well if you're looking to add some more cushion or dimension.

    3. Thicker Pile (3/4 inches or more) - Contour Lock is our only recommendation for these rug types. At 1/8" thick, it's thick enough to grab hold of your jute or sisal rug, but thin enough that it won't raise the rug off the ground. A thinner rug pad won't have enough surface area to grab a thicker jute rug, and your rug will simply slide off the pad. A thicker rug pad will raise the rug too high off the ground and your rug may pose a tripping hazard.

      Note: some sisal and jute rugs already have a rubber rug backing attached to them, however many rubber backed rugs use a cheap latex backing which can flake and fall apart after a few years. We would recommend the same rug pads listed above with latex backed jute and sisal rugs.

      Rug Pads for Other Flooring

      Looking for a rug pad for a different type of hard surface? We've got you covered there too. Check out our other collections for different flooring like rug pads for laminate floors, stone or tile floors, or carpet.

      Have any other questions about selecting your perfect rug pad? Feel free to give us a ring at +1 (800) 565-6011 and one of our experts will help you find the right rug pad for your rug and floors.