Throwing down a rug is among the best methods to cozy up a room and as cozy is a prime precedence over right here. A rug might help outline a dwelling area, soften up a bed room, or present some cushion below your toes down an extended hallway. Rugs are versatile and impactful, however they’ve had a decades-long drawback of staying put and even staying comfy. Shopping for a rug pad is meant to resolve this drawback, however can grow to be an issue all by itself when making an attempt to determine which one is greatest for you. Totally different rug pads are meant for various issues and we’ve examined a bunch throughout the board to search out one of the best ones to advocate. This was a VERY vital submit for us to analysis and write as a result of as Emily has been a comfortable rug pad fanatic for years now and desires all of you to expertise the enjoyment it may possibly deliver to your toes.
We did the actual deal, in-person analysis so please learn on to see the total breakdown for each, however to avoid wasting you some scroll time…
Right here Are Our High Picks!
BEST THIN & GRIPPY: nuLOOM Eco-Pleasant Rug Pad | BEST VALUE: Mohawk House Non Slip Rug Pad Gripper
BEST THICK & GRIPPY: RUGPADUSA Twin Floor | BEST LUXURY CUSHION: RUGPADUSA Reminiscence Foam
Okay, now let’s break it down!
The Basic Rubber Grip Pad
In case your principal concern is motion, a rubber gripping pad works effectively below a rug to supply extra traction. These are greatest used below runners or smaller kitchen and loo rugs–areas the place rugs see loads of every day motion. General, these rubber grips don’t present a ton of cushion or further consolation to the rug like a felted pad would possibly. However they’ll do a great job of preserving a high traffic rug in place. Right here’s our ideas on the three we examined:
RUGPADUSA Tremendous Lock Pure
The RUGPADUSA model got here up rather a lot in our search, and for good motive. Their merchandise are actually nice high quality. This rug pad labored precisely prefer it mentioned would. The fabric felt very sturdy, gripped effectively to the underside of the rug and the ground, was tremendous simple to trim, and offered a bit of little bit of cushion, too! However at virtually $70 for a 2’x8′ runner dimension, this gripper was far more costly than the others we tried.
This rug gripper felt fairly low cost proper out of the packaging and held onto its creases from being folded up. However as soon as down, it did maintain the rug in place fairly effectively and also you couldn’t really feel the folds when strolling over the rug. That mentioned, you couldn’t really feel something as a result of this gripper was tremendous skinny. It was very simple to trim, is available in many sizes, and was probably the most cheap possibility of the three. BUT it’s product of polyvinyl chloride and can’t be used on sure flooring sorts, like pure stone or concrete, with out leaving a residue.
Gorilla Grip Further Robust Gripper
The Gorilla Grip rug pad was gentle and squishy and offered a really sturdy grip below the rug. It is available in many sizes, was additionally tremendous simple to chop, and got here at a good worth. The bigger spacing between the grippy blobs and the bits that join them is claimed to assist with airflow, but it surely does really feel prefer it creates extra potential for ripping or deterioration due to this. To not point out, this rug pad smelled fairly dangerous. Very chemically proper out of the bundle, but it surely was solely tremendous noticeable up shut.
Despite the fact that it was the most costly, the winner for us on this class was the RUGPADUSA Tremendous Lock Pure. Our photographer Kaitlin even took it residence along with her to make use of below her entry rug as a result of she appreciated it a lot. HOWEVER, under you’ll discover that for about the identical worth, a few of the different felt pads (with grips) work simply as effectively or higher than rubber alone for a greater worth.
Felt And Cushioned Pads
These days, many individuals are in search of added cushion below their rugs. Particularly for bigger space rugs, a layer of squishy batting can really feel so luxurious below your toes. However not all felted pads are created equal. Some are supposed to be tremendous cushion-y with no intention of offering anti-slip know-how, whereas others are skinny sufficient the cushion goes undetected and grippy sufficient to maintain that rug locked down. We tried a handful of choices right here:
1/8″ Cushion
Take pleasure in Vacation 1981 Non Slip Rug Pad
This Take pleasure in Vacation 1981 rug pad got here really useful throughout another web lists. It’s fairly skinny at only one/8″ and with its rubber backing, it gripped to the hardwood fairly effectively. However the felt facet was too gentle and didn’t maintain to the rug itself very effectively. We examined it within the runner dimension, however different prospects have complained in regards to the bigger sizes (like a 6’x9′) coming with a hefty, seen seam, leaving a lump within the rug. At about $30 for the runner dimension, it was pretty cheap, however this one simply wasn’t our favourite.
For those who’d like a minimal cushion felt pad that additionally grips, we advocate going with the nuLOOM. Appears to be like could be a bit deceiving with this one. The grip sample on the underside is in contrast to the earlier 4–not very rubbery at first look–and the fabric general felt a bit of low cost in hand. However as soon as we put it to the check, we have been pleasantly stunned. The tiny flowery grips pack a punch and the scratchy felt facet actually latches onto the rug. We ran and jumped and slid throughout this runner/rug pad combo and she or he didn’t transfer. Annoyingly, this one doesn’t are available a normal 2’x8′ dimension, however we purchased two 2’x4′ pads and laid them subsequent to one another and so they labored nice. Additionally coming in at about $30 for a runner, this one is our winner within the skinny class.
1/4″ Cushion
Bumping it as much as the subsequent cushion stage is the BAGAIL 1/4″ felt pad. This one, very similar to the nuLOOM, has that tremendous scratchy felt, gripping tightly to the underside of the rug. It comes with a rubber underside that stood up fairly effectively towards the hardwoods and our operating/strolling checks, however we did see some motion with the Tom Cruise Check (the run and slide a la Dangerous Enterprise). It got here a bit of huge however was tremendous simple to chop to dimension. This one is an efficient selection, a good worth, and is available in all of the sizes, however we’d say it’s greatest suited to barely bigger or thicker rugs the place the load helps to maintain it in place.
Mohawk House Non Slip Rug Pad Gripper
Subsequent up is Mohawk House, and with a reputation like that, there’s no method this pad isn’t rockin’! It has a minimal however respectable 1/4″ cushion, that very same scratchy felt that we love, and an analogous however barely extra strong rubber grip facet than the earlier contender. It handed all motion checks with flying colours and was additionally a straightforward trim job. There was a faint manufacturing facility scent proper out of the bundle, however hardly bothersome to us. Supplied on the identical worth level because the BAGAIL, however decrease than many others on our trial checklist, we’d select this one.
A 1/4″ cushioned pad is ideal for including just a bit, however not an excessive amount of cushion to a flat-woven rug. Nevertheless, Mohawk presents the identical pad in each a 1/2″ and 3/8″ thickness as effectively. Thicker pads like these don’t work as effectively with tremendous skinny rugs as they’ll type of make them appear to be they’re mysteriously floating on the bottom. However you possibly can (and will) give your thicker rug pad about 2″ of area on all sides to permit the rug to cascade right down to the ground.
3/8″ Cushion And Up
Talking of a thicker cushion, subsequent up is the RUGPADUSA Twin Floor. This pad offers a hefty 3/8″ cushion AND a grippy underside. The felt is scratchy (our most well-liked) and the rubber grips effectively to the ground, with solely very slight shifting in our run/stroll checks. It felt nice to stroll throughout it, undoubtedly offering a brand new stage of padding.
However at 3/8″ thickness, this dangerous boy was powerful to chop. Felt this thick tends to be, however with the addition of a rubber grip, it was much more of a problem to trim. If in case you have the persistence for this, an space rug that wants some good padding and a few stay-putness, then it is a nice possibility. That mentioned, it’s a bit of bit on the pricier facet, however the high quality feels value it. The model additionally presents this Twin Floor gripper in 1/8″ and 1/4″ thickness for barely much less, however this was our winner for greatest lux cushion WITH a grip.
Sticking with RUGPADUSA, their Fundamentals line is the place it’s at with regards to cushion. If what you’re in search of is added noise suppression or further consolation, and provided that your rug is massive and heavy sufficient (or you’ve got furnishings to maintain the pad in place) this 1/2″ rug pad is nice. The scratchy felt as soon as once more latches properly to the rug, however the tremendous gentle felt facet retains your flooring protected. The one downsides listed here are that the gentle felt tends to tug a bit of and as a consequence of its thickness, it’s one other difficult one to trim–however not inconceivable. However we might not advocate this rug pad if traction is your aim.
We tried this Fundamentals line out in two sizes and each have been nice for including padding. If extra cushion and luxury are what you search, go together with the 1/2″ or 3/8″. However in case you’re okay with just a bit further oompf, the 1/4″ thickness nonetheless made a noticeable sufficient distinction in consolation. Once more, although, no added traction with these! Greatest utilized in locations the place the rug is anchored by furnishings already.
For our closing cushion act, might we introduce you to the RUGPADUSA Reminiscence Foam possibility? Speak about some cushion! This rug pad has you feeling such as you’re strolling on a cloud (or a mattress topper). You sink into it as you stroll throughout and it feels good. The product is sort of heavy and the fabric has a pure keep energy so we’d argue that it is a good grip possibility too. It’s 7/16″ thick, placing it simply barely below the 1/2″ mark, however arguably feels extra cozy/cushiony. That is additionally the one which Emily has and LOVES.
It’s a ache to chop, about as annoying because the thicker felt choices. Plus, the value level right here is steep! It’s greater than double what the Fundamentals 1/2″ felt pad prices, but when cash isn’t your concern, we actually love this rug pad for its luxurious really feel. The one pictured below our Merrick rug is at present on the River Home and so they swear by it.
Rug Tape And Sticky Grips
To spherical out this lengthy checklist of choices, we’ve added a number of quick-fix remedies if a full-sized pad simply isn’t your jam. Generally the difficulty with rugs is much less about padding or traction and extra about preserving the rug laying flat. Usually the corners on rugs, particularly a woven rug, can curl up over time. We examined three merchandise meant to maintain corners down and rugs in place. Listed below are our ideas:
These nook grips are SUPER sticky. Like extraordinarily so. The product adheres strongly to each the rug and the ground and goes nowhere! It shouldn’t depart any residue in your hardwoods (it didn’t once we examined it) but it surely WILL take off fibers from the again of your rug when eliminated. These grips are greatest used solely as soon as, meant to maintain the rug caught in the identical place. It may be a bit of cumbersome to ensure the corners are aligned the best method, and positioned on the proper facet, however they’re a reasonably cheap possibility at round $2/sticker in case your principal concern is nook flippage.
These House Techpro Grippers are much less of an adhesive and extra of a vacuum suction to the bottom. The grooves within the stick-on pads assist to grip onto the bottom. There’s a slight stickiness feeling to the pad, however felt prefer it was getting much less sticky with each contact. It did appear to work because it claims, staying in place with our motion checks, and it didn’t depart behind a flooring residue. These are in all probability the most secure wager for holding down difficult corners in case you’re fearful about adhesive switch.
This rug tape was our least favourite of the three on this class. Whereas the one professional is you could reduce it to any desired size, it’s very easy for this crazy-sticky tape to cling to itself earlier than you even get the prospect to stay it down. It’s cheap, certain, however there are opinions about it forsaking a sticky residue (which can value you extra in the long term) and questions on its sticking longevity. Kaitlin has used this tape beforehand and had a tough time with each.
In order that’s our official rug pad evaluation round-up! A number of nice winners, some in-betweeners, and a few particular NOs. For those who took the time to learn by way of each evaluation, we thanks! However regardless, we respect you having a look and tell us in case you like these kinds of posts. We hope this helps you discover the rug pad best for you!
*Photographs by Kaitlin Inexperienced
