“You always need a rug pad. Rugs wear from the bottom up, so the pad is essential to protecting the fibers from constant abrasion,” Greg Roth, Los Angeles-based designer of Home Front Build, told BH&G in August 2020. “Rug pads also prevent slipping, add cushion, and stop the rug from rippling. Look for one that’s 1/4-inch-thick and 2 inches smaller than your rug on each side (so it won’t show).” Choose from 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2-inch thickness levels and 38 sizes to best fit your rugs. The brand also suggests cutting the rug pad for custom shapes and sizes. It can work on both hard floors and carpets—just lay the felt side down on carpet, and rubber side down on hard floors. You can even spot clean the rug pad with a mild detergent if it gets dirty over time. Shoppers love the best-selling rug pad because it elevates the appearance of their rugs and prevents the rugs from sliding without leaving marks or scratches on their floors. One reviewer wrote, “my new carpet definitely feels more substantial and richer with the pad under it,” adding that it “no longer shifts and slides” on their hardwood floors when they walk quickly across it. Another shopper said that the rug pad adds softness and thickness to their rug, and prevents it from sliding—even when their cat tears through the house.
