Do You Need a Rug Pad?
Care · 3 February 2026 · 5 min · Published by Raheem & Son for RS Living
Usually yes, and not for the reason most people are told. What an underlay actually does for a handmade rug, and when you can skip it.
The reason you are given, and the reason that matters
Most people are sold an underlay to stop the rug sliding. That is real, particularly for smaller rugs on hard floors, but it is the least interesting thing a pad does.
The reason that matters is wear. A handmade rug on a bare hard floor is ground between two hard surfaces every time somebody walks across it. The foot presses the pile down onto stone or timber, and the knots take the load. A pad puts a compressible layer underneath, so the rug is pressed into something forgiving instead. On a hand-knotted piece meant to last decades, that difference compounds.
The third reason is feel. The same rug over a good pad reads as denser and more substantial underfoot. People often assume they were sent a better rug.
Which pad for which floor
On timber, stone or tile, a felt and rubber pad is the sensible default. The felt gives the cushioning that protects the knots; the rubber layer holds position without adhesive.
On carpet, you want the opposite property. A rug over carpet does not need cushioning, it needs stiffness to stop the rug creeping and rucking. A thin needled pad designed for carpet-on-carpet is the right choice, and a thick felt one is actively wrong.
Avoid anything with a solid adhesive backing, and avoid cheap plastic mesh. Both can react with floor finishes over time and leave a residue that is far more expensive to deal with than the pad saved you.
When you can skip it
If the rug is large enough that furniture sits on it at several points, it is not going anywhere, and the slip argument falls away. The wear argument still applies, but it is a judgement call.
If the rug is going somewhere with very little traffic, a bedroom where it is walked on barefoot a few times a day, the wear case is weak and a pad is optional.
Under a dining table, do not skip it. Chairs dragged across a rug are the single hardest thing most domestic rugs endure, and the pad absorbs a real share of that.
Questions
What thickness of rug pad should I use?
On hard floors, roughly 6 to 10mm of felt with a thin grip layer suits most handmade rugs. Thicker is not automatically better: too much cushioning makes the rug feel unstable underfoot and can cause the edges to lift.
Will a rug pad damage my floor?
A good felt and natural rubber pad will not. Solid adhesive backings and cheap plastic mesh can react with floor finishes over time and leave residue, so avoid those regardless of price.
Do you supply rug pads?
We do not stock them, because the right pad depends on your floor rather than on the rug. Tell us the floor type when you order and we will tell you exactly what to look for.
