Area Rug Pad – Rug Underlay, Runner to Large Room Sizes

This is the layer that goes under a rug, not on top of it. Ten sizes are cut to match the rug sizes the rest of the collection is sold in: a 2'4" x 4'11" for an accent piece, a 2'7" x 13'2" long enough for a hallway runner, and room sizes through 11'6" x 14'9". Buying the pad and the rug in matching dimensions removes the guesswork.

A pad does three things at once. It keeps the rug from sliding on a hard floor, which is the difference between a rug that stays square to the room and one that creeps toward a doorway. It puts a layer of give between the rug and the subfloor, so foot traffic compresses the pad rather than grinding the rug's own backing against wood or tile. And it lifts the rug slightly, letting a vacuum pull dirt up through the pile instead of pressing it down.

Size the pad slightly smaller than the rug so no edge shows along the border. Cut it to fit around a hearth, a doorway or a built-in rather than folding it, since a folded edge telegraphs through the rug above it as a ridge.

• Sizes: 2'4" x 4'11", 2'7" x 13'2", 5'7" x 7'10", 6'7" x 9'10", 8'2" x 11'6", 9'10" x 13'2", 11'6" x 14'9", 8' x 10', 9' x 12', 10' x 14'
• Placement: Under an area rug or runner on hard flooring
• Fit: Trim to size