How To Use Rug Pads On Stairs

Many staircases consist of an area rug runner that requires a rug pad underneath it for protection and comfort. The runner rug can be wall-to-wall or an area rug runner with some stair showing on each side of the rug. Based on this, there are a few ways to install a rug pad under your staircase rug.

Some people like the look of having a rug or carpet cover their entire staircase, while others like the look of an area rug with the staircase showing on each side of the runner rug. While each look and use has its own look and feel, both should have a rug or carpet pad installed along with the rug or carpet. The padding can add extra comfort for all the use the stairs receive, as well as add the protection to rug and stairs. Since most stairs receive a lot of traffic and use, the right rug pad offers much in terms of comfort and protection.

Rug Pad Under Wall-To-Wall Application on Stairs

Since most wall-to-wall applications include broadloom carpet, the rug pad can be either a felt or foam padding. Felt rug pad is more dense and offers better protection, yet since carpet does not contain the qualities of a handmade runner rug, the density is not as important. In this case, one can choose a dense felt rug pad or a softer, more plush foam carpet padding. Foam padding is known to be thick and plush to add much comfort. This is common under wall-to-wall carpet on stairs and in rooms. Felt padding is more dense and offers better resistance to pressure. While it is available fairly thick, felt rug pad is not spongy, so does not offer the softness of traditional foam carpet padding.

Rug Pad Under Area Rug Runner on Stairs

Many area rugs are handmade and need proper protection, as well as comfort. While foam padding is an ideal choice under wall-to-wall carpet, felt rug pad is more effective under area rugs. There are many staircases that contain beautiful hardwood finishes that can be seen to each side of the runner rug on the stairs. Here. the felt padding resists the pressure that can penetrate through to cause wear to the rug, as well as cause denting to the floor. Along with the protection it offers, felt rug pad is comfortable. To determine the level of comfort you will receive from this padding, choose the appropriate thickness. felt rug pads are available in 1/4″ up to 1/2″ thick, with the thicker being more dense.

Area rug runners are normally stapled to the staircase to keep it in place. Since the staples are not pushed through onto the actual stair tread, your runner rug still may slip. If this is the case, then a felt and rubber rug pad is idea, where the rubber serves a non-slip function. This type of padding is normally about 1/4″ thick, so it does add ample comfort. Just as important is the protection this pad offers rug and floor. Since runners on staircases receive a a lot of traffic, it is very common for the runner to experience  uneven wear without the right protection. A dense rug pad helps the rug resist the pressure that can normally crush the fibers that make the rug look worn and flat.

How To Install Rug Pad On Stairs

Some people believe in using an actual long runner pad on their stairs and to attach the rug or carpet on top of this. It should be noted that depending on the thickness of the padding, this type of installation may cause an issue – when the padding is folded over the lip of the stair, it can cause a bulge that may make the runner look too thick or may make it protrude too much off the staircase. Besides, when we consider using a staircase, we don’t think of the risers(the vertical part of each step) being walked on. So, there is no need to protect this part of the staircase with a rug pad.

The most practical method of installing a rug pad under your staircase rug is to use separate pieces of pad to place on top of each stair tread. This is the part of the staircase that is actually stepped and walked on and this is where the protection and comfort should be. By placing individual pieces of rug pad on each stair tread, you also prevent the lip of each step being too thick, which prevents tripping hazards. Most standard steps are about 36″ wide and 10″ deep, so the rug pad pieces should be somewhat smaller, depending on the actual width of the runner rug. It is best to use a rug pad tread that is two inches narrower than the runner rug so that the padding does not show.

Once you have all of your rug pad pieces, you then need to adhere them to the actual steps. This is most often done by means of a staple gun. Once you center the pad on each step, insert a staple into each of the four corners of the padding. Do not staple the center of the pad, as this is the part most walked on under the rug and you should not be able to feel the staples. With the proper staple gun, the staples will be implanted in the step without any movement of the pad. Next, center your runner rug on your staircase, taking care to cover each piece of rug pad. Then, using a staple gun again, staple the rug into the section of the staircase where the treads and risers meet – this part is never walked on. There are two benefits to stapling the runner rug in this section: first, in the event the staples are not completely anchored, they will still not be felt because this part of the staircase is never walked on. Next, in the event you remove the runner rug, the minor staples holes will be hidden and not in the center of the steps.

Rug pads can be used under staircase rugs and carpet and if they are properly installed, they will prove to offer the right comfort and protection. Just like with choosing a rug pad for your area rugs, it is important to choose the right padding for your stair runner rug.

How To Care For Your Rug Pads

Rug pads can add so many benefits to your area rugs and floors and, while they require little care, it is a good idea to practice some simple routine maintenance to assure a long life of performance and protection. While there are various types of rug pads, most of them require the similar type of care. There are some simple steps that can prevent premature wear and lack of performance from any quality rug pad. Whether it be  solid felt pad or an open weave mesh design, your rug pad will benefit from these simple steps, which will ultimately benefit your area rugs and floors.

Dust Your Rug Pad

Area rugs ultimately allow dust and grit to penetrate through to the floor, or to the rug pad. In this case, it is important to prevent any build up of dust rubbing against the back of your rug. Try to check the rug pad at least once every three months for any dust. Reveal the pad and take a broom or vacuum to remove the dust or dirt that has passed through the rug. Most rug pads can tolerate a vacuum, yet there may be thinner more sensitive pads that cannot and in this case, you can broom sweep the dust from the pad and then vacuum it up from the floor. By removing any dust or dirt from your rug pad, you prevent premature wear to your area rug and the pad itself.

Rotate The Rug Pad

Like with your area rugs, your rug pads experience traffic patterns which lead to eventual wear patterns. It is a great idea to rotate your rug and pad at least once a year. When you rotate the two, you are preventing excessive wear to just one part of the rug and padding. Simply remove the rug to expose the pad. Since the rug pad is exposed, you can take this opportunity to remove any dust or dirt from the pad and floor. Next, rotate the rug pad clockwise so that the ends are on opposite sides now. Do the same to your area rug and place the rug back on the rug pad. When you rotate your rug pad, you prevent common flattening or matting of the pad in one area, keeping it more resistant to protect and perform as it is meant to.

Clean Your Rug Pad

Perhaps the only time you may want to clean your rug pad is if it is exposed to constant spills. To spot clean most pads, you may use a sponge and mild liquid detergent and water solution. Lightly scrub the affected area with the sponge, let air dry and your rug pad should be clean. There are times when you feel your rug pad should be completely cleaned. In this case, it is not recommended to use a washing machine. Instead, you can lightly brush the pad with a mild liquid detergent and lukewarm water. You may either use a scrub brush for smaller pads, or a brush and handle for larger pads. Since many felt rug pads can shed with heavy pressure, try to lightly scrub the pad to avoid any stress to its fibers or material. Once done, you can let the pad air dry and if preferred, you may vacuum any soapy residue before using the pad again. These simple steps to care for your rug pads can prove to add years of life and performance to the pads, rugs and floor. Rug pads are meant to withstand much pressure and stress, yet like most floor coverings, then can experience premature wear and damage. By choosing to follow some simple care procedures with your rug pads, you can assure that they will continue to protect and perform as they are meant to and will not need replacement for several years.

This article was created by RugPadCorner.com a provider of brand name rug pads for all floor types including rug pads for hardwood floors, carpet, laminate, tile, stone, heated floors, and more!  RugPadCorner.com prides it self on perfect customer service and the best rug pads at discount prices.

How To Choose The Right Rug Size

There are so many rug sizes available to give us many options in what to buy. In choosing your rug size, it is important to consider a few things so that it looks perfect for the room.

Area rugs are available in handmade and machine made. They are manufactured in several shapes in a multitude of sizes. Based on this, how does one determine what size to choose for their room? While a few different sizes can work in a room, each will offer benefits and may even have disadvantages. So, it is important to consider some facts first so that the rug you finally choose for your room will look as if it was always a part of the room.

What is the Size of the Room?

One way to choose the rug size is to relate it to the size of the room it will be used in. Often times, people will choose an area rug that almost fills a room. A common issue with this is that the rug then makes the room look smaller than it is. This type of layout can also distract us from the beauty of the rug, mainly that the floor adds a nice border around the rug. When we minimize this border, or frame, the rug tends to look too big for the room. In thinking of the benefits of area rugs, one is to have a nice border of floor framing the rug. This will show off the rug and add more character to the room, particularly if the floor is beautiful.

What is The Setting of the Room?

Another way to determine what size rug to choose for your room is to base it on the actual setting, or use, of the room. Is there a conversation section in the center of the room? Is the room simply full of furniture along the walls? In different settings, you can use different rug sizes. In a living room setting with furniture centered in the room, the area rug can be the size required to fit uncovered in the center of the furniture. Some people like to have the front legs of furniture on the rug and this is fine. Others like the rug to extend completely under all of the furniture – Keep in mind that there is wasted rug this way and since the rug generally is priced according to size, you may be paying for hidden rug. In general, it is a nice look to expose as much rug as possible and this may mean choosing a smaller size rather than covering up more of a larger rug.

What is The Purpose of The Rug?

Determining the purpose of the rug helps to choose the right rug size. Some reasons for a rug are decor, insulation, noise reduction and floor protection. Each one of these reasons creates a different need for a specific rug size. In terms of a decorating mentality, bigger is not always better, as we need to consider how much floor should surround the rug to create the desirable look. There are often rooms that require an area rug to prevent noise, protect the floor or to insulate against cold floors. In these cases, most often, larger is better. So, this would most likely encompass a rug almost as big as the room to maximize the protection to the floor or benefits of insulation.

Spread Newspaper on the Floor

A great way to visualize how an area rug size will look in your room is to spread out several pages of newspaper to fit various rug sizes. Once the newspapers are spread to a size, you can visualize it on the floor and determine what size seems best for you and your use. Since newspaper is solid and covers the floor underneath, this proves to be a great visual and has helped many people decide on rug size. Try shifting the paper to various sizes until you receive the look that grabs your attention.

Area rugs are available in many sizes and rarely limit anyone from choosing one for their room. There are a few variables to consider when choosing the right rug size. Once you consider the facts and determine the look that suits your taste, the area rug will prove to offer many benefits to include decor, comfort and protection. It is important to remember to choose the right rug pad under the rug that you decide to use in the room.

Rugs in the Bedroom

The Perfect Way To Utilize Your Rugs for the Bedroom

Bedrooms evoke a feel of warmth and comfort and the use of an area rug just adds to that feel. There are a few different ways in which to use and position area rugs in a bedroom and each has their benefits.

When we think of a bedroom with hardwood or hard floors, the use of an area rug or carpet can only add the benefit of extra warmth, comfort and color. When the right rug, or rugs, are chosen to be used, the bedroom can take on an even warmer and more relaxing feel. For this reason, it is important to choose just the right rug and place it in just the right place on the floor. There are bedrooms that call for one larger rug placed partially under the bed and then there are rooms where scatter rugs surrounding the bed are more suitable. In either case, the rug should add an extra level of decor and comfort to the room. In the scenarios mentioned within this article, I write under the assumption that the bed is centered on one wall of the bedroom.

Using One Area Rug In the Bedroom

Many people have the belief that rooms should only have one area rug on the floor. In this case, the rug is centered on the bed and most often extends under it. To choose the right rug size, we need to consider the size of the room and bed. When the rug is centered on the floor, we should see a border of floor around the rug. Since we are using only one rug, we want to be sure to be able to see a good portion of the design and color. Considering this, we center the rug under the bed and the result is a rug extending from the foot and sides of the bed, while a fair amount of it is also under the bed. Since the rug is anchored by the bed, a felt rug pad is great under the rug, It does not prevent slipping, yet with the weight on the rug, there is no need for a non slip rug pad.

While this look of one rug in the room is very desirable to many people, it is important to make sure enough of the rug extends beyond all sides of the bed. If the rug is too small, it can easily look like a place mat for the bed. For this reason, we consider the size of the room and of the bed when choosing the rug size. While too much rug is not good, too little rug is also not a good look. The rug should be big enough to extend beyond the foot of the bed enough to show at least half of the rug. It should also be big enough to extend at least a few feet beyond each side of the bed. If the rug does not reach these points, then the room does not look balanced.

Using Multiple Rugs in the Bedroom

For those who desire the look of a few rugs in the room, this normally means three rugs; one at the foot of the bed and one on each side of the bed. With this type of floor plan, the rug at the foot of the bed is normally larger then the other two. The two at the sides of the bed may or may not be the same size, depending on the amount of room on each side of the bed. While all three rugs can be different in design, they should all compliment each other with a mutual flow of color.

The choice of the amount of area rugs to use on the floor of your bedroom is determined by the size and layout of the room, as well as be your preferences. Generally, the larger the room, the more forgiving it is to using more rugs. One of the benefits of using a few rugs over one rug is the exposure of the floor. This is an important feature for many people who desire to see their floor.  Since the rugs are scattered, we can see the floor between them and the floor surrounding them. Using more than one area rug in the room creates more versatility. Since in many rooms, smaller rugs are easier to use than larger rugs, the rugs can be moved to another room without much space restriction. Trying this with a larger rug could pose some restraints.

If we think about three area rugs around a bed, it is most suitable for the rugs to have their specific place on the floor. The larger rug is normally centered on the foot of the bed and the smaller ones are at each side of the bed. One purpose for the side rugs is to add comfort for getting out of bed. These rugs at the side of the bed add a cushion for our feet to land on, a very nice benefit. For this reason, while the side rugs do not need to be very large, they should be big enough to allow for stepping on to them once coming out of the bed. Since all three rugs normally do not have any of the furniture on them, we must be careful of slipping. These smaller rugs can tend to slip and are much safer with the use of a non slip rug pad. Depending on the pad thickness, it can add an extra level of comfort and , more importantly, extra safety. The pad will prevent the rug slipping, preventing any harm, as well as keeping the floor looking good by keeping the rugs in their place.

The use of rugs on a  bedroom floor can add great benefits to the room. Use area rugs to add extra warmth and comfort, as well as another level of decor. Whether you choose to use one larger rug, or a few smaller rugs, the addition of the right rugs to any bedroom can create a priceless look. Since the bedroom can be considered a tranquil escape from a somewhat hectic life, it is important to love the rugs you choose for the floor.

How to Fix Grout Lines and Uneven Floors with Rug Pads

Some tile floors can have thick and uneven grout lines and some stone floors can contain stones of various heights. Both of these can create an uneven floor that can cause uncomfortable walking, as well as premature uneven wear to the area rug on the floor.

Tile and stone floors offer a great look and feel to many homes. Most tile floors are installed and finished with grout lines that separate the individual tiles. Depending on the desired look, the grout lines can be thin or thick. When they are quite thick, they can actually create extra space between each tile so that this can be seen and felt. Walking on a tile floor with thicker grout lines can be felt as dips between tiles. Stone floors are similar in that they can have dips, or high and low spots, throughout the floor. This is mainly due to the nature of the stone and that no two stones are exactly alike. So, walking across a stone floor could result in a very inconsistent feeling from a floor not very level.

What Uneven Floors Do To Rugs

When rugs are placed on uneven floors, they can experience premature wear that could also lead to damage. Since the rug is right against the floor and is walked on, in the areas of high and low changes in the floor, the rug becomes compromised if it is walked on. This uneven surface causes wear to those parts of the rug that are walked on. This type of wear is considered to be uneven wear. In other words, the wear patter is isolated to just those parts of the rug. Uneven and premature wear decrease the value and condition of a rug. While most people try to live with the fact that their floor is uneven, there is a way to protect the rug from common wear.

Rug Pad Prevents Damage to rug on Uneven Floor

The use of the right rug pad between your rug and uneven floor can actually prolong the life of the rug without letting it experience a wear pattern. Solid and dense felt rug pad, such as our Superior, works to resist pressure penetration to the floor. This means that if a dense rug pad is under a rug on an uneven floor, the rug pad is so dense that it prevents the grout lines or uneven heights of the stone from showing and causing rug damage.

For larger or heavier rugs, choose an all felt rug pad and make sure it is at least a 40 ounce dense pad. The more dense the pad, the stronger its resistance and the less it will allow the floor underneath to be felt. If your rug tends to slip, then the right dense non slip pad, such as our Ultra Premium, will prevent slipping, as well as prevent the grout lines or stone from coming through. Our Ultra Premium is a 45 ounce density and is resistant enough to prevent grout lines pushing up through the rug.

How to Use Rug Pad to Hide Grout Lines and Uneven Floors

Since there are many rug pads to choose from, we need to discuss the most effective to use on uneven floors. The intent of the pad is to hide any grout lines or uneven stones, so the pad must be solid and dense. That said, a typical mesh looking rug pad with holes in it will not help because it is neither solid nor dense enough to withstand pressure. For this, only a felt rug pad will perform and it should be a higher density, such as a 40 or 45 ounce, to be able to truly resist the pressure and stress associated with such floors.

Choose the right felt rug pad and place it between your area rug and floor. The proper pad will prevent any grout lines coming through to show in the rug and it will make the floor look as flat and smooth as possible. This can only be achieved with a dense and solid rug pad, so take care to choose one of these. Once in place under your rug, the rug pad will prove to perform and keep the floor safe for walking without bumps or high and low spots.

Article Written By: Sam Kaoud

 

Prevent Furniture from Moving with DURA-GRIP Furniture Pads

Furniture sliding on hardwood or any hard floor is a common problem in many homes. While there are products that claim to stop furniture moving, DURA-GRIP pads seem to be the best and most effective way to keep all furniture in place.

Stop Furniture from Sliding Now!

You may be one of the thousands of people who often watch their sectional sofa, recliner chair or bed move on the floor when being used. If yes, then you may also know of the frustration of seeing the same furniture scratch and dent the walls and floor. Furniture sitting on a bare hard floor can often slide and move when being used and while there are felt furniture pads available to prevent floor damage, they really do not prevent the slipping.

What are DURA-GRIP Furniture Pads?

After years of hearing about this furniture moving issue from our customers, we came up with DURA-GRIP furniture pads. This is a very effective non slip furniture gripper pad that truly stops any furniture moving on any hardwood, laminate, tile and any hard floor. DURA-GRIP is made in our warehouse and contains a very dense center, covered by two layers on natural textured rubber.

How DURA-GRIP Works

DURA-GRIP contains a dense fiber center that works to resist any amount of furniture pressure from pushing to the floor. This also works as an excellent floor protector, as DURA-GRIP prevents common floor scratches and dents. The outside rubber surfaces work to naturally grip to the furniture and to the floor, preventing slipping and moving. The combination of the resistance of pressure and natural adherence of the rubber results in a very strong grip to the furniture and floor. Since we use natural rubber, DURA-GRIP is simply placed on the floor under the furniture legs. There is no need for any glue, tape or adhesive, so DURA-GRIP does not cause any sticky mess.

Use DURA-GRIP Under Any Furniture

Some of the more common pieces of furniture that tend to slip on the floor are sectional sofas, recliners and beds. We constantly hear about this problem from our customers and we are happy to be able to offer our DURA-GRIP pads as the most effective solution to the problem. Since we offer it in various sizes and shapes, as well as custom, DURA-GRIP can fulfill the slipping needs of virtually any piece of furniture, regardless of size and shape. We have shipped it to people with large and small furniture legs, round, square and oval in shape.

DURA-GRIP is the answer to furniture moving and sliding on any floor. Based on its performance, it is considered an excellent and effective furniture floor gripper pad and floor protector pad. Since we make it in our Connecticut warehouse, DURA-GRIP is proudly made in the USA with American materials. We offer it on this web site, on Amazon.com and on its own web site at www.duragripfurnituregrippers.com.

Protect and Prepare Floors This 2013 Holiday Season

The holiday season can mean many guests walking through your home. It is important to make sure your rugs and rug pads are ready for the traffic they can be exposed to. Proper care and knowledge of what is under your rugs can prevent damage to the rug and floor, as well as harmful falls from slipping.

Make Sure Your Rugs Are Safe to Walk On

Most smaller or lighter rugs can slip and slide without an effective non slip rug pad. You may have one under your rug, or you may not, and in either case it is important to check. If you do not already have one, it is important to place an effective no slip rug pad under your rug. This will prevent guests from slipping and possibly falling to hurt themselves. If you do have a pad under the rug, then check it to make sure it still prevents slipping. Most rubber non slip rug pads will show signs of replacement with signs of cracking within the rubber.

Prevent Excessive Wear to Your Area Rugs

The more often a rug is walked on, the more pressure it can experience and this can lead to wear. A dense rug pad is vital to prevent unnecessary wear to your rug. It will resist much of the pressure and stress that can normally cause the wear. Make sure that the rugs that may be walked on more during the holidays have a dense rug pad under them. With this, no amount of walking can harm the rug, as the rug pad will perform to resist stress and keep the pile of your rug looking fresh and upright.

Protect Your Floor From Damage

With the excessive traffic on your rugs can come risk of damage to your floor, particularly with hardwood floors. High heeled shoes can easily push through the rug to actually cause dents to the floor. The use of a dense rug pad under the rug will absorb this pressure to prevent damage to the floor. The most common form of damage from shoes is that of denting the floor. Some floors are softer than others and dent fairly easily. When a rug is walked on more than normal, the backing can scratch the floor. Rug pads can prevent any scratches to keep your floor looking new and free of damage.

Add Comfort for Your Holiday Guests

Family and guests can feel more comfort under foot when they walk on an area rug with a pad underneath it. The level of comfort is determined by the thickness of the rug pad. You should choose the thickness most suitable for your rug, making the pad thick enough to be comfortable, yet no too thick to raise the rug too high from the floor. A nice and safe thickness is one of 1/4″, as this can be felt under foot, yet still keeps the rug fairly close to the floor.

When thinking of the holiday season, one of our first decisions revolves around holiday decor. Of course this is important, yet we must also consider other elements as a result of holiday visitors. Since people coming to your home will be walking and using the floor, be sure to make the rugs as safe and comfortable as possible, while offering the protection they and your floors deserve. This will prove to be a nice balance for any holiday entertaining.

Make Your Cheap Rug Look More Luxurious With Quality Rug Pads

Many cheap area rugs can have a flat, inexpensive look. A quality rug pad can lift the rug off the floor and give it a more expensive and luxurious look and feel.

Inexpensive machine made rugs are popular today because they offer a floor covering at cheap prices, something quite attractive to many people. These types of rugs are priced low because they do not contain too much material and are not finely woven. While they are a great alternative to a bare floor, they can often look flat and not as plush as more expensive rugs. Placing a thick felt rug pad under the rug can actually lift it off the floor with a look of life that it cannot normally achieve on its own. While there are several types of rug pads available, a thicker felt one will provide a more luxurious look.

Quality Rug Pads Are The Key!

You can find a few types of felt rug padding and our Superior is one of them. The advantage to Superior is that it is available in 1/4″ and 3/8″ thickness. This is a nice feature, as not all rugs can afford the same thickness. There may be some rugs that need just a light lift for that lively look, so the 1/4″ is sufficient. For those very flat looking area rugs, placing our 3/8″ thick Superior pad under them can add much to their look and feel.

Placing thick felt rug padding underneath your flat area rug offers a few advantages over using a thinner rug pad. These benefits can turn your flat and matted looking rug into a richer, livelier and more expensive looking rug. The first benefit is in the appearance. The thicker the rug pad, the more lift it will give the area rug. When the rug is lifted off the floor, this gives a look of life to the rug. Since more expensive area rugs are like artwork on the floor, this lift will place your rug in a similar category. The other result of using a thicker rug pad is that it gives your inexpensive rug a nicer feel to walk on. Most people relate the feel of a rug or carpet to its value and quality. So, the better the feel, the more expensive it appears. In this case, the use of a thick felt rug pad offers very effective way to turn your hard and thin rug into something more comfortable and luxurious to walk on.

If you desire to purchase a more expensive area rug, yet are limited by budget, then do not be too concerned about spending less to get less of a rug. As long as you like the rug for the most part, you can turn it into that more expensive look and feel with the proper rug pad. Since there are so many of those thinner non slip rug pads available in stores, you should avoid them, as they will not give your rug any life on the floor. Find a thicker felt or foam rug pad that is at least 1/4″ thick to truly add the expensive look and feel you prefer in your rug.

How to Avoid Rug Pad With Fold Lines

Many people tell us of their rug pads that arrive with stubborn fold marks. The reasons for this are based on the way in which the rug pad is shipped, as well as the content of the rug pad.

Many people contact us looking for a rug pad that will actually lay flat on their floor without any bumps coming through to the rug. Unfortunately, these people ordered their rug pad from a store that believes in folding several times to stuff the rug pad into a small bag or box. The other problem is that most of those rug pads contain adhesives. When the adhesive dries, it becomes hard and stiff and will crack when folded.

Avoid Rug Pad Containing Adhesives

The popular way to manufacture a felt rug pad is to apply a clear adhesive on the top and bottom surfaces. The adhesive is an inexpensive way to keep the felt intact and prevent shedding. When the adhesive dries onto the pad, it then becomes hard and stiff. Next, fold the rug pad and it will show signs of cracking or stubborn and permanent fold lines as a characteristic of the adhesive.

In order to avoid adhesives to keep the felt intact in our felt rug pad we utilize an intense heat pressing process. This melds the felt together naturally without resulting in a stiff or hard surface. If our Superior felt rug pad is folded, any light fold marks will disappear within minutes because there is no presence of adhesives.

Avoid Rug Padding That Contains Several Folds

Just about every store offering rug pads will take any size of pad and fold it several times within itself. This is done so that the store can fit the padding into a small bag or box. Combine this with the fact that the same rug pad could have been folded on a shelf for days, weeks or months, and the result is very stubborn and most often permanent fold lines within the rug pad. These fold lines show through to the rug, causing premature wear and possible trip hazards.

At Rug Pad Corner, no order is ever cut until it is ready to ship. Small, medium, large and custom rug pads are always cut after we receive the order and we only cut and pack on day of shipping. In terms of how we fold our rug pads, many are actually simply rolled without folding and very large pads are simply folded in half once and then rolled. Since there are minimal folds, no adhesives and that we fold on day of shipping, there are never any stubborn fold lines in our rug pads.

The next time you search for a rug pad, try to avoid one that could pose an issue with fold lines. Make sure the store does not offer any rug pads with adhesives, make sure it cuts to order and make sure it does not fold more than necessary. Finally, confirm that your rug pad was not previously cut and sitting on a shelf somewhere until it is shipped.

How to Care for Your Area Rugs

Most area rugs are meant to last a lifetime. While they are durable, they do require some care that can add even more years of life. Simple care, such as consistent vacuuming, rotation, regular cleaning the use of a rug pad can prolong the life of your rugs and maintain their desirable appearance during their lifetime.

Caring for Area Rugs with a Rug Pad

Area rugs are used on the floor and most of them are walked on and can have furniture placed on them. It is this type of use that requires extra care to prevent premature wear and damage. One of the first things to consider with the care of your rugs is to determine the amount and type of traffic they will receive. If rugs are actually walked on, then a rug pad is necessary to preserve the rug’s condition and appearance. The rug pad acts in two ways. First, it prevents slipping under those rugs that could slip. Next, the rug pad can prevent wear and damage to the rug. Choose a substantial rug pad, such as dense felt, for most effective protection under any rug. This will absorb much of the stress and pressure that the rug is exposed to, making for a longer lasting rug.

How to Care for Your Area Rugs with Vacuuming

Whether the rug is walked on a lot or very little, there is always dust that settles into the foundation of the rug. For this reason, it is important to vacuum your area rugs regularly to prevent any dust settling into the base of the rug. Since handmade rugs contain a foundation on which the knots are tied, we must not compromise the foundation. If too much dust settles, it can actually work to rub against the foundation cords to start wearing them. Since the foundation is what keeps every handmade rug intact, it must be shielded against unnecessary wear.

Rotate Your Rugs to Maintain Even Wear

Most often, there is a specific traffic pattern that can affect any area rug. While we can walk all over the rug, most rugs experience a pattern of traffic. This can wear that part of the rug sooner than other parts. Uneven wear is a negative element for any area rug. Fading due to sunlight can also occur and we need to avoid fading of only one part of the rug. To prevent such wear, it is important to rotate the rug at least once a year and more often if possible. By rotating your rugs, you are preventing a specific wear pattern on one part of the rug. A wear pattern not only looks bad, it also takes away from the value and life of the rug. So, try to rotate your rug and rug / carpet pad at least once a year and for larger rugs, use the help of someone else to make the task easier and more effective.

Professionally Clean Your Rugs on a Regular Basis

Rugs can become soiled from regular use. For spot cleaning, you can use a damp sponge and some mild soap and water. Most area rugs clean easily with right cleaning agents and process. You should have your rug professionally cleaned when necessary. The frequency of cleaning depends on the type of rug and the materials within the rug. Most handmade wool or silk rugs should be cleaned every 3 to 5 years. Most synthetic machine made rugs should be cleaned every year. Be careful to use a reliable cleaning company with experience with cleaning your type of area rug. A traditional carpet cleaning company is not the same as one that specializes in area rugs. One of the benefits of using an experienced area rug cleaner is that the company will actually beat the back of your rug first to remove any settled in dust or dirt.

Area Rugs are an investment and should be properly cared for. Some simply, yet very effective practices will maintain the look and condition of your rugs so that they may last a lifetime.