The 10 Best Rug Pads
This wiki has been updated 32 times since it was first published in June of 2016. There's nothing quite so frustrating as finding the perfect mat to accent a room only for it to start bunching at the first foot traffic or, worse, to begin sliding around, making it a fall hazard. But don't worry, these pads are designed to keep a rug smooth and firmly in place, while also adding a touch of additional comfort under your feet and protecting the surfaces beneath them. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Grip-It Duo-Lock
2. Superior Strong Grip
3. Gorilla Grip Felt and Rubber
Editor's Notes
August 14, 2019:
The most important job a rug pad can do is to keep you, your family, and all your beloved visitors safe from tripping and falling. That's why we like the Grip-It Duo-Lock. It not only has a textured rubber side that ensures it stays firmly in place on hard floors and carpets, but it also has a felt side that helps keep the mat on top of it from slipping. The Gorilla Grip Felt and Rubber similarly boasts a dual-sided design to keep it from moving, and the fabric on top from shifting.
When protecting your floors is the priority, the Sugarman Creations Non Slip will be appreciated since it almost never leaves behind residue. The Superior Strong Grip is another excellent choice for high-end surfaces since it's gentle but strong. Next time you break out your hardwood floor cleaner, you won't need to pick up any sticky particles or scuffs left behind from these pads.
If your main intention is to add comfort to the walking surfaces around your home, you'll love the RugPadUSA Cloud Comfort and the Carpenter Spillguard DuPont, both of which are luxuriously thick. The Carpenter Spillguard DuPont even protects floors against fluids with its moisture barrier.
Special Honors
The Serena & Lily Premium Though you'll face a high price point if you get into the medium and large sizes of this option, it's well worth it. Thick and plush, it features recycled synthetic fibers on one side and renewable natural rubber on the other, making it a choice planet-lovers can feel good about. You can easily use it on hard or soft flooring; just make sure the fiber side is facing up for the former and facing down on the latter. serenaandlily.com
The Ethan Allen Luxury If you're worried about spiked heels scuffing up floors through your rugs, this dense pad should resist punctures and provide protection. It lays flat on perfectly flat on most surfaces, and is safe to use on radiant heat floors. Plus, it's available in several sizes, as well as a round option. ethanallen.com
4. Mohawk Home Dual Surface
5. Carpenter Spillguard DuPont
6. Epica Extra Thick
7. RugPadUSA Cloud Comfort
8. CraftRugs Endurance E32
9. RugPadUSA RPRO
10. Sugarman Creations Non Slip
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.