Best Rug Pads for Wood Floors
Hardwood floors offer unbeatable beauty and give homeowners and designers a natural canvas to express their imagination. One way to create harmony with wood floors is by using area rugs. Rugs and mats can be more than just accents; they can provide much needed protection and comfort for wood floors. However, rugs and mats also need good non-slip padding. If left unprotected, floor rugs and mats can damage hardwood floors. Choosing the best rug pads can be easy if you know what to look for.
Purpose of Rug Pads
Rug pads can have many different features and purposes. Here are the main reasons people choose to use rug pads.
- Grip. Rugs and mats on wood floors can slip. Rug pads help increase safety in your home.
- Floor Protection. The backing on some rugs and mats can actually damage wood floors. A proper pad is a great protective barrier.
- Rug Protection. Rug pads don’t just protect floors. They can extend the life of your rugs by reducing the impact of daily foot traffic on a hard surface.
- Cushion/Comfort. An extra layer of padding on mats and rugs makes them more soothing on bare feet.
Rug Pad Materials
One of the biggest challenges in selecting the best rug pad is that there are so many options. Picking the right materials can help make that decision easier.
- Felt. Gives great cushion but can lack grip strength.
- Natural Rubber. Great for keeping rugs in place. Offers little cushion. Good when you need a thinner pad for low clearance (mats and rugs under doors).
- PVC. Has good grip strength and is cheap. However, plastic/PVC pads can damage floors if off-gassing plasticizers eat into the finish.
When choosing rug pads for hardwood floors, choose a felt or natural rubber pad. Many companies offer a felt/rubber combination to get the best of both worlds. Cheap rug pads are treated with chemicals that can stain or stick to your floors.
Fixing Rug Pad Damage
People usually realize they have the wrong rug pad when it’s too late. If you’re dealing with rug pad damage, here are some things you can do to try and fix the problem.
- Use a plastic scraper. Depending on the type of damage, a plastic scraper may be able to get most of the old rug pad off. Dampen the stuck-on rug pad with hardwood floor cleaner, and be careful not to scratch your floors as you gently attempt to scrape off the remaining pad.
- Use a liquid solvent. If scraping doesn’t work, try using mineral spirits, or denatured alcohol (or an adhesive remover as a last resort). Apply the liquid on a cleaning cloth and see if it will wipe away the rug pad material. Letting the liquid sit might make things easier but beware of prolonged exposure of these harsher chemicals on your floor finish. They can soften or change the sheen in that spot, and may even remove the finish.
- Call a professional. If DIY solutions don’t work, call in the pros. With deep or extensive damage, a professional wood floor craftsman can help offer solutions to get your floors looking beautiful again.
Keep your home Bona clean and enjoy a healthy, beautiful home. Bona products are trusted by floor care experts for the best protection for hard surface floors.
Repair Your Floors With a Bona Certified Craftsman
If you’re looking for a professional contractor for your floor repair needs, consider a Bona Certified Craftsman®. These professionals are trained in all Bona® floor systems and can give your floors the look you want and the protection from toxic alternatives. Find a Bona Certified Craftsman near you.