3 Practical Tips for Laying Area Rug Over Carpet

An area rug is a perfect covering for your house floor. It’s like an artwork laid on the floor to define and beautify your space. Not only does it enhance the look and feel of your house, but it also has functional uses. An area rug provides the entire household with the utmost comfort and warmth.

How about laying an area rug over your carpet? Some homeowners do this for various reasons. You may want an area rug to cover a worn or tainted spot on your carpet, or you may want to create a luxurious look by layering it over your broadloom.

Whatever your reason for doing it, there’s a proper way of laying an area rug over your carpet. That said, here are three practical tips:

1. Be wary of ripples in the area rug

One big challenge when laying an area rug is that it can move around the carpet. The area rug tends to wrinkle or ripple as a result of constant moving. This wrinkling or rippling effect on your rug can be a major tripping hazard. If the household members aren’t wary, they may end up tripping over the rug.

Now, if you choose to lay the area rug on the hard floor, it may easily slide around. That’s why putting it over a carpet is a much better solution. However, you have to find a way to prevent the ripples on it, and that leads to the next two valuable tips.

2. Find an anchor to hold the area rug

To prevent the area rug from wrinkling or rippling, you have to find an anchor to hold your rug. There are a handful of ways to do this, but for the most part, you can use of heavy furniture in your living room or whatever area of the house it is.

First, make sure that the edges of the rug go under the furniture. For instance, if you’re setting up in the living room, have the sofa or chairs step on the edges of your area rug. Second, if the furniture cannot accommodate all the sides of the rug, have the two sides anchored at least. You just have to be creative with the resources that you have.

3. Invest in a non-slip pad

For rugs that are nowhere near furniture, the non-slip pad is the best option. A non-slip pad is designed to hold an area rug over your broadloom. This pad is generally a “carpet-to-carpet” pad, which is exactly what it sounds. It prevents your area rug from shifting, wrinkling, or rippling over your carpet. It also serves to prevent damage to the carpet under the rug. As you can see, the friction from the rug moving over the carpet can lead to wear and tear over time.

There is a wide range of carpet-to-carpet non-slip pads available in the market. Their effectiveness largely depends on a number of factors, such as carpet style, rug backing, fiber type, and more. So choose the one that works best for your carpet, flooring, and the location.

Conclusion

Laying an area rug on your carpet can be done; however, it has to be laid properly. As outlined above, make sure to prevent ripples on your rug, have an anchor set in place, and use a non-slip pad instead. All these three will help you achieve your flooring goals, may it be for an aesthetic or functional reason!

We are an area rug and carpet expert in Charlotte. If you’re looking for affordable yet aesthetic textiles to spruce up your home, get in touch with us today!

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