The Best Waterproof Rug Pads to Protect Your Hardwood Floors
If you found yourself here while on the hunt for waterproof rug pads that will work with your hardwood floors, you’re in good company.
Rugs are used in the busiest and most lived-in parts of our home, which makes them a prime target for needing extra care and cleaning.
If you have pets or children, it is likely your rugs have taken some abuse from accidents, spills, and other wet messes on a regular basis.
While washable rugs are awesome for easy cleaning of messes on the rug once you see them, sometimes the wet spots on the rug are hidden from obvious view or we don’t see them for awhile - especially if the rug is in a part of the home we don’t use on a daily basis.
That’s why even if you have a washable rug, a waterproof rug pad to protect your hardwood floors from the moisture until you are able to clean it up, can be a real lifesaver.
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In our house we currently have three dogs and two toddlers, which means our rugs are getting cleaned a lot.
I am a little embarrassed to admit that it had not even occurred to me to look into waterproof rug pads until we took up a rugs one day and saw that damage had already been done to our hardwood flooring.
It was not a fun lesson to learn, but at least that experience lead me to do some more research. Thankfully, it showed me that there are waterproof rug pad options to help prevent future damage to the hardwood floors in our home.
My hope is that sharing these options can help you avoid the problem in your home altogether.
What are Waterproof Rug Pads?
Waterproof rug pads can be a few different combinations of materials, or a single material, that offer a layer of protection from moisture and some degree of cushion between the rug and the flooring. They are layered under the rug and typically can be cut to size in order to be slightly smaller and thus not visible without lifting up the rug on top.
Waterproof rug pads for hardwood floors are often non-slip to ensure they do not contribute to the rug being a hazard when walking over it. If they do not have a non-slip feature to them, they are then meant to be used under a rug that is anchored by furniture and will not move on it’s own. Either way, if the rug pad says it is safe for hardwood floors, that means the materials comprising the rug pad should not react with the flooring or impact the finish.
Benefits of Waterproof Rug Pads:
Waterproof rug pads are such a wonderful addition to your home’s rugs, especially if you’re worried about spills or accidents. Here are some of the benefits:
Moisture Protection -
The goal of the rug pad is for it to protect the hardwood flooring from moisture that could soak through the rug and be trapped against the floor.
Comfort -
The rug pad should add some amount of cushion to make walking on the rug even more comfortable
Sound Absorption -
The cushion of the rug pad can impact the noise level of those walking on the floor by insulating the steps to some degree.
Choosing the Right Size Waterproof Rug Pad
As I was scouring the internet for options for my own home, I was surprised that there was a somewhat limited selection of waterproof rug pads to choose from, at least compared to standard rug pads.
The great news about waterproof rug pads is that there don’t have to be a huge selection for you to get a perfect fit. That is because even if they don’t offer the exact size or shape of your rug, most of the waterproof rug pads can be easily cut to have a custom fit.
It is recommended that a rug pad be 1-2” smaller on all sides than your actual rug. If your rug size lands between two of the waterproof rug pad sizes offered, I would recommend going with the larger size pad and cutting it to be the exact fit you need so you have the desired coverage and overlap with the rug.
Our Picks for the Best Waterproof Rug Pads for Hardwood Floors
This luxurious cushioned waterproof rug pad is .375” thick to allow for the most comfort and sound reduction. The moisture barrier film helps prevent moisture from leaking through pad onto hardwood flooring. It is made from a foam that inhibits odors and is stain-resistant along with being non-slip. It comes in three sizes, but can be cut in order to be a customized size as needed.
What you need to know about this Waterproof rug pad:
.375” Thickness
Film is designed to prevent any spills or accidents from leaking through pad
Non-slip foam
Comes in three sizes, but can be cut as needed
This Pet-Proof Rug Pad is said to “stop spills and pet accidents from penetrating through to your wood floors”. It has .25” of padding to add more comfort and cushion underfoot. One side is non-slip to help keep the rug pad in place, even in high traffic areas. Comes in a large variety of common sizes and can be cut to be customized for you specific rug size.
What you need to know about this Waterproof rug pad:
.25” Thick Padding
Non-Slip Latex Backing
Comes in 11 Sizes - ranging from 2’ x 4’ to a large 12’ x 15’
Can be cut to accommodate additional sizes and shapes of rugs
When you’re looking for a waterproof rug pad to work in a variety of places and protect your hardwood floors, this reversible pet proof rug pad is a great choice. It is .13” thick with a felt side and a moisture barrier side. The moisture barrier side is placed on the hardwood and is slip-resistant. Comes in a variety of shapes rectangle, round and runner along with varying sizes to fit most rugs.
What you need to know about this Waterproof rug pad:
Comes in 13 sizes: rectangles from 2’ x 4’ to 12’ x 15’, a round 8’ x 8’ and a 2’ x 8’ runner, all can be cut to fit your rug size
.13” thick
Dual sided: felt on one side and moisture barrier on the other
Slip-resistant vinyl backing
This 100% waterproof rug pad is amazing in that it can protect your hardwood floors while also saving you a good amount of money with it’s very reasonable pricing. It is .15” thick with a felt side for cushion and latex side for non-slip and a moisture barrier. It comes in 13 sizes including rectangle, runner and round shapes, but can be cut down as needed to a specific size.
What you need to know about this Waterproof rug pad:
100% Waterproof Rug Pad
Non-Slip
.15” Thick
Dual sided: felt side and latex side
Comes in 13 sizes that include runners that are 2’ x 6’, 2’ x 8’ and 2’x10’, a 4’ x 4’ round, and small to large rectangles up to 10’ x 14’
Conclusion
Where there are children, pets, and lots of activity, there is also bound to be some wet messes. Waterproof rug pads are a layer of protection to help give peace of mind that even if a mess didn’t get cleaned up right away, your hardwood flooring can avoid permanent damage. Our picks for the best waterproof rug pads are great under standard rugs or washable rugs and allow you to feel secure in knowing you’re doing what you can to protect your home. I hope this information helped you on your search for a waterproof rug pad for your own home and I hope you will be able to avoid the hard lessons we had to learn by not having one in the past.
Now I want to hear from you - What triggered your search for waterproof rug pads for your hardwood floors? What other features do you appreciate or would you like to see included in a rug pad?
