How to Lay a Small Rug on Top of a Carpet

Someone might want to put a small rug on top of a wide rug for a variety of reasons, from wanting to hide worn or soiled areas on the rug (which otherwise can’t be replaced), to adding some personal touch to the rented space, to simply liking the luxurious look of putting a layer of rug on top of the rug.

But can you really spread a rug on top of a wide rug? The answer is yes, you can put a rug on top of the entire rug! Here are some tips to help you do it right.

Prevents Ripples

Perhaps the biggest problem with laying a rug on a wide carpet is that the rug will move on the rug. How much it will move depends on the carpet style underneath the carpet and the type of carpet backing. However, regardless of these factors, carpet in any area will move unless it is properly secured in place.

When laying a small rug on a hard surface such as a hardwood floor, the biggest concern about the carpet moving is that it will slip. However, when carpeting is laid on carpet, it is more of a concern that the carpet will wrinkle or ripple, which poses a great tripping hazard. Wrinkling occurs because when one area of the carpet is stepped on, it moves (assuming it is not properly secured). However, unlike on a smooth surface where the entire carpet slides, the other end of the carpet encounters resistance from the carpet below, effectively preventing it from slipping. As a result, you cause one end to move and the other not to move, resulting in ripples or “waves” on the area carpet.

In order to prevent the carpet from corrugating, the following precautions must be taken.

Anchors & Furniture

If possible, place heavy furniture on the rug to help keep the rug in place. If your area rug is used for a seating area, make sure the edge of the rug is under the sofa or chair to prevent it from moving. Ideally, there should be furniture to hold the rug on all four sides, but if the furniture is heavy enough, it is enough to simply fix it on two opposite sides.

Use Non-slip Mats

There is a non-slip carpet mat designed for the use of almost all area rugs, including fastening the area rug to a wide rug. These are often referred to as “carpet-to-carpet” mats. These types of mats are specifically designed to help prevent the rug from moving and rippling on the rug. Additionally, these pads can help prevent damage to the carpet underneath, as repeated friction as the carpet moves on the carpet may cause premature wear or frosting of the carpet fibers underneath.

The effectiveness of these carpet-to-carpet pads can vary greatly, as the pads don’t necessarily take into account a lot of factors (carpet style, carpet backing, fiber type, etc.) and the range of pads is wide. Available qualities. I strongly like having rugs in place with furniture, as mentioned above. You can still use a non-slip mat underneath, especially if one side of the carpet can’t be secured. However, for carpets that are far away from furniture (e.g., in the middle of a hallway or hallway), a carpet mat is the best option to prevent the carpet from corrugating.

So the bottom line is, yes, you can put a little rug on top of a carpet.