Felt vs rubber rug pad: which is best?
Felt vs rubber rug pad: Rug Pad Wizard makes both. Its Eco felt pads add a Pet Urine Barrier, have no latex and a Life of the Rug warranty. Its rubber backed pads, Foundation, Secure Grip and Xtra Grip, grip hard floors with a 20 year warranty, and Secure Grip and Xtra Grip add cushion. With pets, choose felt.
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Rug Pad Wizard at a glance
- Felt warranty
- Life of the Rug
- Rubber warranty
- 20 years
- Pet Urine Barrier
- Felt only
- Latex in felt
- None
What is the difference between a felt and a rubber rug pad?
The Eco felt pads have a Pet Urine Barrier and no latex or rubber, while the rubber backed pads use a rubber backing for grip on hard floors.
| Feature | Eco felt pads | Rubber backed pads |
|---|---|---|
| Pads | Eco Value, Eco by Design, Eco Preferred, Eco Supreme | Foundation, Secure Grip, Xtra Grip |
| Top layer | Felt, 100 percent recycled | Ultra thin felt (Foundation); firm synthetic fiber (Secure Grip, Xtra Grip) |
| Backing | Polypropylene closed cell Pet Urine Barrier | Rubber with a high concentration of pure latex (Foundation); non-skid synthetic rubber (Secure Grip, Xtra Grip) |
| Weight | 18 to 38 oz per sq yd | 10 oz (Foundation), 40 oz (Secure Grip), 50 oz (Xtra Grip) |
| Cushion | Thin to plush | None (Foundation); firm (Secure Grip); most (Xtra Grip) |
| Pet Urine Barrier | Yes | No |
| Latex | None | Yes (Foundation); not published (Secure Grip, Xtra Grip) |
| Green Label Plus | Certified | Not published |
| Washable | Yes | Yes (Foundation); not published (Secure Grip, Xtra Grip) |
| Anti-microbial | Not published | Yes (Secure Grip, Xtra Grip) |
| Recyclable | 100 percent | 100 percent (Secure Grip) |
| Radiant heat | Excellent pass through, no degrading | Not published |
| Warranty | Life of the Rug | 20 years |
Is felt or rubber the better rug pad for a home with pets?
Felt is the choice for homes with pets, because only Rug Pad Wizard’s Eco felt pads have the Pet Urine Barrier that keeps most urine from soaking through.
The felt pads are washable too, so a professional rug cleaner can clean them time after time. Rug Pad Wizard, based in Calhoun, Georgia, sells both kinds through rug cleaners and rug stores.
Eco Value
18 oz/sq yd, Life of the Rug warrantyThin felt pad with Pet Urine Barrier for low profile rugs and clearance issues
Eco Value sizes and item numbers
Eco by Design
18 to 19 oz/sq yd, Life of the Rug warrantyLightweight felt pad with Pet Urine Barrier for runners and clearance issues
Eco by Design sizes and item numbers
Eco Preferred
31 oz/sq yd, Life of the Rug warrantyMidweight diamond backed felt pad with Pet Urine Barrier
Eco Preferred sizes and item numbers
Eco Supreme
36 to 38 oz/sq yd, Life of the Rug warrantyPlush, extra dense felt pad with Pet Urine Barrier for thick rugs
Eco Supreme sizes and item numbersWhat is the best non slip rug pad?
Secure Grip and Xtra Grip both hold rugs with 100 percent surface contact, and the 50 ounce Xtra Grip adds the most cushion.
Xtra Grip is the best cushion for rugs 5 by 8 and larger. Foundation has a good hold too but, per its brochure, does not provide cushioning.
Felt can grip too. Rug Pad Wizard calls its Pet Barrier backing the only felt non-skid backing, and dealer Charlie Paolucci wrote that he has never had a pad with better hold than Eco Value and Eco Supreme.
Secure Grip
40 oz/sq ydFirm synthetic fiber with non-skid rubber backing, 40 oz
Secure Grip sizes and item numbers
Xtra Grip
50 oz/sq ydThick 50 oz synthetic fiber with non-skid rubber backing
Xtra Grip sizes and item numbers
Foundation
10 oz/sq ydUltra thin felt pad with a rubber backing for hard floors
Foundation sizes and item numbersDoes a rubber rug pad damage floors?
Not these: Rug Pad Wizard’s warranty page says Foundation, Secure Grip and Xtra Grip will not stain, discolor or mar flooring.
The same page warns that latex, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other backings can deteriorate rapidly and stain floors. The latex comparison adds that flooring makers warn latex rubber can discolor vinyl, and the customer flyer says clay fillers in inexpensive rubber pads are what make a pad stick to the floor.
Which lasts longer, a felt or a rubber rug pad?
By warranty, Eco felt pads last longest: they are covered for the life of the rug, and the rubber backed pads for 20 years.
Both warranties cover degradation of the fiber or backing, for the original purchaser. Direct sunlight can degrade a backing, so keep the pad out of direct sun and turn it with the rug.
More questions dealers ask
Can a felt rug pad be used on tile and stone?
Yes. Eco felt pads are made to protect hardwood, luxury vinyl tile, stone, concrete and other hard surface floors, and they will not stain, discolor or mar them.
Is a felt or a rubber rug pad better for allergies?
Felt, at Rug Pad Wizard. Its Eco felt pads have no latex or rubber and are non-toxic and non-allergenic, while Foundation’s rubber has a high concentration of pure latex, per its brochure. Secure Grip is also listed as non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Is a felt or a rubber rug pad better over radiant heat?
Felt, by the published specs. Eco felt pads give excellent heat pass through and do not degrade over radiant heat, and the latex comparison says heat makes latex rubber backing degrade. Radiant heat performance is not published for the rubber backed pads.
Which rug pad works for a rug laid over carpet?
Eco Value, a thin felt pad, is described in its brochure as an excellent solution for small area rugs, over carpet or in entryways.
See:Eco Value
Which is lighter, a felt or a rubber backed rug pad?
Foundation is the lightest pad Rug Pad Wizard publishes, at 10 ounces per square yard and 1/16 inch thick, and it is felt with a rubber backing. The lightest Eco felt pads, Eco Value and Eco by Design, weigh 18 to 19 ounces.
Does a rubber rug pad resist mold and mildew?
Secure Grip and Xtra Grip do. Their brochures call them anti-microbial, preventing mold, mildew and odor causing bacterial growth under the rug. Anti-microbial treatment is not published for the Eco felt pads or Foundation.
Can a felt or a rubber rug pad be washed?
Eco felt pads can, time after time, by a professional rug cleaner, and the backing does not break down. Foundation is also listed as washable. Washability is not published for Secure Grip and Xtra Grip.
Is a felt or a rubber rug pad Green Label Plus certified?
Felt. The Eco felt pads are Green Label Plus certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute. No certification is published for the rubber backed pads.
Where do I get Rug Pad Wizard pad?
Rug cleaners, rug stores and designers
Order by the roll in the NowCommerce dealer portal, or apply to become a dealer in about two minutes.
Homeowners
Buy Pet Barrier Rug Pad cut to your rug size at the Rug Pad Wizard consumer store, or ask a local rug cleaner.
