Here's How to Keep Rugs from Slipping on Laminate Floors

When you think of owning a home, you have a perfect picture of the entire house. The floors, the walls, the cabinetry, the open concept plan…

Today, we’ll focus on the floor.

Laminate floors are an everyday go-to in the housing market — mainly because they’re a low-cost hack to achieving a hardwood look.

A laminate floor is made with pressed wood, melamine, and fiberboard materials. This combination enhances its resistance to wear and tear from scratches and moisture.

But, despite the above advantages, laminate flooring is smooth. And that makes it prone to friction and sliding.

Consequently, rugs have little traction.

Here are some negatives that come with a sliding rug:

• Injuries from trips and falls.
• Messes from spillage.
• Transfer of dirt.

These risks are both potentially dangerous and annoying.

Today, we’ll discover seven easy tips that’ll help to keep your rug from sliding on laminate floors.

Seven tips to keep rugs from sliding on laminate floors

Adding rugs to a laminate floor makes the space comfortable, cozy, and luxurious.

But they can also constantly slide on laminated floors. And here’s why:

Waxing and polishing — Laminate floors already have a smooth texture, and adding a layer of wax or polish worsens this.

Pro Tip: It’s safer to leave floors in their original state.

Dirt — Debris that gets under the rug may cause it to slide over the floor.

Pro Tip: Always keep the exposed floors clean to avoid dirt sneaking under the rug.

Overall, keeping the rug secured against the floor helps to:

• Avoid accidents
• Keep your house neat

To achieve this, we’ll give you seven practical and easy tips that’ll help keep your rug in place.

1. Use a non-slip rug pad

Several rug pads are specifically made for laminate floors. They’re available to use underneath your decorative rug to reduce sliding.

The first thing you need to consider when buying the right rug pad is the size of your carpet.

Carpets that are 6 x 9ft or smaller are mostly found in areas with a lot of foot traffic — for example, mats in doorway and kitchen areas.

The best non-slip rug pads for such spaces are the Super-Lock Natural, Nature’s Grip, and RugPro.

On the other hand, carpets bigger than 6 x 9ft are anchored by their own weight and potentially by nearby furniture.

Hence, they’ve less slippage and so require a cushioning rug pad like the Eco-Plush for extra comfort and grip.

The advantage of the Eco-Plush rug pad is that it has a low risk of damaging laminate floors.

There are two main benefits of using a rug pad to prevent rugs from moving:

You’ll have little to no dirt transfer to other parts of the house, especially in high traffic areas.Your house becomes safer — you’ll reduce the chances of someone slipping on the carpet and falling.

The only drawback is that you may get some dirt stuck at the bottom of the rug and carpet. To prevent this, be sure to lift it for a thorough clean.

Cost: Medium.
Effectiveness: High.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: Low.
Longevity: Long term.

2. Use rugs with non-slip backing

A rug with non-slip backing is textured on the underside to give it grip on the floor, and the best kind is rubber.

The main benefit of using a rug with rubber backing is that it’s natural. Unlike latex and plastic, rubber is chemical-free and safe. This means it reduces slipping without damaging your floors or causing you health issues.

However, the drawback of using rugs with non-slip backing is that they don’t stick perfectly on high pile laminate floors. To enhance the grip, you’ll need to go further by adding a non-slip pad underneath your rubber-backed non-slip rug.

If your laminate floors have a low pile and aren’t plushy, you won’t have to go this far and can use the rubber-backed rug on its own.

Cost: High.
Effectiveness: Medium.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: Low.
Longevity: Long term.

3. Use silicone caulk

Silicone caulk is a material used to seal leaking holes or bind joints.

All you need to do is flip your rug over and apply the silicone caulk to the edges and middle of its back. Use a knife to flatten it so that the adhesive can stick well once it dries up.

The benefit of using silicone caulk to stop your rug from slipping is that it’s easy and quick to DIY.

However, using it also has a disadvantage. It can damage rugs and mats in the long-run — when it chips, it may come off with pieces of the rug.

Cost: Medium.
Effectiveness: High.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: High.
Longevity: Long term.

4. Anchor your rug with furniture

This tip is easy as pie.

All you need to do is make sure the furniture legs sit directly on the rug to keep it from slipping.

The benefits of anchoring a rug with furniture are:

You get to play around with the decor and aesthetics of your home.It’s a permanent fix.Using rugs defines the functionality of spaces in your home.

On the flip side, anchoring rugs with furniture also has two significant drawbacks:

Dirt. Rugs can hold on to a lot of dirt. So be sure always to give them a deep clean.A light-weight carpet may not have an excellent grip on laminate floors. To further keep the rug in place, add a rug pad beneath it.

Cost: High.
Effectiveness: High.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: Low.
Longevity: Long term.

5. Use double-sided rug tape

Double-sided carpet tape is a strong adhesive designed to keep area rugs in place.

To attach the carpet tape, peel it on both sides and stick it to the back of your carpet and onto the floor in different sections.

The benefit of using carpet tape is that it causes little to no damage to laminate floors, compared to hardwood floors.

However, double-sided rug tape can damage laminate floors during removal.

To avoid damage:

1. First, blow-dry the tape to loosen it.
2. Remove it slowly.
3. Clean the floor with soapy water to remove the sticky residue.

Cost: Medium.
Effectiveness: High.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: Medium.
Longevity: Long term.

6. Use rug gripping spray

Rug gripping spray is applied on the underside of a rug to give it grip.

The benefits of using a spray to keep a rug from slipping include:

You can reposition the rug without much effort.It doesn’t discolor the floors or the rug.

The disadvantage of most rug gripping sprays is that they’re susceptible to freezing. So make sure to keep the cans at room temperature for later use.

Cost: Medium.
Effectiveness: High.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: Low.
Longevity: Short term.

7. Use Velcro strips

The functionality of Velcro strips is similar to that of double-sided tape.

To attach the Velcro strips:

1. Cut two pieces measuring about 2 inches in length.
2. Peel and attach the sides to the floor and carpet so that they line up.
3. Apply pressure to reinforce the strips.

Here are the benefits of using Velcro strips on area rugs to prevent slipping:

They’re reusable.You can lift the rug to clean the floor underneath, then re-attach the Velcro strips.The removal process is straightforward, and you don’t need any special tools.

The drawback to using Velcro strips is that if you want to reposition the rug, you’ll have to rip off the strips and restart the process.

Cost: Medium
Effectiveness: High.
Ease of Installation: Easy.
Damage Risk: Low.
Longevity: Long term.

FAQs about how to keep rugs in place on laminate floors

We’re here to clear the fog and help you choose the most secure rug for your laminate floors.

Let’s tackle some questions that you may have.

Can you put rugs on laminate flooring?

Yes. Laminate floors, just like any other floor — such as hardwood — have decorative potential. Adding an area rug is a great way to define spaces, stop slippage, and add comfort.

However, rugs tend to slide on laminate floors due to their smooth texture. We advise that you use any of the seven cost-effective yet highly practical and easy tips above.

What rugs are safe for laminate floors?

The safest rugs to use on laminate floors are the ones that won’t damage the floor or pose a risk to your family.

Our 100% rubber and felt rugs and rug pads are safe to use on laminate flooring. No scratching, residue, or toxic chemicals.

Do you need a rug pad on laminate floors?

Yes, you do.

A rug pad is a safety necessity to use underneath your decorative rug/carpet. We’ve got the best rug pads for laminate floors and specific to your carpet size.

If your laminate floors are prone to damage by rubber, we have an EVA backed non-slip rug pad option for you — check out the Anchor Grip rug pad.

Will latex backed rugs damage laminate floors?

Unfortunately, yes. Latex-backed rugs can permanently stain a laminate floor. They contain plasticizers — harmful plastic chemicals — that react with the floor, causing discoloration.

How do I protect my laminate floors from heavy furniture?

The first step is to handle the furniture with care and to avoid scratching the floor. Secondly, once they’re placed on the floor, you can add a rug pad under the rug on which the furniture sits on. Attach furniture grippers or use rubber pads on each furniture leg.

Start using these tips today to prevent your furniture and rugs from sliding, and protect your laminate floors!