How to measure for a rug

Measure the room and the furniture

Measure the length and width of the floor, wall to wall. Then measure the furniture group the rug will hold: the sofa and chairs, the dining table, or the bed.

Write both down. The room sets the largest rug that fits, and the furniture sets the smallest rug that looks right.

Mark the rug on the floor

Outline the rug with painter’s tape, using the size you have in mind. Leave it down for a day and walk around it. This is the easiest way to see whether a rug feels too small or crowds the room.

In a living room, leave about 6 to 18 inches of bare floor between the rug and the walls. Many people place the front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug. In a dining room, the rug should reach about 24 inches past the table on every side, so chairs stay on it when pulled out.

Check doors, vents and transitions

Open every door that swings over the rug area. A thick rug with a pad can stop a door that clears the bare floor. Measure the gap under the door and compare it with the pile height plus the pad.

Keep floor vents and returns uncovered. Note any step or threshold where flooring changes, and stop the rug short of it so nobody trips on the edge.

Measuring a handmade rug

A handmade rug is woven to an approximate size. A rug sold as 8x10 may measure a few inches less on either side, and the two ends may not be exactly the same width. Ask for the real measurements before you buy.

Measure the pile, or the woven body of a flatweave, from edge to edge. Leave out the fringe. Measure the width in more than one place and use the smallest number when checking the fit.

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