How to Hold Down an Area Rug Over a Carpet

An area rug can give a drab room a visual pop while adding texture, design and color to your living space. It can also, however, create a problem when placed over a carpet if the area rug starts to slip, buckle, or make ridges, all of which could be hazardous if you’re not careful. There are ways to hold down an area rug over a carpet to make them safer, so explore your options and find the method that works best in your home.

Heavy furniture (couch, tables, chairs)
Superhold rug pads
Double-sided carpet tape

Instructions

- 1
  Position your area rug in such a way that you can place a heavy piece of furniture over the corners, edges, or center of the rug. Items such as a sofa, upholstered chairs, or a heavy coffee table can usually be arranged nicely over the rug without making it look as though you put them there for such a purpose.
- 2
  Purchase a super-hold rug pad the size of your area rug and place it between the rug and the carpet. A super-hold rug pad is made to grip carpet on both sides of the pad, so while it should keep the area rug from buckling, it should also keep the area rug in the same spot on the carpet.
- 3
  Apply a line of double-sided carpet tape along all four sides of the area rug following the manufacturer’s instructions. Position your area rug where you want it on the carpet before peeling off the final paper layer and pressing the taped rug to the carpet underneath.

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