i had foot prints of "latex paint" on my wooden floors from the front door all the way to the back of the house ... i was doing the painting and a batch of paint from the roller hit the drop cloth and not knowing it , i step into the batch ... foot prints were everywhere ..!!! now , this paint was on my floor for "8 days" , so i called Behr up , and they told me to wet the paint area with liquid soap(mr.clean all purpose cleaner)and warm water, i did ... i had a 4" window/floor scraper ,but i reversed the blade and without any chemicals and absolutley NO damage to floors, the paint once wet , came up just like pop-corn...! the entire job took me about 1 hour .... THIS REALLY WORKS ,AND AGAIN NO DAMAGE TO THE WOODEN FLOOR PEOPLE ..!!!!!!!!! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PSB6OG/ref=nosim/?tag=nextag-tools-tier1-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B000PSB6OG&linkCode=asn

Thanks to both of you for the help. I've taken a look at the linked website for pads and will investigate further. And, I've been doing some research on pads for hand knotted carpets. Apparently using a pad of some sort will prolong the life of the carpet because the pad absorbs some of the shock/friction from people walking on the rug. Yet, I also know that where these rugs are made there really is no such thing as a rug pad. On Amazon I did find a pad that gets high reviews for use as a pad for hand made rugs that are placed on hardwood floors. Durahold Plus Felt and Rubber Pad for Hard Floors.

You want a rug that does not have a rubber backing. There are non skid mats, which are sold separately, for under rugs that are safe for most hardwood floors (check the label), but most rubber backed rugs are not. I have an ordinary rug I picked up at Menards for not much in front of my sink:) If you want something for under a table or a runner, I recently bought an indoor outdoor rug and runner for my living room - it is actually pretty attractive, though not cushy. I needed something easy to clean because I have two dogs. This can be hosed off outside if needed. It also was not too expensive - 8 x 10' for about $100 and I think the 2 x 10' runner was about $75. I bought the rug at a local rug / flooring store, but bought the matching runner online from Overstock. You can do a search on Houzz for "indoor outdoor rug" under shopping to see some examples. There are cushier rugs, but they may need special cleaning. Some people have special matts (anti fatigue matts) in front of the sink that are supposed to help tired feet - something I should look into myself.

Choosing the right flooring type isn't enough for your living condition. You will have to consider the types of cut: flat sawn, rift and quarter sawn, quarter sawn or live sawn. Quarter sawn and rift & quarter sawn will be best choices, because expansion and contraction is along the thickness of the wood. You will need climate control all year round. 70 degrees at 40 % relative humidity is where you want to be throughout the year. The use of a humidifier/dehumidifier will be needed year round. Although, engineered flooring is more stable than solid. Using the wrong wood specie in your living condition can run the risk of de-laminating with engineered wood. If, the top veneer is more or less stable than it's core and backing. You will experience de-laminating in extreme humidity swings. Take in account of what the engineered flooring is constructed of: mdf or plywood. The width of the flooring will account for how much expansion and contracting also. 2 1/4" strips are the most stable. As you go wider, expect to see more wider seasonal gaps. Proper acclimating is critical, should be performed with a moisture meter. For 2 1/4" strip flooring , sub-floor and flooring moisture should be within 4%. For all other widths 2% moisture differentiation is allowed or should not be exceeded. Don't forget proper expansion gaps, which is the thickness of your flooring, example: 3/4" thick = 3/4" gap. Sub-floor type and condition will affect the performance of wood floors. All this needs to be considered for the proper and successful performance of your wood floors.