I have several/many hand knotted rugs. One, room-sized rug, I have a 1/4" grey felt rug pad under, it makes it feel plusher, thicker...adds to the feel of the rug. The others, I have non-skid pads under. This one red rug I have in the dinningroom....I just wonder if it's color fast. If someone dropped a glass of water on it...? I also put it on a scale, it weights 80lbs...it's NOT going to slide anywhere. The thin sticky pad under it may protect the wood floors from damage.

Thanks, NIcole. I understand about the plusher feel, but can't say I see much difference between the BR rug without padding and the others with the 1/4" grey felt. Glad you mentioned non-skid; that's what I should have for the runners! I bought a pad online for our bathroom rug to insulate it from the heated tile floor. (Had the rug and had no other place to use it!)

The pad is there to protect the rug from wear on the knot side. It can take years for a good rug to wear on the back-grit and such is the culprit- so are you going to care?

Yes, Patriciae. That's just it. I doubt two elderly adults will *ruin* any of our rugs if they don't have padding. It's not cheap, either! I'll have to fight with the owner of the rug cleaning company about this, as I know that some of our existing padding is only fit for a dumpster. I'll get new for the runners and one smaller rug, but the rest? Meh.

I was told the same as Patriciae, when we bought the rug and when we had it cleaned recently (two different places. Are you taking it to Job?) I finally got a pad when I got it cleaned. The feel is different but I don’t prefer one over the other, but it is in the room we use most so I do want to protect it.

And, I had my grandmother’s rug cleaned and repaired. I don’t know if it ever had a pad, and it had worn on the back side. Didn’t see daily use, but 80 years of chairs and feet on holidays and occasions took its toll. (Unfortunately, I have no place for it! My brother was going to take it but he changed his mind, so it is rolled up behind the bed in the guest room.)

bpath -- Yes, Job. He's cleaned these before. I think I know how you guessed this -- the expected battle over padding. These aren't 'valuable' rugs; just modern imports in the 'oriental' patterns.

Yep, I lost that battle!

Do not give in. If you pay a fortune for pads is the rug worth the money? It matters. When you have a knotted rug the individual knot is at risk. A knotted rug is one knot at a time. If it is woven then you can lose a whole row if once part wears. But still is the rug worth the investment and as we all get older will anyone want the rug we have spent so much money preserving? I am a weaver so know and understand the rug structure. Some times you have a rug that needs the pad because the rug is too flimsy on its own. It creeps around and is a death trap without one. Well your life and limbs are worth something but rugs aren't forever.

One more question: Will the rug loose its blocking without a pad -- get wobbly at the perimeter?

bpath -- I was unimpressed with the two guys he sent to pick up the rugs. They are part-timers, and they didn't roll the larger rugs, but *folded* them up, even stepping on the folds. I've never see that.

Blocking should be part of the original finishing of the rug. It is the wool fibers interlocking with other wool fibers. So no, more or less. Still If the rug is light and flimsy it can actually break down from abrasion and being moved about as the fiber interlocking is pushed to its limit. Heavy rugs out last flimsy rugs. Wool has scales on the fiber and the scales interlock microscopically in a process very like felting. A light rug will continue to flex without some sort of undermatt. If you value the rug you can put a pad under it. But as I said before how much do you value this rug, how hard are you on them-I doubt yall are dancing and sliding up and down the halls. At your age will you get any benefit from the expensive pads? It is your choice.

Thanks, Patriciae. I asked because the one rug without padding has 'warped' along the edges. It's the same weight/knot value as others. I haven't heard back from the cleaner yet, after he's rated what he thinks is needed.