Door mats that move around are a common problem, especially in entrances where often a large door mat is deployed on top of carpet. If you are wondering how to stop rugs from moving on carpet or any type of internal flooring, this guide will go a long way to help. We have put together four options that explain how to stop rugs slipping on carpet or concrete floors and keep your door mats securely in place. Follow our simple guide to prevent mats moving on carpet and other floor surfaces.
Why Does My Mat or Rug Keep Moving?
Rugs and mats move and creep when placed on top of a carpet due to the actual carpet pile underneath. As the carpet is not a solid surface, when someone walks on your rug or mat the carpet pile will move and so the matting on top won’t stay in place. The movement of rugs and mats can occur regardless of their size and even with the weight of an extra large floor mats or runner. Smaller mats are also often troublesome and display the most drifting, so let’s consider the following options to prevent this problem.
How to Stop Mats Slipping
Follow our tips below and this will help stop rugs and mats from moving in your property and provide a stable surface for visitors to clean their shoes.
1 – Quality Of Floor Mats And Rubber Backing
Before we talk about non slip door mat products that you can purchase to reduce displacement, we first need to consider the quality of the mat and the backing used. Unfortunately, this is often where the problem can start.
Quite often cheaper products have a lightweight backing that can increase the risk of roaming. Floor mats with the least amount of movement are often heavy-duty and rubber backed with nitrile, a premium rubber popular in commercial and industrial environments. This particular backing is robust, flexible and lies flat when in place, reducing movement and creeping. Borders remain flat and will not ‘flick’ or ‘curl’ at the edges. What’s even better is that it’s washable, so often these items can be machine washed and still revert to their firm flat position.
2 – Mats or Rugs for Carpeted Or Hard Floors
When buying mats, including non slip door mats, it’s important to consider your floor type and backing options available to prevent movement. Made to measure products are often tailored to the floor type so full gripper nodule would be ordered for carpet and flat for hard floors. Again, following on from tip 1, the backing should be rubber, which most commercial manufacturers will use when manufacturing.
The correct backing acts as an anchor and really holds the product in place. Most ‘stocked’ or ‘off the shelf’ products usually come with what’s known as a ‘universal backing’, designed to suit both carpeted and tiled or hard floors. However, suppose you find there is still slight movement with the universal option. In that case, you may need to apply a secondary product such as an anti-slip door mat or rug underlay, which we will discuss next. First, however, we would advise going down the custom route and order a unique backing to stop mats or rugs slipping on carpet.
3 – What’s Lurking Under Your Mats?
The next problem we often find is that when floor matting is purchased, it’s often rolled out and placed immediately in the designated entrance or reception area. If this location has not been cleaned before the placing, the dry dust, dirt and flecks of grit that hide under the mat can often act like mini wheels, causing extreme wandering! We always recommend cleaning entry areas thoroughly before positioning them in place to avoid entrance mats or rugs slipping on carpet.
4 – Use Underlay to Stop Rugs Slipping on Carpet
If you have exhausted all the above options and still have movement, we recommend purchasing a non slip door mat underlay. There are two types to choose from, one for carpet and the other for hard areas.
- Grip tape or grip underlay can be applied to the back of mats to go onto the carpet.
- Sticky pad underlay can be applied to make anti-slip mats for tiled or hard surfaces.
For both methods, position the tape or pads to the back of the mat and then place on the desired section of hard floor or carpet.
Bonus Tip – Consider Mat Wells to Prevent Rug or Mat Movement
Mat wells create a great look at the entrance of a building and look very professional. Businesses opt for a mat well system as it prevents any issues with entrance mats moving or slipping. It also prevents an entrance mat from folding at the corners as it is recessed into the floor so it will remain secure. A recessed mat in a tiled floor entrance is a hugely effective way to greet visitors and keep your property clean.
If you have problems with your mat or need advice on how to stop your rug moving on carpet, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we will be happy to help and advise you.