Free rug size calculator
Rug Size Calculator
What size rug do you need? Enter your room size and how the room is used, and get the right area rug size with an even border of bare floor, shown to scale in your room, before you buy.
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What this tool solves
- • Recommends a standard area rug size for your room.
- • Shows the rug to scale with an even floor border.
- • Covers living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, sectionals, entryways, and hallway runners.
- • Sizes the matching rug pad too.
What size rug do you need?
Run your exact room below, or use these rules of thumb for a living room, dining table, sectional, bedroom, hallway, entryway, or rug pad before you buy.
Living room
Front legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug; leave 8 to 18 in of floor to each wall.
8x10 or 9x12
Under a dining table
Rug should extend 24 to 30 in past the table on every side so chairs stay on it when pulled out.
8x10 for a 6-seat table
Sectional
Size to the full sectional footprint, with the front edge under the seat fronts.
9x12 or larger
Bedroom (queen/king)
Run the rug under the lower two-thirds of the bed with 18 to 24 in showing on the sides and foot.
8x10 (queen), 9x12 (king)
Hallway runner
Leave 4 to 5 in of floor on each side and about 18 in at each end. Two runners end to end suit a long hall.
2.5x8 or 2.5x10
Entryway
Keep the rug clear of the door swing, with a few inches of floor to each wall.
3x5, or a runner
Rug pad
Size the pad about 1 in smaller than the rug on all sides so no pad shows at the edges.
Rug size minus ~2 in
Enter your room
Use interior, wall-to-wall measurements. The calculator assumes a rectangular room.
Estimates only. Confirm with a tape-out on the floor before you buy.
Recommended rug size
Best fit
8 × 10 ft (about 240 × 300 cm)
Place the long side of the rug along the long wall of the room. This leaves about 24 in (61 cm) of floor on the sides and 24 in (61 cm) at the ends.
Rug pad: about 7 ft 10 in × 9 ft 10 in (1 in smaller than the rug on each side).
Tighter room or budget
6 × 9 ft
Grander, all legs on
9 × 12 ft
How to choose the right rug size
The right rug size comes down to two things: a rug big enough to anchor the furniture, and an even border of bare floor around it. A rug that is too small is the most common decorating mistake, it makes the whole room feel undersized and disconnected.
How does the rug size calculator work?
It takes your room dimensions and finds the largest standard rug size that still leaves a clean border of floor on every side, around 18 in in a large room and at least 8 in in a small one. It then adjusts the guidance for how the room is used and draws the rug to scale in the room, so a living room, bedroom, dining room, sectional, entryway, and hallway each get the right rule.
What size rug for a living room?
Size the rug so it sits under at least the front legs of every seating piece, tying the sofa and chairs together. A 5 by 8 ft rug suits a small living room, 8 by 10 ft a typical one, and 9 by 12 ft a large open space. Floating a small rug in the center with all furniture off it is what makes a room feel unfinished.
What size rug under a bed?
Center the rug under the bed so it extends 18 to 24 in past the sides and foot. An 8 by 10 ft rug works under a queen and a 9 by 12 ft under a king. For a smaller rug, place it across the lower two-thirds of the bed so it still shows on three sides, or use a runner on each side.
What size rug for a dining room?
Measure from the table, not the room. The rug should extend at least 24 in, ideally 36 in, beyond every edge of the table so chairs stay on it when pulled out. For a six-seat table that usually means an 8 by 10 ft or 9 by 12 ft rug, and still leave bare floor to the walls.
What size rug for a sectional?
Treat the sectional as one large footprint. Slide the front edge of the rug under the front feet and let it run past the open end of the chaise, so the whole piece sits on the rug instead of floating beyond it. Most sectionals need a 9 by 12 ft rug or larger.
What size runner for a hallway?
A runner should leave about 4 to 5 in of floor on each side and roughly 18 in at each end. Standard runners are 2 to 3 ft wide and 6 to 12 ft long, with 2.5 by 8 ft and 2.5 by 10 ft the most common. For a hall longer than a single runner, set two end to end with a small, even gap.
What size rug pad do I need?
A rug pad should sit about 1 in inside the rug on every side, so roughly 2 in smaller in each direction, so no pad peeks out at the edges. For an 8 by 10 ft rug that is a pad around 7 ft 10 in by 9 ft 10 in. The calculator lists the exact pad size with every recommendation.
How to measure for a rug
Measure the room, not a rug you already own. Take the length and width of the open floor at its widest points, then subtract about 24 to 36 in total so 12 to 18 in of bare floor shows on each side. In a living room, measure the seating zone rather than the whole room; under a dining table, add 48 to 60 in to the table size so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out. To measure a rug you already have, run a tape edge to edge across the pile, not the fringe.
Rug sizes by room
Common starting sizes for each space. Measure your own room before buying, but these cover the cases the calculator is built around.
| Space | Common rug sizes | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| Living room (small) | 5x8, 6x9 ft | front legs of seating on the rug |
| Living room (medium/large) | 8x10, 9x12 ft | all legs on, 12-18 in border |
| Bedroom (queen) | 8x10 ft under the bed | 18-24 in of rug past the sides and foot |
| Bedroom (king) | 9x12 ft under the bed | 18-24 in of rug past the sides and foot |
| Dining (4 seats) | 6x9 ft | table plus 24-30 in on each side |
| Dining (6-8 seats) | 8x10, 9x12 ft | chairs stay on when pulled out |
| Entryway | 2x3, 3x5 ft | centered, off the walls |
| Hallway runner | 2.5x8 to 2.5x12 ft | 4-5 in of floor on each side |
Rug size questions
What is a rug size calculator?
A rug size calculator recommends the right area rug size for a room based on its dimensions and how the room is used. Enter your room length and width above and the rug size calculator returns a standard rug size that leaves an even border of bare floor and suits a living room, bedroom, dining room, sectional, entryway, or hallway.
What size rug do I need for a living room?
For most living rooms, choose a rug large enough to sit under at least the front legs of every seating piece. An 8 by 10 ft rug suits a typical 12 by 14 ft room, while larger rooms take a 9 by 12 ft. Leave roughly 12 to 18 in of bare floor between the rug edge and the walls.
What size rug goes under a queen or king bed?
An 8 by 10 ft rug works well under a queen bed and a 9 by 12 ft under a king, centered so the rug extends about 18 to 24 in past the sides and foot of the bed. The rug usually starts below the nightstands rather than running the full length of the bed.
What size rug fits a dining table?
Pick a rug that extends at least 24 in beyond every edge of the table, and ideally 36 in, so chairs stay on the rug when guests pull them out. For a table that seats six, that usually means an 8 by 10 ft or 9 by 12 ft rug.
What size rug for a sectional?
Size the rug to the full sectional, with the front edge under the front feet so the piece sits on the rug rather than floating past it. Most sectionals need a 9 by 12 ft rug or larger. The calculator picks the largest standard size your room allows.
What size runner do I need for a hallway?
Choose a runner that leaves about 4 to 5 in of floor on each side and 18 in at each end. Common runner sizes are 2.5 by 8 ft and 2.5 by 10 ft. Set the room use to Hallway runner above to get the size for your hall.
What size rug pad do I need?
A rug pad should sit about 1 in inside the rug on every side, so roughly 2 in smaller in each direction. For an 8 by 10 ft rug, use a pad around 7 ft 10 in by 9 ft 10 in. The calculator shows the exact pad size with each recommendation.
How much floor should show around a rug?
Aim for an even border of bare floor on all sides, around 18 in in a large room and at least 8 in in a small one. A consistent border frames the rug and makes the room feel intentional. The calculator picks the largest standard size that keeps this border.
Should all furniture fit on the rug?
It depends on the room size and budget. The most cohesive look places all furniture legs on the rug. A common compromise is keeping the front legs of seating on the rug while the back legs sit on the floor, which still anchors the arrangement.
How do I measure for a rug?
Measure the length and width of the open floor at its widest points, then subtract about 24 to 36 in total so 12 to 18 in of bare floor shows on each side. In a living room, measure the seating zone rather than the whole room; under a dining table, add 48 to 60 in to the table size so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out.
How do I measure a rug I already own?
Lay it flat and run a tape measure edge to edge across the pile at the widest point, length and width separately. Measure the woven pile only, not the fringe, since rug sizes are quoted without it. Round to the nearest standard size to compare against the chart above.
Design terms to know
Plain-language definitions from our interior design glossary.
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- Coffee Table Size CalculatorGet the right coffee table size for your sofa, with the height, length, and spacing that actually work in a living room.