Will Rubber Mats Damage Hardwood Floors

Placing a rubber or latex backed rug onto a laminate floor traps wetness beneath the rubber allowing a bubble to form on the floor because moisture gets trapped between the synthetic materials forming the wood or stone and the coating or finish with which the floor is laminated.

Will rubber mats damage hardwood floors. Will rubber backing rugs harm a laminate floor. However in some cases certain finishes used on the hardwood can have a chemical reaction with the rubber. Natural rubber is the best overall option for hardwood floors in terms of both safety and performance. Natural rubber also has very strong gripping power but will never stick to your floors.

Hardwood flooring is a different beast as a softer more porous material. It s perfectly safe to use with all hardwood flooring and finishes. Natural rubber pads are also far more eco friendly than plastic pads. If you have a hardwood floor do yourself a favor and stay away from rubber floor mats.

Rubber backed mats can dull your floor s shine and even cause some discoloration. In that scenario you would probably want to contact the manufacturer to make sure that there is no risk of damage to your floor. It is more expensive to have my hardwood floors refinished if it gets damaged by a cheaper or less effective mat. Skipping the welcome mat just imagine having sandpaper on the bottom of your shoes.

Rug pads are great for keeping area rugs from sliding around on hardwood floors but the wrong one can leave marks and hurt your floor. Or any rubber backed floor mats in general. The backed rugs prevent the floor surface from drying naturally. To protect your hardwood floor use a combination felt and rubber pad to keep your area rugs from sliding.

Hardwood floors can easily get damaged from area rugs or rubber mats that why hardwood floor manufactures came up with an idea of putting a rug pad underneath to protect the floor from getting damaged or getting ruin over time. That s what it s like walking in from the street and onto your hardwood floors says chris sy of carlisle wide plank floors. In most cases rubber mats will not damage a hardwood floor. The chemicals in the rubber can leave permanent marks on the floor or discolor the wood.

As is the case for all vinyl floors rubber and latex mats can sometimes cause staining discoloration so it s best to avoid them if possible although there may be some out there designed for vinyl flooring. On smooth laminate floors that s a safety precaution that can prevent a. The only way to safely use a rubber backed rug on a hardwood floor is to put it over a safe rug pad. I learned it the hard and expensive way.

Homeowners can tape the rug pad to the bottom of the rubber backed area rug. Many area rugs have rubber or latex backing to prevent them from slipping. Rubber backed rugs can damage your hardwood floors.