Skip to main content

Rug sizing · For the trade

Rug sizing, worked out to the inch.

The numbers you check before a rug goes on a plan: how far past the table, how far under the sofa, how much floor at the wall, and whether the size you want comes off the roll in one piece. 19 guides, every layout drawn to scale, and a size finder that carries the dimensions straight into a quote request.

Find a size The 19 guides Roll widths and seams

The rules, in one place

Six numbers that settle most rooms.

  • 18 inFloor between the rug and the wall. 12 in in a small room.
  • 24 inRug past a dining table on every side, minimum. 30 to 36 in where the room allows.
  • 12 inThe least a rug should run under a sofa or chair, so a leg never sits on the edge. 18 to 24 in reads better.
  • 6 inRug past each arm of the sofa, minimum, with front legs on. 12 in or more with all legs on.
  • 36 inRug behind a desk, so a rolling chair stays on it.
  • 12 ftThe narrowest common roll. Wider than the roll on the narrow side means a seam.

Size finder

Give it the furniture. It gives you the rug.

Pick what the rug sits under and enter the dimensions. The result is arithmetic from the same rules as the guides, drawn to scale, with the size ready to set on any carpet in the library.

The size finder needs JavaScript. Every rule it uses is in the guides below.

The guides

19 sizing guides, by room.

Each one opens with the answer, then the layouts drawn to scale with the inches marked, a table, and what to specify under and around the rug.

Living room

8 x 10Sofa96 x 38TableChairChair12 in18 in14 in
Living room8x10 with front legs on to about 13 by 15 ft; 9x12 above that.Open the guide
9 x 12Sofa96 x 38TableChairChair24 in8 in6 in
Rug under a sofa12 to 24 in under the sofa, at least 6 in past each arm.Open the guide
9 x 12Sectional 110 x 66Chaise17 in18 in24 in
SectionalsThe two outside dimensions plus 12 to 18 in on each open side.Open the guide

Dining

8 x 10Table40 x 7224 in28 in
Dining roomThe table plus 24 to 36 in on every side. 8x10 for six, 9x12 for eight.Open the guide
8 ft round48 in table24 in
Round table, round rugTable diameter plus 48 in. An 8 ft round under a 48 in table.Open the guide
9 x 12 ovalTable48 x 8430 in30 in
Oval tablesSame rule, one size up: the curve takes rug away at the head and foot.Open the guide

Bedroom

10 x 14King mattress76 x 80Bench46 in44 in20 in
King bed9x12 in most rooms, 10x14 in a large one. Three layouts drawn.Open the guide
8 x 10Queen mattress60 x 80Bench30 in40 in
Queen bed8x10 in most rooms, 9x12 with the nightstands on.Open the guide
6 x 9Full mattress54 x 7527 in16 in
Full bed6x9 in most rooms, 8x10 in a 12 ft room.Open the guide
5 x 8Twin mattress38 x 7529 in20 in
Twin beds5x8 for one, 9x12 across two, a runner for a bed on the wall.Open the guide
6 x 9Crib30 x 54DresserGlider24 in18 in13 inRoom 10 x 12 ft
NurserySized to the room, not the crib. 6x9 in a 10 by 12 ft room.Open the guide

Other rooms

4 x 636 in door12 in24 in6 in
Entry and foyerStart with the door: 4x6 inside a single 36 in door.Open the guide
6 x 9Desk60 x 30Chair42 in24 in
Home office36 in behind the desk so the chair never leaves the rug.Open the guide
2.5 x 8Sink run, 10 ftIsland12 in6 in42 in aisle
Kitchen runnersAisle width minus 8 to 12 in. 2.5x8 along a 10 ft sink run.Open the guide
9 x 12Table40 x 7236 in34 in
OutdoorThe indoor rules, with deeper chairs. 9x12 is the common size.Open the guide

By size and shape

12 x 1510 x 149 x 128 x 106 x 95 x 84 x 6
Standard sizesThe six standard sizes, the 18 in rule and the 70 percent rule.Open the guide
12 ft10 ft8 ft6 ft5 ft4 ft
Round sizes4 to 12 ft rounds, and which table each one carries.Open the guide
2 x 1018 in8 inHall 13 ft
Runner sizes2x6 to 3x14, and long runners cut from broadloom.Open the guide
14 x 1812 ft roll24 inSeam
Custom sizesRoll widths, seams and edge finishes for a cut-to-size rug.Open the guide

Roll widths and seams

What comes off the roll in one piece.

A cut-to-size rug starts as broadloom, so the roll width sets the widest rug you can have without a seam. Length is cut to order. Check this before the client falls for a 14 ft wide rug in a 12 ft cloth.

Roll widthStyles in our libraryLargest rug in one pieceSizes it covers without a seamA seam starts
12 ft721 styles12 ft by any length9x12, 10x14, 12x15, 12x18, 12x20Past 12 ft on the narrow side
13 ft 2 in1,394 styles13 ft 2 in by any lengthEverything above, plus 13x16 and 13x20Past 13 ft 2 in
15 ft1,150 styles15 ft by any lengthEverything above, plus 14x18, 14x20 and 15x22Past 15 ft
16 ft 4 in201 styles16 ft 4 in by any lengthEverything above, plus 16x20Past 16 ft 4 in

Counts are the styles in our library made at exactly that width today. Another 598 styles run at in-between widths, 13 ft, 13 ft 6 in and 16 ft among them; every carpet page lists its roll width and the size tool checks your dimensions against it. A round rug follows the same rule: one piece up to the roll width across, a seam beyond it, and only some carpets hide a seam well. The showroom confirms the seam plan with the quote.

14 x 1812 ft roll24 inSeam
A 14x18 from a 12 ft roll. The roll covers 12 ft of the width. The remaining 2 ft is a second piece, joined with one seam.
14 x 1814 ft18 ft
The same rug from a 15 ft roll. One piece, no seam. Roll width decides this before anything else.

For the desk

The one-page size sheet.

Standard sizes in feet, inches and centimeters, the bed, dining and seating numbers, round sizes and roll widths on a single page. Print it, pin it up, or hand it to a junior with the plan.

Open the size sheet (PDF)

Send the plan

We will size it for you.

Send the floor plan with the furniture drawn in: a PDF, a DWG, or a photo of a dimensioned sketch. The showroom marks a rug size for each room, flags any that need a seam, and sends it back with carpet options to sample.

Send us the plan Email Julie

Questions designers ask

The short answers.

What size rug goes under a king bed?

A 9x12 in most rooms, placed with the 12 ft side across the room and the top edge just in front of the nightstands. It shows 34 in past each side of the mattress and about 52 in at the foot. A 10x14 takes the nightstands onto the rug in a large primary bedroom.

How far should a rug extend past a dining table?

At least 24 in on every side, so a chair pulled out to sit keeps all four legs on the rug, and 30 to 36 in where the room allows. That is an 8x10 under a 40 by 72 in table for six and a 9x12 under a table for eight.

How much floor should show between the rug and the wall?

18 in in a room of ordinary size and 12 in in a small one. The margin is what makes a rug read as placed rather than as carpet that stopped short.

When does a custom size rug need a seam?

When its narrower dimension is wider than the roll the carpet is made on. Most broadloom runs 12 ft, 13 ft 2 in or 15 ft wide, and the length is cut to order, so a 12 by 20 ft rug is one piece from any of them and a 14 by 18 ft rug is one piece only from 15 ft goods.

Can you size the rugs from my floor plan?

Yes. Send the plan with the furniture drawn in and the showroom marks a rug size for each room, then sends it back with carpet options to sample.

Have the size? Set it on any carpet, pick the edge and pad, and send the list to the showroom for a quote.

Size a rug for a quote Open a trade account

!