Will a Rug Pad Stain My Vinyl Plank Floors?

Short answer: the wrong pad can. The right pad can't. Here's how to tell the difference before you put anything under your rug.

Why some rug pads discolor vinyl plank

It's not the rug - it's what's in the pad. Rubber and PVC pads contain plasticizers, the chemicals that keep them flexible and grippy. Over time, especially with a little heat or sunlight, those plasticizers can migrate out of the pad and into your vinyl plank, leaving yellowish stains or a cloudy shadow in the exact shape of the pad. It doesn't wash out.

Natural rubber is better than synthetic, but if your floor is vinyl plank, the safest answer is to skip rubber entirely.

Why 100% felt can't do that

Felt has no rubber in it and no plasticizers - there's simply nothing in the material that can migrate into your floor. A 100% felt pad under your rug is inert against vinyl plank: no staining, no discoloration, no chemical reaction. You also get real cushioning underfoot and noticeable sound dampening.

One caution: not every pad labeled "felt" is 100% felt. Plenty have a rubber or latex backing bonded on - and that backing is exactly the part that can cause the problem. Check that what you're buying is felt all the way through.

What to buy

For vinyl plank floors, you want a 100% felt pad with no rubber backing. Our felt line is felt through and through, in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" thicknesses.

Cut it to fit

A pad should sit about an inch inside your rug on every side. We cut every pad to your exact rug size for free.

Free custom cutting, free shipping, 10-year warranty. Use code PAD20 for 20% off.