Rug Size Guide: What Size Rug Do I Need?
The usual rule is to leave 18 to 24 inches of bare floor around a living room rug, with the front legs of the sofa and chairs on it (an 8 x 10 ft rug) or all legs on it (a 9 x 13 ft rug). A dining rug should reach 24 inches past every table edge so chairs stay on it when pulled out. Choose your room type below to see the sizes that fit.
Rug size guide
Pick the room, enter its size, and see which standard rugs fit. Results update as you type and the numbers are saved in the page address. Nothing leaves your browser. Room sizes are in feet, table sizes in inches.
How the rug guide works
The tool applies the rules in Well Woven's published room-by-room guide to your measurements. It lists the standard sizes from that guide, drops any that leave less floor than the guide's minimum, and marks the best one.
living room: floor left = (room − rug) ÷ 2 on each side, at least 18 in; pick the largest rug that meets it dining room: rug ≥ table + 2 × overhang (24 in), and ≥ 18 in of floor to each wall bedroom: rug size from the bed size (twin, full/queen, king), checked against the room hallway: runner width = hall width − 4 to 6 in; runner length ≤ hall length − 2 × 12 in and ≥ 75% of the hall
- overhang
- rug beyond each table edge, 24 in unless you change it
- room
- the short and long sides of the open floor
Worked example
Given: living room 14 ft × 18 ft; at least 18 in of floor around the rug.
- Largest rug that leaves 18 in all round (short side):
(14 × 12 − 2 × 18) ÷ 12 = 11 ft - Largest rug that leaves 18 in all round (long side):
(18 × 12 − 2 × 18) ÷ 12 = 15 ft - The biggest standard size within 11 × 15 ft is 9 × 13 ft. Floor left on the short sides:
(168 − 108) ÷ 2 = 30 in - Floor left at the ends:
(216 − 156) ÷ 2 = 30 in - Legs rule for a 9 × 13 ft rug: all furniture legs on the rug.
Answer: A 9 x 13 ft rug, 30 in of bare floor on every side, with all furniture legs on the rug.
Published rules used
| Room | Rule or size | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Living room, floor around the rug | 18 to 24 in of exposed floor | Source 1 |
| Living room, legs | 5 x 7 ft legs off; 8 x 10 ft front legs on; 9 x 13 ft all legs on | Source 1 |
| Bedroom, twin | 5 x 7 or 6 x 9 ft | Source 1 |
| Bedroom, full or queen | 7 x 10 or 8 x 11 ft (8 x 10 ft also named for a queen) | Source 1 |
| Bedroom, king | 9 x 12 ft or larger | Source 1 |
| Dining room | 24 in of rug past each table edge (18 to 36 in); 18 in of floor to the wall | Source 1 |
| Hallway runner | 4 to 6 in narrower than the hall; at least 75% of its length; 12 to 18 in of floor at each end | Source 1 |
| Runner sizes | 2 x 8, 2.5 x 10 and 3 x 12 ft | Source 1 |
Rules are from one rug maker's guide. Its living room answer in the FAQ gives 12 to 18 in of floor for the same sizes, so treat the minimum as a guideline.
Assumptions and limits
- Rectangular rooms and rugs, with the rug centred in the room. In an open-plan room, enter the size of the area the rug will define.
- Standard sizes are the ones printed in the guide. Other sizes and custom rugs exist.
- Legs-on rules for sizes the guide does not name follow the nearest named size (our reading, not the guide's).
- Round and square tables need a round or square rug and are not sized here.
- Figures as published on 2026-11-13.
Frequently asked questions
What size rug do I need for a living room?
Well Woven's guide says to leave 18 to 24 inches of exposed floor around the perimeter. A 5 x 7 ft keeps all furniture legs off the rug, an 8 x 10 ft puts the front legs on the edges, and a 9 x 13 ft puts all furniture on the rug. Enter your room size above to see which of these fit.
Should the sofa legs be on the rug?
At least the front legs, according to Well Woven: a rug narrower than the sofa looks like it is floating. The guide pairs a 5 x 7 ft rug with legs off, an 8 x 10 ft rug with front legs on, and a 9 x 13 ft rug with everything on. Sizes in between follow the nearest of those.
What size rug goes under a bed?
The guide pairs a twin bed with a 5 x 7 or 6 x 9 ft rug, a full or queen bed with a 7 x 10 or 8 x 11 ft rug, and a king bed with a 9 x 12 ft rug or larger. Its FAQ also names an 8 x 10 ft rug for a queen, so we list that as an option. Put the rug under the lower two thirds of the bed so the front legs sit on it.
What size rug for a dining table?
Chair legs should stay on the rug whether tucked in or pulled out. The guide gives 24 inches of rug beyond each table edge as the rule, in a range of 18 to 36 inches, and 18 inches of bare floor between rug and wall. The tool adds the overhang to your table size and picks the smallest standard rug that fits.
What size runner for a hallway?
A runner should be 4 to 6 inches narrower than the hallway, run at least 75% of its length, and leave 12 to 18 inches of floor at each end. Common sizes are 2 x 8, 2.5 x 10 and 3 x 12 ft.
What if no rug leaves 18 inches around it?
The same guide lists 12 to 18 inches of floor in one of its answers about living rooms, so a rug that leaves a little less is workable. For small rooms it often looks better to size the rug to the seating group (the sofa and chairs) rather than the whole room, and a 5 x 7 or 6 x 9 ft rug is a normal choice.
Do I need a rug pad?
This tool sizes the rug only. Check the pad advice on the product you buy, and subtract the pad from your clear floor if the rug has to clear a door.
Sources
- Well Woven, Rug Size & Placement Guide (room-by-room sizes, leg rules, FAQ) (wellwoven.com) Accessed 2026-11-13. Well Woven is a rug maker.