Rug Size Calculator

Rug size = the furniture footprint plus a margin: 24 in past a dining table on every side, 24 in around a bed, and at least the front legs of the sofa in a living room. An 84 in sofa with a 24 in coffee table needs a rug 104 by 66 in, which the smallest standard size to cover it is a 6×9 ft rug turned sideways.

How the rug size is calculated

The calculator adds a margin to the furniture, then picks the smallest standard rug that covers the result. The margins come from designer guides and are guidelines, not rules.

Minimum rug = furniture footprint + margin on each side; rug size = smallest of 5×8, 6×9, 8×10, 9×12, 10×14 ft that covers it

• Living room. The Citizenry advises a rug where the front legs of the couch and chairs rest on it, usually 8×10 or 6×9 ft. King Living wants the rug at least 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in) wider than the sofa on each side; the calculator uses 10 in. Depth is our layout: 12 in under the sofa for front legs (or the sofa's full depth for all legs), 18 in of walkway to the coffee table, the table, and 12 in past it.
• Dining room. The Citizenry: every chair must stay on the rug when pulled out, so the rug is about 4 ft larger than the table, 24 in on each side. For an extendable table, size for the table at full length.
• Bedroom. About 2 ft on the three open sides of the bed (The Citizenry). Bed sizes are the Sleep Foundation's standard mattresses.
• Bare floor. King Living leaves about 40 cm (16 in) between the wall and the rug, which the living room check uses.

Worked example: living room

Sofa 84 in wide and 36 in deep, coffee table 24 in deep, front legs on the rug, in a room with a 14 ft sofa wall and 12 ft depth:

1. Width: 84 + 2 × 10 = 104 in.
2. Depth: 12 in under the sofa + 18 in + 24 in + 12 in = 66 in.
3. A 5×8 ft rug is 60 × 96 in: too narrow either way. A 6×9 ft rug is 72 × 108 in, and turned so the 9 ft side runs along the sofa it covers 104 × 66 in.
4. Bare floor: 14 ft is 168 in, minus 108 in leaves 30 in each side; the 12 ft (144 in) depth leaves more than 16 in to the far wall. It fits.

With all legs on the rug the depth becomes 36 + 18 + 24 + 12 = 90 in and the answer steps up to 8×10 ft.

Dining table rug

Add 24 in on every side. A 72 × 36 in table (six seats) needs 120 × 84 in, which is an 8×10 ft rug (96 × 120 in). A round 48 in table needs 96 in square: also 8×10. The Citizenry's "4 ft larger" rule gives the same result. If the rug is too tight, the chairs catch on the edge when someone gets up, which is why the diagram draws the pulled-out chair positions. Pair it with the dining table size calculator when you are buying both.

Bedroom rug size chart

With 24 in on both sides and at the foot, using standard mattress sizes:

The Citizenry lists smaller sizes (5×8 twin, 6×9 full, 8×10 queen, 9×12 king): they leave less than 24 in at the sides. Choose them when the room is tight, and pull the rug so at least a third of the bed sits on it, as King Living suggests.

Standard rug sizes

What to plan next

Rugs sit inside a room layout. Place the TV above the seating, choose curtains for the window, and compare a rug with wall-to-wall carpet or new flooring. To measure the room first, use the square footage calculator. All tools are in room planning.