Rug Size Chart

How to use the Rug Size Calculator

1. Choose the unit you measured in: in, ft, cm or m.
2. Enter the room width and the room length.
3. Enter “Bare floor to the walls”. The calculator starts at 18 in, the top of the range the guides give. Guides give 12-18 in for this gap, so change the value if your floor border is narrower or wider.
4. Read “Biggest rug for the room” and “Biggest that fits”. The calculator takes the room size and subtracts two times the bare floor in each direction.
5. Check the table “Which sizes fit your room”, which covers sizes from 3 x 5 to 12 x 15 ft. Each size that fits shows the bare floor left at its sides and ends.
6. Look for “Too big for the room” beside any size that does not fit.
7. Read any warning. A bare floor under 12 in, a room size that looks out of range, and no size fitting each produce a warning. If the bare floor leaves no room at all, an error appears, so lower the bare floor value and try again.

Try the starting values first. A 12 x 15 ft room with 18 in of bare floor gives a biggest rug of 9 x 12 ft. To compare sizes, read the “Standard rug sizes” chart alongside the fit table: the chart shows which guides name each size, while the calculator shows only what fits your room. Nothing you enter is uploaded, because all results are worked out in your browser.

Which standard area rug size fits my room?

Start with the room’s width and length, then find the largest standard size that still leaves bare floor showing at the sides and ends. The standard sizes are the rectangles in the chart, plus runners and round rugs, and each one is listed with the guides that name it. Those guides are retailer and designer advice, not an official standard, and sizes vary by maker.

Sources do not always agree. The 6 x 9 ft size is called a size for larger living rooms by one guide and for a living room of 11 x 13 ft or smaller by another. The 4 x 6 ft size is called an accent size by two guides and a small-living-room size by two others. The chart shows these differences in each row instead of averaging them. When you choose a size, also remember that rugs are laid with their long side along the room’s long side.

How is the biggest rug size calculated?

The biggest rug is the room size minus two times the bare floor, measured in each direction. Bare floor is the strip of floor you leave between the rug edge and the wall on each side. The calculator then picks the largest standard size that fits inside that space, and it lists every size from 3 x 5 to 12 x 15 ft that fits.

For example, a 12 x 15 ft room with 18 in (1.5 ft) of bare floor on each side gives 12 - 3 = 9 ft and 15 - 3 = 12 ft, so the biggest rug is 9 x 12 ft. In centimeters that is 274.3 x 365.8 cm, using the exact conversion of 1 ft = 30.48 cm. The 10 x 13 ft size does not fit that room, because it would leave only 12 in at each side. In a 16 x 20 ft room with the same 18 in gap, the largest standard size is 12 x 15 ft, with 24 in at the sides and 30 in at the ends. The biggest rectangle any listed guide names is 12 x 15 ft, though one guide also lists 12 ft squares and 12 ft rounds.

Sources (checked 15 October 2026): ruggable.com · tsarcarpets.com · bassettfurniture.com · jessicawellinginteriors.com · atlantadesignerrugs.com · chairish.com · foliacollective.com · atlantadesignerrugs.com

Worked examples

Calculated by the tool above; open it with the same values to see each step.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest standard area rug size?

The biggest rectangle named by any guide in the chart is 12 x 15 ft. One guide also lists 12 ft squares and 12 ft rounds. Your room may be too small for it, so use the calculator to see which sizes fit.

What is a 3x5 area rug size in centimeters?

A 3 x 5 ft rug measures 91.4 x 152.4 cm. Four guides name this size, and their text says it suits entries and sits beside a bed or in bathrooms.

Why do guides give different sizes for the same room?

Guides are advice, not a standard, and sizes vary by maker. The chart keeps each source’s view visible, so a 6 x 9 ft rug may be called right for a larger living room by one guide and for a room of 11 x 13 ft or smaller by another.

How much bare floor should I leave around a rug?

Two guides give 12-18 in, and one says at least a foot. For bedrooms, one guide gives 18-24 in. The calculator starts at 18 in, and you can change it to match your room.

Is the biggest rug that fits the one I should use?

Not necessarily. The calculator only shows which standard sizes fit your room with the bare floor you entered. The guides also tie sizes to furniture layouts: for example, one guide suggests 8 x 10 ft for a living room of about 11 x 13 ft or slightly larger, which is smaller than the biggest rug that would fit.

What does “Too big for the room” mean?

It marks a size that does not fit inside your room once the bare floor is left at each side and end. The size is still a standard size, but your room is too small for it with the bare floor you entered.

Related tools

• Bedroom Area Rug Size: use it when you are picking a rug for a bedroom and want sizes suited to that room.
• Living Room Rug Size: use it when you are choosing a rug for a living room or sitting area.
• Rug Size for a Dining Table: use it when you need a rug that sits under a dining table and its chairs.
• Rug Size for a King Bed: use it when you are choosing a rug to place under or beside a king bed.
• Rug Size for a Queen Bed: use it when you are choosing a rug to place under or beside a queen bed.