Tools / Calculator

Outdoor Rug Size Calculator

Enter the size of your patio, deck or balcony and get the outdoor rug size that fits, with room for the table and chairs.

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Units
What goes on the rug
Result

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How the calculator works

It applies the three rules designers use for outdoor rugs and then picks the nearest size that stores actually sell.

  • Leave a border of floor. A rug that touches the walls or the railing looks like carpet and traps water at the edges. The calculator keeps 12 inches of floor on every side, or 6 inches when the space is narrower than 6 feet.
  • Under a dining set, add 24 inches on every side of the table. That is the room a chair needs to slide back with all four legs still on the rug. For a small bistro set the calculator uses 18 inches.
  • Under lounge seating, go as large as the floor allows. The front legs of every sofa and chair should sit on the rug. A rug that only holds the coffee table makes the patio look smaller.

Standard outdoor rug sizes

  • 2 x 3 ft: a doormat, or the only option on a very narrow balcony
  • 3 x 5 ft: a balcony with two chairs
  • 4 x 6 ft: a bistro set
  • 5 x 7 or 5 x 8 ft: a loveseat and two chairs, or a table for two
  • 6 x 9 ft: a small sectional, or a table for four
  • 8 x 10 ft: a dining table for six
  • 9 x 12 ft and up: a full outdoor living room

If you are between two sizes

Take the larger one if it still leaves a few inches of floor showing. A rug that is too small is the most common mistake on a small patio, and it is on our list of them in small patio ideas on a budget.

For a round table, a round or square rug works too: use the shorter number from the result as its diameter or side.

What to check before you buy

  • Material. Polypropylene dries fastest and can be hosed down. Natural jute and sisal rot outdoors.
  • Drainage. On a balcony, make sure water can still reach the drain. Lift the rug after heavy rain.
  • Weight. A light rug on an open balcony needs furniture on at least two corners, or rug tape.

More ways to finish a small outdoor floor are in small balcony ideas on a budget.

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