Furniture Protectors to Prevent Ruining Hardwood Flooring
Today we’ll be talking about the best hardwood floor furniture protectors, because they’re not all made equal, and it’s important to pick something that makes sense for you and your situation. Choosing the right type furniture protectors will prevent scratches and prolong the life of your floors.
There are two truths about all hardwood floors – they’re expensive, and they scratch very easily.
Many people don’t start shopping around for furniture pads unless they’re moving or buying new furniture, but this is not the only time to use furniture pads – especially if you have hardwood flooring.
If you’ve just installed new hardwood floors or refinished existing wood, now is the perfect time to buy some furniture pads so you can protect your investment and the natural beauty of the wood.
Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
Best floor protectors for hardwood floors
As I mentioned before, there are plenty of options available when considering furniture pads. I’ve taken the time to weed out the furniture protectors that could leave you disappointed (and potentially with a damaged floor), and give you a list of furniture pads that will protect your hardwood floors without breaking the bank.
Self-Adhesive Furniture Pads
I’ll talk more on the different types of furniture pads in a moment, but I wanted to provide a few quick recommendations for those just looking for something that will work for them right now. Self-adhesive furniture pads are by far the most flexible and easiest to use.
These are pads that typically have felt on one side, and an adhesive on the other. They come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors.
When picking a furniture pad, pay attention to how thick the pad is, as well as what people say about their longevity. Since you won’t want to have to replace these every month, you’ll want to pick a product that’s durable (and many of them aren’t).
If you end up picking a type that doesn’t seem to adhere well to your furniture, you can always superglue the adhesive pads to your furniture. Keep in mind this will likely leave residue on the bottom of the furniture should you wish to remove them, but it’s still a viable solution.
Here are my top recommendations for the best furniture protectors for hardwood floors.
Scotch Felt Pads
Scotch felt pads are first on our list for the best furniture protectors for hardwood floors. While the reality is you’re still going to have to replace them every once in a while, Scotch seems to create the product with the best adhesive. They’re easy to apply, last longer than other brands, and are only slightly more expensive than some of the other felt pad options.
Here’s a tip. Make sure you let Scotch felt pads set for 5 or so minutes before moving the piece of furniture you’re adding them to. Those who’ve had trouble making these work often seemed to be the people who moved the furniture before the adhesive had a chance to set.
Scotch felt pads may also be the best option if you’re looking to add furniture protectors to larger furniture that will be moved around frequently, given that these are the thickest option (at least for the large felt pads).
Also, while they come in many different colors/sizes, there is less variety in a single pack than either of the other two brands we’ll talk about. Scotch does not offer a square or rectangular option. While a circular felt pad is likely to do the trick most of the time, the different sizes/shapes can be a huge plus depending on what you’re using them for.
If you’re in need of different shapes and sizes (especially in a single pack), I’d encourage you to take a look at one of the other felt pad options.
X-Protector Furniture Felt Pads
These furniture pads are an Amazon best seller in the furniture pad department, and the brand appears to specialize in furniture protection products. Unlike the other two options here, these felt pads come with multiple colors (brown and beige), sizes, and shapes. The downside to them is that, for some of the sizes, they only offer one color or another.
While you can likely get a refund on almost any product purchased via Amazon (as long as you’re within the allotted return period), this brand takes special pride in their promise that you’ll be satisfied with their product or receive your money back.
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Baipok Felt Pads
These hardwood floor furniture protectors are a great value, which is one of the biggest reasons they earned a place on our list. Not only that, but you get a generous assortment of felt pad sizes, so if you have multiple or irregular shaped furniture – these may be a good fit for you.
If you find that the adhesive isn’t doing the job, try using super glue to affix these felt pads to the bottom of your furniture.
Different types of furniture pads
First, you have to think about whether you’re looking at a long term solution (that is more permanent), or something more short term. Here are the four common options. Then, in the following section, I’ll share the best ones for each type of protector.
Nail on furniture pads
This is something that you’ll screw into the bottom of your chair/couch legs. This is the option that will be the least likely to need replacement, but it’s also the most destructive to your furniture (and has the potential to be destructive to your floor).
Self-adhesive pads
Felt pads are the most commonly used and the type of pad we’ll spend the most time discussing, but the felt pads usually need replacing after a few months. There are things you can do to extend the lifetime of self-adhesive pads, but if you have to move your furniture on any kind of a regular basis, these will probably need replacing at some point.
Slip-on pads
This floor protector is the best option for some people. They are particularly the best option for people who move their furniture around consistently and don’t want to replace furniture pads, but who also don’t want to potentially damage their furniture. Surprisingly, these really aren’t a very noticeable addition to your furniture.
Tap on furniture pads
This type of furniture pad is “tapped” into the bottom of the furniture with something like a hammer. Tap on furniture pads can work really well, depending on the product, but they can also fall out and end up scratching your floor.
Slip on furniture protectors
These are small socks that are made specifically to protect floors from furniture. These are pretty straight forward and there really isn’t a lot of room for error, whereas the adhesive pads must constantly be replaced.
They can cause problems, however, and you may find that they’re falling off more frequently than they’re staying on. Some of them are also more noticeable, which may not fit the aesthetic you’re trying to create.
That said, furniture socks are definitely not immune to pte. Most of the time, they’ll remain largely unnoticed so this is typically not a dealbreaker. Keep in mind, these can be made relatively inexpensively. However, we’ve put a recommendation below if you’d prefer to purchase some.
These furniture socks were designed by a stay at home mom who was sick of her furniture scratching up her beautiful hardwood floors. She created these back in 2007, and has continued perfecting them over the years.
They work well, look nice (while still being mostly unnoticeable), and the reusable nature of them means they’re going to be the most budget-friendly option long term. Many people also found that these worked better for heavier furniture because the thickness is greater than most adhesive felt pads.
Some people felt that the sizing was a little inconsistent, while others felt shipping took incredibly long. With all that said, most people approved of them and found them better than many alternatives on the market.
Nail On Floor Protectors
If you’re in the market for something a little more permanent, a nail on floor protector may be the route you’ll want to go. Keep in mind that, like anything, there are pros and cons to using this. If that nail comes loose, it can definitely ruin your hardwood flooring. They also have the potential to ruin your furniture.
Make sure you pre-drill a hole, follow instructions carefully, and have a good understanding of how to install the product. Even after following all of those precautions, it still has the potential of ruining a piece of furniture if the furniture in question can’t handle it. Here is our recommendation for our favorite nail-on furniture pad for protecting your hardwood floor.
Nail on furniture pads are something you’ll want to stay very cautious with – and these are no exception. While they are effective for most people, there are some who felt that they were incredibly difficult to install. Make sure you pre-drill a hole, and that the sizing of the nail and furniture pad are a good fit.
Some people also have trouble getting them on evenly. If that happens, you’ll end up with a piece of furniture with uneven legs. While this won’t matter for something like a couch, though it would make for a very annoying chair.
Tap on furniture pads
This type of furniture pad is not as destructive as a nail on furniture pad, but it’s going to be more permanent than a self-adhesive furniture pad. These do not require any drilling or glueing – it just takes lining up the pad and tapping it in with a hammer. We’ve put our recommendation below.
We like the tap on furniture pads from Gorilla because they’re easy to install (you just need a hammer and less than 10 minutes). Aside from the easy install, they shouldn’t require much (if any) maintenance other than the standard maintenance of checking the felt every once in a while to make sure it isn’t worn down.
What type of material should I look out for when picking furniture pads?
There are varying types of material that can be used for furniture pads. The most common options seen today are plastic, cork, metal, felt, and rubber. While each of these have their own uses, they cannot all be used for hardwood flooring.
We would only recommend using felt pads to protect your hardwood floors from your furniture. There are some sources that feel good recommending rubber furniture pads. However, these can discolor some hardwood flooring and potentially leave scuff marks.
What do you put under heavy furniture on hardwood floors?
For heavy furniture, the nail on furniture pad will likely work the best because they tend to be the thickest and the furniture pad option that stays affixed the best. Again, please remember to be cautious with these as they can come loose and score grooves into the your beautiful hardwood surfaces.
Can I use rubber furniture pads to protect my hardwood flooring?
Using rubber on heavy furniture is a fairly common practice. Typically this is not recommended as it can cause scuffs and possible discoloration. In many cases it won’t be problematic, but it’s important to be aware of the risks.
What is the best way to protect hardwood floors from furniture?
The best and most practical way to protect your hardwood floors from furniture is by using furniture pads. While this is definitely not foolproof, it’s your best defense against your floor getting scratched up.
Felt is the most common material used for flooring pads. This flexible material makes it easy to move furniture around the room, and it can be cut into many shapes and sizes. Felt does have some potential problems as well. It is prone to collecting things like dust and hair. Keeping it clean is not only important for sanitary reasons, but it also can scratch your hardwood flooring if the furniture is heavy enough, and the debris is significant enough.
It’s important to perform consistent maintenance on these flooring pads, as the felt will wear down over time and can potentially scratch your flooring. When possible, move furniture by picking it up rather than sliding it, as this is the safest way to make sure your hardwood floor stays in great condition.
By following these few small guidelines, you can ensure that you’ll have a beautiful hardwood floor for years to come.
Related hardwood flooring articles:
- How to prevent scratches in hardwood floors
- Dark vs Light hardwood flooring – pros and cons
- Hardwood flooring trends
- Best vacuum for hardwood floors
