Rug size comparison
Each step up is bigger than it sounds: a 5x7 is 35 sq ft, a 6x9 is 54, an 8x10 is 80 and a 9x12 is 108, 35-54% more rug per step. A 5x7 fits a twin bed or a loveseat, a 6x9 a full bed, an 8x10 a queen bed or most living rooms, and a 9x12 a king bed or a 6-seat table.
- Rule 01Size the rug to the furniture, not the room.
- Rule 02Leave 8-18 in of floor at the walls.
- Rule 03When two sizes work, take the larger.
5x7, 6x9, 8x10 and 9x12 in the same living room
Each plan is drawn to the same scale, with a 7 ft sofa and two chairs in a 13 x 16 ft room. The 1 ft grid shows how much floor each size covers.
The four sizes at a glance
| Size | Inches | Sq ft | Step up | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5x7 | 60 x 84 in | 35 | - | A twin bed, a loveseat or a reading chair, the foot of a larger bed. |
| 6x9 | 72 x 108 in | 54 | 54% more than a 5x7 | A full bed, a sofa up to 7 ft with nothing facing it, a small living room. |
| 8x10 | 96 x 120 in | 80 | 48% more than a 6x9 | A queen bed, a 7 ft sofa with two chairs, a 4-seat dining table. |
| 9x12 | 108 x 144 in | 108 | 35% more than a 8x10 | A king or California king bed, an 8 ft sofa with chairs, a 6-seat dining table. |
5x7 vs 6x9
Under a full bed in an 11 x 12 ft room, with the next size down and up for scale.
When to size up from a 5x7 to a 6x9
A 5x7 is 84 in long, the length of a standard 7 ft sofa and only 24 in wider than a queen, which is why it so often ends up too small. It leaves 15 in beside a full bed and 12 in beside a queen, both under the 18 in minimum, and its ends stop level with the arms of a 7 ft sofa, 0 in past each end.
A 6x9 adds a foot each way and the difference shows: 27 in beside a full bed, 12 in past each end of a 7 ft sofa. Stay with the 5x7 for a twin bed (23 in on each side), a loveseat, or a room under 10 ft wide, where a 6x9 leaves only 6 in of floor at the walls.
6x9 vs 8x10
Under a queen bed in a 12 x 14 ft room, with the next size down and up for scale.
When to size up from a 6x9 to an 8x10
This is the step most rooms need. Under a queen the 6x9 passes the side rule with 24 in, but at 6 ft deep it cannot reach from the nightstands to past the foot: placed for the foot it leaves 7 in of bare floor in front of the nightstands. The 8x10 gives 30 in on each side and does both.
In a living room the 6x9 catches the front legs of a 7 ft sofa but only 2 in of the chairs facing it across the coffee table; the 8x10 catches 26 in. Size up when the sofa is 7 ft or longer, when chairs face it, or when the bed is a queen. Keep the 6x9 for a full bed, a sofa facing a TV with nothing across from it, or a room narrower than 11 ft 4 in, where an 8x10 cannot keep 8 in of floor at the walls.
8x10 vs 9x12
Under a 6-seat dining table (72 x 36 in) in a 12 x 14 ft room, with the next size down and up for scale.
When to size up from an 8x10 to a 9x12
The 9x12 is the size for large furniture. Under a king it gives 34 in on each side against 22 in for the 8x10. Under a 6-seat table it reaches 36 in beyond every edge against 24 in, the difference between chairs that stay on the rug when pushed back and chairs that catch its edge. With an 8 ft sofa and two chairs it runs 24 in past each end of the sofa where the 8x10 runs 12 in.
It needs the room, though. 144 in across plus 8 in of floor at each wall is 13 ft 4 in, so in a narrower room the 8x10 is the right size even when the 9x12 would suit the furniture better: in the 13 ft wide living room above, the 9x12 leaves only 6 in at the side walls. It is also 35% more rug (108 sq ft against 80), and prices follow the area.
All four sizes in ten rooms
The calculator's verdict for each size in common setups. The number under each verdict is the check that decides it: rug beside the bed, past the sofa, under the chairs, beyond the table, or floor left at the walls.
| Setup | 5x7 | 6x9 | 8x10 | 9x12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin bed, 10 x 11 ft room | Works23 in on each side | Too big for the room6 in at the walls | Works29 in on each side | Too big for the room12 in wider than the room |
| Full bed, 11 x 12 ft room | Too small15 in on each side | Best fit27 in on each side | Too big for the room6 in at the walls | Too big for the room6 in wider than the room |
| Queen bed, 12 x 14 ft room | Too small12 in on each side | Works24 in on each side | Best fit30 in on each side | Too big for the room0 in at the walls |
| King bed, 14 x 16 ft room | Too small4 in on each side | Too small16 in on each side | Works22 in on each side | Best fit34 in on each side |
| 6 ft sofa, no chairs, 10 x 12 ft room | Works6 in past the sofa | Too big for the room6 in at the walls | Too big for the room0 in at the walls | Too big for the room12 in wider than the room |
| 7 ft sofa, no chairs, 12 x 15 ft room | Works0 in past the sofa | Ideal12 in past the sofa | Best fit18 in past the sofa | Too big for the room0 in at the walls |
| 7 ft sofa + 2 chairs, 13 x 16 ft room | Too small10 in short of the chairs | Works12 in past the sofa | Best fit18 in past the sofa | Too big for the room6 in at the walls |
| 8 ft sofa + 2 chairs, 14 x 18 ft room | Too small6 in short of the sofa's ends | Works6 in past the sofa | Works12 in past the sofa | Best fit24 in past the sofa |
| 4-seat table, 11 x 12 ft room | Too small15 in beyond the table | Too small21 in beyond the table | Best fit33 in beyond the table | Too big for the room0 in at the walls |
| 6-seat table, 12 x 14 ft room | Too small6 in beyond the table | Too small18 in beyond the table | Works24 in beyond the table | Best fit36 in beyond the table |
Questions people ask
Is a 6x9 rug big enough for a living room?
For a sofa up to 7 ft with nothing facing it, yes: a 6x9 runs 12 in past each end of a 7 ft sofa and sits under its front legs. With chairs across a coffee table it catches only 2 in of their front legs, so an 8x10 fits better.
How much bigger is an 8x10 than a 6x9?
48% more rug: 80 sq ft against 54, or 24 in more each way. Under a queen that turns 24 in of rug beside the bed into 30 in, and in a living room it reaches the chairs facing the sofa.
Is a 5x7 or a 6x9 better for a bedroom?
A 6x9 for a full bed (27 in on each side) and a 5x7 for a twin (23 in). Under a queen the 5x7 leaves only 12 in and mostly disappears; the smallest size that works there is a 5x8, and an 8x10 is the best fit.
Should I get an 8x10 or a 9x12 rug?
Measure the room first: a 9x12 needs at least 13 ft 4 in of width to keep 8 in of floor at the walls. If it fits, take the 9x12 for a king bed, a 6-seat dining table or an 8 ft sofa; take the 8x10 for a queen bed, a 4-seat table or a 7 ft sofa.