Thick or low-pile rugs? All pros and cons

Some are nice and warm and soft on the feet, while others look great in modern interiors. If you want to put a rug in a room you will have to choose between a thick rug or a low pile rug. What exactly is the difference? And what are the advantages of a thick rug over a low-pile rug? We list it all for you.

What is a thick rug?

A thick rug is a rug with a high pile, an upstanding thread in the fabric. The word ‘pile’ in this sense comes from Latin (pilus) and means ‘hair’. If the pile is longer than usual, it is called ‘high-pile’. So a high-pile rug is actually best translated as a thick rug.

What is a low pile rug?

A low pile rug is – you guessed it – a rug with a low pile. The hairs protruding from a low pile rug are shorter than 1 cm.

Thick rug versus low-pile rug

Will you take that new job, or would you rather stay at your old place? Will you choose that one house to buy, or will you continue saving? Buy your new sofa in that one bright colour, or opt for a more neutral shade. In life, you will face a lot of difficult choices. It often helps then to list all the pros and cons of the choices. We also apply this principle when choosing between a thick rug and a low pile rug. We start with the advantages of the thick rug.

Advantages of thick rugs

• Soft, warm and comfortable
  The long ‘hairs’ ensure that a thick rug is nice and soft and also feels warm on the feet. This makes a thick rug very comfortable. Especially when combined with an under rug, a thick rug can be soft enough to sit comfortably on and for children to play on.
• Dirt is less likely to be seen
  The high pile makes it much harder to see the everyday dirt that creeps into a rug. The loose threads ensure that crumbs and sand sink down faster and are not spread all over the rug.
• Luxury look
  The long pile of a thick rug creates a rich, opulent look. As a result, a thick rug often gives a luxurious feel to a room.
• Acoustic effect
  A thick rug creates a nice acoustic effect in a room. In a bare room, there is often an echo. A thick rug dampens the sound and takes away the echo. Very nice if you live in a noisy flat, for example, but it also “sounds” better in other rooms with a thick rug on the floor.
• Easy to get crumbs off
  Crumbs and sand in your rug? Throw the thick rug outside over the washing line and use a mat beater to knock the dirt right out.

Advantages of low pile rugs

• Easy to clean
  A low pile carpet is easy to clean. Because the pile is short, dirt cannot soak into the fibres as quickly. Moreover, it is much easier to glide over a low-pile rug with a hoover than a thick one.
• Furniture moves easily
  That easy gliding has other advantages, as furniture slides easily on a low-pile rug. So a low-pile rug is very handy to place under, for example, an office chair or dining chairs with wheels.
• Damping effect
  Like a thick rug, a low-pile rug also has a cushioning effect in a room.
• Designs are easier to see
  Because a low-pile rug is much tighter, designs and patterns are generally easier to see on it than on thick rugs.
• Sleek look
  A low-pile rug has a sleek look and therefore fits perfectly into modern interiors. 

So both types of rugs have a lot of advantages. It’s up to you to decide which advantages weigh most heavily in your situation. But of course, you won’t get a complete picture until you also know what the disadvantages of a thick and low-pile rug are.

Disadvantages of a thick rug

• A lot of dust
  A thick rug can collect a lot of dust. Annoying for allergy sufferers. But if you vacuum your rug properly at least twice a week, you can prevent a lot of suffering.
• Vacuum cleaning is more work
  The vacuuming to keep your rug dust- and dirt-free is important, but a bit heavier than with a low-pile rug, where the vacuum glides over the rug a bit easier.
• Furniture slides less smoothly
  The high piles prevent furniture pieces from sliding across the rug very easily. You might suffer from this if, for example, you want to slide a chair backwards at the dining table.
• Development of possible bald spots
  On a thick rug, wear spots may appear where it is walked on a lot, or where pieces of furniture stand for a long time. To avoid ‘walking marks’, you can occasionally rearrange the rug a little.

Disadvantages of low-pile rugs

• Less soft
  A low-pile rug is less soft on the feet than a thick rug. Many soft versions can be found among low-pile rugs, but it cannot match the woolly softness of a thick rug.
• Less warm than high pile
  A low-pile rug is less warm to the feet than a thick rug.