Outdoor Rugs

Choosing a size

The usual mistake outdoors is going too small. Under a dining set the rug should extend far enough that chair legs stay on it when people sit back, which means roughly 60cm clear beyond the table on every side. In front of seating, the rug wants to sit under the front feet of the furniture at least, tying the group together rather than floating in the middle. On a balcony, filling the usable floor reads better than centring a small rug in it.

Fibres and what they cope with

Outdoor rugs are generally woven from polypropylene or a similar synthetic, which does not absorb much water, does not rot and can be hosed. Recycled plastic flatweaves behave the same way and are usually reversible, which doubles their life. Natural fibres such as jute belong under cover, on a porch or a sheltered veranda, because they hold water and will mildew if rained on repeatedly.

Flatweave, pile and safety underfoot

Most outdoor rugs are flatweaves, which is the sensible choice: nothing for debris to lodge in, quick to dry, and thin enough that a door or a chair leg passes over the edge without catching. Some are reversible, which effectively doubles the life of the rug and lets you turn the faded side under. Where a rug has a pile it will feel better underfoot and take longer to dry, so keep those for covered spots. Whatever the weave, an outdoor rug should lie flat: a curled corner on a wet terrace is a genuine trip hazard, and it is the reason to unroll a new rug and let it settle in the sun for a day before deciding it does not fit. On very smooth paving or decking an outdoor-rated underlay stops the rug creeping when people walk on it.

Drainage, grit and what sits underneath

Whatever the rug is made of, the surface below it needs to dry. Lift the rug occasionally, especially on decking, as anything trapped underneath keeps timber wet and grit works its way into both the rug and the boards. On a very smooth surface an outdoor-rated underlay stops the rug creeping. Shake or brush a rug out rather than letting debris grind into the weave.

Colour, pattern and what stays looking clean

Outdoor rugs live on a surface that is grey or brown and under furniture that is usually one or the other, so they are the easiest way to put colour into a terrace without buying anything else. Pattern earns its keep out here more than indoors, because a flat colour shows every leaf, every splash and every muddy paw, while a geometric or a stripe absorbs all of it. Mid tones are the practical middle ground: very pale rugs show soil from the first shower and very dark ones show dust and pollen. If the rug sits under a dining table, remember it will take food as well as weather.

Care and winter

Hose the rug down, brush it with a stiff brush and let it dry flat rather than rolled. Most stains lift with a mild soap solution and plenty of water. A rug can stay out through the season, but it will last considerably longer if it is dried and rolled away over winter rather than left to sit wet under snow and leaves.

Leave pressure washers alone. The force that lifts moss off paving also breaks up a woven pile and frays the edge binding, and a rug that has been pressure washed never sits flat again. A stiff brush, a hose and a mild soap solution will shift anything a garden throws at it. Dry the rug fully before rolling it, and roll rather than fold, because a fold becomes a permanent crease that catches feet. Where a rug has been stored rolled and comes out with a curl at the corners, a few hours flat in the sun will usually settle it. Bird droppings and tree sap are the two marks worth dealing with straight away rather than at the end of the season, since both set hard and both come off easily while they are fresh. Moss and algae on the underside are a sign the surface below is not drying, which is worth solving at the paving rather than by scrubbing the rug, since it will simply come back and the rug is not the cause of it.