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How to Choose Between 3x5, 4x6, 5x7 and 5x8 Rugs
Measure the floor before you settle on a size name. Two rugs listed as 4x6 here can differ by almost a foot in width, from 3'7" to 4'6", so compare your measurements with the exact width and length on each listing.
This collection covers the sizes between a small accent rug and a living room rug. For each size below you'll find the real measurements behind the name, where that size usually goes, and a link to the rugs in that size only.
Size names are rounded. Each rug is listed under its nearest whole size, so the real width and length can be up to about 6 inches either way. Every listing gives the exact measurements in feet and inches and in centimeters, along with the thickness.
What Each Size Actually Measures
3x5 rugs
2'7" to 3'6" wide and 4'7" to 5'6" long (80 to 107 by 140 to 168 cm). Sized for the floor inside a door, one side of a bed or the spot in front of a kitchen sink. See all 3x5 rugs.
4x6 rugs
3'7" to 4'6" wide and 5'7" to 6'6" long (108 to 138 by 170 to 199 cm). Covers a larger entryway or the floor under a desk chair. See all 4x6 rugs.
4x7 rugs
The same width as the 4x6 rugs and about a foot longer: 3'7" to 4'6" by 6'7" to 7'6" (108 to 138 by 200 to 228 cm). Long enough to run the length of one side of a bed. See all 4x7 rugs.
5x7 rugs
4'7" to 5'6" wide and 6'7" to 7'6" long (139 to 168 by 200 to 229 cm). Close to the length of a 7 ft sofa, for a small seating area or the foot of a bed. See all 5x7 rugs.
5x8 rugs
The same width as the 5x7 rugs and about a foot longer: 4'7" to 5'6" by 7'7" to 8'6" (140 to 168 by 230 to 260 cm). Long enough to extend past both ends of a 7 ft sofa. See all 5x8 rugs.
Less common sizes and round rugs
4x5, 3x6, 5x6, 4x8 and 4x9 rugs are here too, for floors that don't fit a standard size. The 4x4 and 5x5 round rugs are patchwork, about 4'6" to 5'1" across; the other 5x5 rugs are Tulu and Anatolian pile rugs. For other round shapes, see round rugs.
Which Size for Which Spot
Entryway or front door
A 3x5 or 4x6 usually covers the floor inside a front door. If the door opens over the rug, measure the gap under the door and compare it with the listed thickness, plus a rug pad if you use one. Most rugs here are 0.2 to 0.3 in (5 to 8 mm) thick, but a few are as thin as 0.08 in (2 mm) or as thick as 0.59 in (15 mm), so check the listing. The washed pile rugs are about 0.2 in (5 mm), about the same as most kilims and dhurries, 0.16 to 0.24 in (4 to 6 mm).
Bedroom
Put a 3x5 or a 4x7 on each side of the bed, or lay a 5x8 across the foot of a queen bed. A queen mattress is 5 ft wide and the frame usually a few inches more, so a 5x8 laid this way shows past both sides.
Small seating area
The 5x8 rugs here are 7'7" to 8'6" long, so with a 7 ft sofa they extend about 3 to 9 inches past each end and the front legs can sit on the rug. A 5x7 is about the sofa's own length. If armchairs face the sofa as well, measure the whole seating group and check that the rug is deep enough for the front legs of each seat; if a 5x8 falls short, compare 5x8 to 6x9 rugs.
Desk, reading chair or kitchen
A 4x6 under a desk is usually deep enough for the chair to roll back and stay on the rug; measure from the desk edge to where the chair stops before you choose. A 3x5 fits under a reading chair and side table, or in front of a kitchen sink.
Choose by Weave and Thickness
The pile rugs here are about 0.2 to 0.47 in (5 to 12 mm) thick, and most of the flatweaves about 0.16 to 0.24 in (4 to 6 mm).
Washed and overdyed pile
Turkish rugs 30 to 70 years old, hand-knotted with a wool pile on a cotton foundation, about 0.2 to 0.28 in (5 to 7 mm) thick. Some were washed down to softer colors; others were dyed a new color, and the old pattern often still shows through. See more in overdyed rugs.
Anatolian, Oushak and Tulu pile
A thicker pile, about 0.3 to 0.4 in (8 to 10 mm). The Anatolian rugs are 30 to 80 years old, the Tulu rugs 40 to 60 and the hand-knotted Oushak rugs 10 to 20. The thickest pile rugs, at about 0.47 in (12 mm), are the Moroccan rugs, a few of the Oushak rugs and a few modern area rugs. See more in Oushak rugs.
Patchwork
Squares cut from vintage and overdyed rugs (all hand-knotted wool) and sewn together. Most are about 0.3 in (8 mm) thick, and the edges are overlocked, so there is no fringe. The listed age is the age of the older rugs the squares came from. The round rugs in this collection are patchwork. See more in patchwork rugs.
Kilims and dhurries
Flatwoven with no pile. The Oushak kilims are woven in the Oushak region of western Türkiye and are 20 to 30 years old; the dhurries are made in India from cotton and wool. A few hemp and goat hair kilims are here too, and goat hair is coarse enough to prickle bare feet. See more in kilim rugs.
Common Questions About 3x5 to 5x8 Rugs
Is a 5x8 rug too small for a living room?
For a small living room, no. The 5x8 rugs here are 7'7" to 8'6" long, long enough for the front legs of a sofa up to about 7 ft to sit on it. A larger sofa or a full seating group often needs a 6x9 or bigger.
Should I get a 5x7 or a 5x8?
Both cover the same width range here, 4'7" to 5'6", and the 5x8 rugs are about a foot longer. Choose the 5x8 if the rug has to reach past both ends of a 7 ft sofa; the 5x7 runs about the sofa's own length. A long 5x7 and a short 5x8 can be almost the same size, so compare the exact width and length on each listing with your floor.
Should I get a 4x6 or a 5x7?
A 5x7 here is about a foot wider and a foot longer than a 4x6. The 4x6 suits an entryway or the floor under a desk chair; choose the 5x7 when the rug goes in front of a sofa or at the foot of a bed.
How big is a 3x5 or a 5x8 rug in inches?
As size names, a 3x5 is 36 by 60 inches and a 5x8 is 60 by 96 inches. The 3x5 rugs here measure about 31 to 42 inches wide and 55 to 66 inches long; the 5x8 rugs measure about 55 to 66 inches wide and 91 to 102 inches long.
Are these rugs all wool, hand-knotted and vintage?
No. Most of the pile rugs are hand-knotted wool on a cotton foundation, and the patchwork rugs are sewn from pieces of hand-knotted rugs. The kilims and dhurries are flatwoven; the dhurries are cotton and wool, and a few kilims are hemp or goat hair. Most rugs here are 30 years old or more. The Oushak rugs, Moroccan rugs and dhurries are mostly 10 to 20 years old, and a few pieces are newer. Each listing gives the material and age.
How should I clean a rug this size?
Blot a spill right away with a clean, dry white cloth, without rubbing. For the cleaning itself, spills included, take the rug to a professional rug cleaner; that applies to the kilims and dhurries too. Don't machine wash or soak a handmade rug at home. Our rug care guide covers vacuuming, sun, moisture and storage.
What if the size doesn't work in my room?
Contact us within 14 calendar days of delivery and we'll send return instructions. Read the refund policy for the conditions before you order.
Related Rug Collections
For smaller pieces, see up to 3x5 rugs and small rugs; for larger ones, see medium rugs. For every size in one place, browse area rugs.