Working with rugs, underlays, and layering
Rugs are special — furniture can sit on top of them. Here's how layering and z-index work so things stack the way you expect.
Rugs are the one piece of furniture that's meant to sit under everything else, so RoomSketch3D treats them differently: a rug always draws underneath other pieces, on the plan and in 3D, and it never counts as an overlap in Smart Flow Check. There is no send-to-back button because you never need one.
This page shows how to add a rug, what happens when you put a sofa and a table on it, and the layout rules that make a rug look right.
Step by step
- 1
Add a rug
Search the catalog for rug (or carpet, kilim, runner — the search knows them). Sizes follow the standard names: Area Rug 5x7, 8x10, 9x12, Round Rug 6ft, Runner Rug 2x8, Bedroom Rug 6x9, Bedside Rug 2x3, the dining rugs, a Desk Chair Mat and an Entry Door Mat. Press +Add and it lands in the middle of the room like any other piece; drag or nudge it into place.
- 2
Put furniture on it
Add a sofa and drop it on the rug. The rug slips underneath automatically — you never have to reorder anything — and the Flow Check pill stays OK: rugs are exempt from overlap checks, so the sofa and the rug can share the floor.
- 3
Keep the real clearances
Add a coffee table on the same rug. If the pill turns red, the warning is about the table and the sofa (aim for 18–24 in between them), never the rug. Nudge the table with the arrow keys until the pill is green.
- 4
Check it in 3D
In the 3D view the rug lies flat on the floor under everything. Hide the ceiling and raise the camera to judge the classic rule — front legs of the seating on the rug, or all legs on for a large rug.
Tips
Size to the seating, not the room
A rug should reach under the front legs of every seat in the group. For a standard sofa and two chairs that's usually 8x10; 9x12 for a sectional.
Custom sizes
Use Custom in the Rugs section to make a rug to any dimensions, including a runner for a hall. It's marked as a rug so it layers the same way.
Common mistakes
Looking for send-to-back
There isn't one and you don't need it — rugs always draw underneath. If a piece looks like it's under a rug, it's a rug-category custom piece; recreate it in the right category.
A rug too small for the group
A 5x7 under a full sofa set floats in the middle. Pick the size that reaches the front legs of every seat.
Frequently asked questions
How do I put a rug under furniture?
Just place it. Rugs always draw underneath other pieces on the plan and in 3D; there's no layer order to set.
Why doesn't Flow Check flag my sofa on the rug?
Rugs are exempt from overlap checks on purpose — they're meant to have furniture on them. Clearances between the other pieces still apply.
Can I make a rug a custom size?
Yes — Custom in the Rugs section of the catalog. Give it width and depth; it behaves like any other rug.
Which rug size for a living room?
Big enough that the front legs of every seat sit on it: usually 8x10 for a sofa and two chairs, 9x12 for a sectional.
Does the rug show in exports and 3D?
Yes — it renders on the plan export and lies flat on the floor in 3D.
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