Outdoor Rug Size Calculator

The short answer

Put at least the front legs of your patio seating on the rug, and let the rug run 18 in or more past each end of the seating. Under a dining table, the rug reaches 24 in past every edge, so the chairs stay on it when they’re pulled out. Then check the patio: about 12 in of it should still show around the rug.

A 6 ft seating area on a 12 × 15 ft patio takes a 6 × 9 ft rug, and a 40 × 72 in dining table an 8 × 10 ft one.

How to measure

1. The seating: measure it the long way, from the outside of one arm to the outside of the other, across the sofa and any chairs beside it. For all the legs on the rug, measure it front to back too, from the back of the sofa to the back of the chairs facing it.
2. A dining table: measure the top, its length and width, or a round table’s diameter.
3. The patio: measure the space the rug can take, edge to edge or from the wall to the railing, both ways.
4. Try it out: mark the rug’s outline on the patio with painter’s tape or old newspapers before you buy, and pull the chairs out to check that they stay on it.

How to use the calculator

1. Choose what goes on the rug: a seating area or a dining table.
2. For seating, choose how it meets the rug, front legs or all the legs, and enter its size. For a table, enter its shape and size. A table you sized in another tool carries over.
3. Enter the patio’s width and length, and read the result: the rug to buy, how far it reaches past the furniture and how much patio it leaves. The sizes around it are listed as Fits, Tight or Doesn’t fit.
4. Save or share it. Copy link keeps your numbers in the address.

How we calculate

The distances below keep the furniture on the rug and the rug clear of the patio’s edges. When you shop, the actual size on the rug’s label comes first.

• Seating: at least the front legs of every seat on the rug, or all the legs for a more connected look. Outdoors, give the rug 18 to 24 in past each end of the seating, so 18 in or more Fits. The indoor rules work outdoors too, and indoors a rug reaches at least 6 in past each end of a sofa, so that much is Tight. With all the legs on, the rug reaches that far on every side, the same amount all around.
• A dining table: at least 24 in past every edge, so each chair is still on the rug when it’s pulled out to sit. A round table takes a round rug here, though a rectangle works too.
• The patio: about 12 in of patio showing around the rug Fits, which keeps the rug that far from a deck’s railing, the walls and any fixtures. Down to 6 in is Tight, as on a small balcony or porch. The calculator centers the rug, with its long side along the patio’s.
• The pick: the smallest standard size that fits; if none does, the Tight one closest to fitting, the larger one when it’s a tie, since between two sizes the larger usually looks better.

Worked examples

Worked example

A 6 ft seating area on a 12 × 15 ft patio

What we know

• Seating: 72 in end to end, front legs on the rug
• Patio: 12 × 15 ft

How it works out

1. Rug: the furniture + 2 × 18 in = at least 108 in long.
2. Standard size: 6 × 9 ft reaches 18 in past each end and leaves 36 in of patio.

A 6 × 9 ft outdoor rug. With the front legs on it, the rug runs past each end of a 72 in seating area: ideally 18 in or more, or at least 6 in by the indoor rule. A 6 × 9 ft rug reaches 18 in past each end, and leaves 36 in of the 12 × 15 ft patio showing around it, where about 12 in is enough.

Worked example

A dining table for six, 40 × 72 in

What we know

• Table: 40 × 72 in
• Patio: 12 × 15 ft

How it works out

1. Rug: the furniture + 2 × 24 in = at least 88 in × 120 in.
2. Standard size: 8 × 10 ft reaches 24 in past every edge and leaves 24 in of patio.

An 8 × 10 ft outdoor rug. Chairs have to stay on the rug when they're pulled out, so it reaches at least 24 in past every edge of a 40 × 72 in table. An 8 × 10 ft rug reaches 24 in past every edge, and leaves 24 in of the 12 × 15 ft patio showing around it, where about 12 in is enough.

Worked example

Two chairs and a small table on a 5 × 8 ft balcony

What we know

• Seating: 48 in end to end, front legs on the rug
• Patio: 5 × 8 ft

How it works out

1. Rug: the furniture + 2 × 18 in = at least 84 in long.
2. Standard size: 3 × 5 ft reaches 6 in past each end and leaves 12 in of patio.

A 3 × 5 ft outdoor rug. With the front legs on it, the rug runs past each end of a 48 in seating area: ideally 18 in or more, or at least 6 in by the indoor rule. A 3 × 5 ft rug reaches 6 in past each end, and leaves 12 in of the 5 × 8 ft patio showing around it, where about 12 in is enough. That's less than an outdoor rug ideally reaches, but enough by the indoor rule. Go larger if the patio has room.

Outdoor rug size chart

The smallest standard rug for each length of seating, with the front legs on it, and how far it reaches past each end.

Outdoor rugs come in rectangles from 3 × 5 ft to 10 × 14 ft, rounds from 4 ft to 10 ft and runners. A rug sold by its round numbers can measure a few inches less: some come in 5 ft 3 in × 7 ft 7 in and 6 ft 7 in × 9 ft 6 in.

Outdoor rugs for dining tables

Fire pits and grills

• A fire pit never sits on the rug. The NFPA says fire pits and chimineas go at least 10 ft from anything that can burn, on a level surface that won’t catch fire, away from decks and deck railings. A rug is something that can burn.
• Propane fire tables: keep 24 in from combustible materials at the sides and rear, on a hard, level surface. Follow the maker’s instructions for your table.
• Local codes can ask for more: some ask for 15 ft of clearance and no fire pits on wood decks or balconies, so check your city’s fire code.
• Grills: keep anything that can burn at least 3 ft from the grill, and keep the grill off porches and balconies.
• Chairs around a fire: fire pit chairs sit a few feet from the fire, well inside the 10 ft a fire pit needs from anything that can burn, so a rug under the chairs of a fire pit circle sits too close to the fire.

Decks, pads and care

• Composite decks: no rubber- or latex-backed rugs, which can discolor the boards, and a breathable backing so moisture isn’t trapped. The right fiber depends on the decking, so check its care guide. Wait 3 months before putting a rug on a new composite deck.
• Under the rug: lift it now and then and clean the deck or patio under it, and let it dry out after rain, since standing water can lead to mold or mildew.
• A pad: use one rated for outdoor use, to keep the rug from slipping and let moisture out.
• Wind and trips: a loose rug or a curled edge can trip someone. Heavy furniture, a pad or weighted edging holds it down.
• Winter: clean and dry the rug, then roll it up and store it indoors.

Then shade the table or the seating with the patio umbrella size calculator.