Tent Rugs and Carpets

What a tent rug or carpet is for

A rug on a tent floor makes it warmer, softer and cleaner underfoot. A groundsheet on its own stays cold, and every stone shows through, so a rug or mat on top turns it into a floor you can sit on in socks. Under an awning or by the door, a mat keeps mud and grass out of the tent. Most of the mats here double as a picnic blanket or a beach mat as well.

The kinds in this range

• Awning carpets are breathable HDPE or woven PP mesh, for under an awning, at the door of the tent or outside a caravan or motorhome. The HDPE one here is 2.5 by 3m with 13 ground nails.
• Waterproof ground mats in Oxford cloth go inside or under the tent as a moisture-proof layer. One here is rated 1,000 to 1,500mm. See groundsheets and footprints.
• Foil mats have a double-sided aluminium foil layer against damp, cold ground.
• Thickened and plush rugs are soft on top with a moisture-proof base, in sizes up to 200 by 300cm.
• A self-inflating tent mat, hexagonal with a Nordic pattern, lines the floor for up to three people.

Inside the tent or under the awning

Choose by where it goes. Inside the tent, a soft, thick rug for comfort, ideally waterproof underneath, laid on top of the groundsheet. Outside, under an awning or on grass for more than a day, a breathable mesh carpet lets the grass beneath breathe and the rain drain through, and it dries quickly. On grass, some campsites ask for a breathable groundsheet under an awning, so check the site's rules before you go.

Measure the floor of the tent, or the space under the awning, before ordering, and remember the walls of a bell tent or dome curve in at the edge. A round or hexagonal rug fits a round tent better than a square one, and in a family tent a rug for the living area and another for each bedroom is easier to lay and to dry than one big one. See glamping bell tents and family tents.

Questions people ask about tent rugs

Does a rug go under or on top of the groundsheet?

On top, inside the tent. Under the tent goes a footprint, which protects the groundsheet from stones and wear. See groundsheets and footprints.

How do I clean a tent rug?

Shake it out, and let it dry before you pack it. Several here are washable: the HDPE awning carpet dries quickly, and the 200 by 300cm picnic mat can be washed by hand or on a gentle machine wash.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Groundsheets and footprints
• Glamping bell tents
• Family tents
• Tents with awnings
• Car awnings
• Glamping lights
• Guide: Tent sizes explained
• Guide: 3-season or 4-season: which tent for which weather