Hearth Rugs Overview

A hearth rug is a small throw rug, often shaped like a half-circle, that is placed in front of the fireplace, or hearth. The hearth rug is typically made of a flame-retardant material and its intent is to provide a safe place for sparks from the fire to land, preventing damage to your carpet or wood floor. Hearth rugs are used in front of wood fireplaces to protect your carpet or wood flooring from burning embers, rolling logs, and other objects that pop out of roaring fires.

The hearth rug is a relatively new innovation; in the olden days, when flooring was hard-packed dirt, sparks jumping out of the fireplace were rarely dangerous. Of course, as it became more common to cover the floor with 'strewing herbs,' which were intended to keep down bugs, freshen the air and absorb wastes from animals and sloppy eating, a 'hearth' became a built-up enclosure of stone or brick to keep the fire enclosed and away from household flammables. Today's fireplaces often include a built-up brick step that spans slightly more than the width of the fireplace and obviates the need for a hearth rug. However, some are simply flush with the floor level, although many builders tile or brick the area immediately in front of the fireplace.

Hearth rugs that you can purchase today are specifically for protecting wall-to-wall carpeting, area rugs or stained wood flooring from the singes and burns commonly associated with snapping fire logs sending live coals into the surrounding area.