How to Keep an Ottoman from Sliding

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 4, 2020 References

An ottoman is a great living room accessory, but it's no fun chasing your extra seating around the space. And, if you don't stop it from sliding, the legs can scratch your floor. Fortunately, there are a lot of products that are designed to keep the legs of the ottoman from sliding on the floor. You can even cut your own custom grippers using sturdy gasket rubber.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Buying an Anti-Slip Product

1
Use stick-on felt pads if your floor is smooth. You've probably seen lots of these felt pads at your home improvement store. They come in a variety of textures, so you can buy a product that's designed for your specific type of flooring. To put them on your ottoman, Clean the legs with gunk and adhesive remover, then remove the backing from the felt pads. Press them firmly onto the bottom of the legs so they're centered.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Stick-on pads are a quick solution that's great if you plan on moving the ottoman around your room occasionally.
Tip: The felt will wear out over time, so check the bottom of your ottoman every few weeks so it doesn't begin to scratch your floor. Plan on replacing the pads every 6 to 12 months.
2
Buy felt pads that have tacks if your floor is textured or rough. If you have a rough hardwood floor or textured tile, stick-on felt pads might pop off the legs easily. To keep them in place, choose an anti-slip product that has a tack at the end and press the tack end against the bottom of the ottoman leg. Then, hammer the pad firmly in place so the felt side is facing out.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You'll still have to replace the pads when the felt begins to wear out, but they shouldn't fall off of the legs or slide off and gum up your floor.
Advertisement
3
Screw grip pads or rubber feet directly onto each leg for a longer-lasting solution. If you'd like something that's more durable than felt pads, buy rubber grip pads or feet that come with screws. Turn the ottoman upside down so the legs are in the air and set a pad or push a foot onto each of its legs. Push the screw through the hole in the center of the pad or foot and use a power drill to screw it down in place.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- If you don't want the feet to be visible when you flip the ottoman over, use a product that doesn't wrap around the base of the leg.
4
Apply hot glue to the bottom of the legs if the ottoman continues to slide. If you've tried putting items under the legs without success, use hot glue to create grip. Turn the ottoman upside down so the feet are in the air and heat your hot glue gun. Carefully squirt glue to cover the bottom of each ottoman leg in an even layer so the leg is level once the glue dries. Keep the furniture upside down until the glue hardens. This should take about 5 minutes.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Be careful when you work with hot glue since it's easy to accidentally burn yourself.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Creating Gasket Rubber Grippers

1
Use a ruler to measure the bottom of the ottoman legs. Turn the ottoman on its side or upside down so the legs are in the air. Then, set a ruler on the bottom end of 1 of the legs and write down the measurements.
- For example, your ottoman might have square legs that are 2 by 2 inches (5.1 by 5.1 cm) in size or circular legs that are 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter.
2
Cut a piece of gasket rubber for each leg according to your measurement. Buy squares of gasket rubber from your local home improvement store or online. Use scissors to cut these thin sheets of sturdy rubber into the same size as your ottoman's legs.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- If you cut the rubber gasket to the exact size of your ottoman legs, they should stay in place. You can cut the pieces larger if you're in a hurry, but they'll be visible.
Tip: Gasket rubber won't wear out over time. If you notice your ottoman beginning to slide, remove the gasket rubber pieces and wash them since they might just be dusty.
3
Arrange the pieces under each leg to keep the ottoman in place. Decide where you'd like to place the ottoman in your room and clean the floor thoroughly since dust can prevent your material from gripping the floor. Then, lift up the ottoman and put a piece of rubber gasket right under each leg. Slowly set the ottoman back down and it will now stay in place!^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If your ottoman is heavy, ask a friend to help you lift or tilt it back so you can position the gasket rubber under each leg.
- Since the gasket rubber doesn't move, this method works best if you don't plan on moving the ottoman to different parts of the living room.