Protection under area rug

Q: What kind of underfelt should I use under my area rug on my bamboo floor. I was told not to use rubber.

Is this true?

A: I would use a mesh type underpad. Some rubber pads will disintegrate and contaminate the finish.

Padding for an area rug

Q imported from our old site, Face Lift Floors: Are there any precautions which should be used when laying a large area rug over a hardwood floor? Should padding be used?

A: I would definitely use padding because the carpet will surely move on the floor and the backing will act as an abrasive on the finish. I would use a mesh type of pad which will grip the carpet and still allow the floor to breathe.

Original / moved link https://faceliftfloors.com/q-and-a/arearugs.php