ABSOLUTELY put the non-skid rubber mat under the rugs!!! If you don't, EVEN w/furniture on them, you might as well rub the rest of the floor w/sandpaper so it matches. In the event you 'reorganize' the room or get a smaller rug or whatever, you WILL notice that the rough underside of the rug has damaged the polyurethane finish on the floor. Once that is scratched away, the rug begins to scratch at the wood and the finish. The purpose of the poly is to PROTECT the wood.

I wouldn't think twice about it. In your particular situation, your floors might need to be refinished in a few years. As an aside, do what you can to prevent DIRECT sunlight from shining on the floor too. It will discolor the poly, and when you go to move the rugs (for whatever reason), you WILL see a discoloration. The poly comes w/a certain of UV protection. I suggest sheer curtains (in the least.) Reflected light or indirect light isn't as damaging. And lastly, dry-dust-mop your floors at least once per week. The fine pieces of dirt and such that are dragged in from the outside would 'act' on the floor just as the bare back-side of your rugs would (over time.) I suggest you follow the Floor Mfgrs. Cleaning INstructions too. ANd don't use what you want to use as the Cleaner. 1) It will VOID the Warranty, and 2) it may ruin the floor, and 3) it may not even work at all. (Oh, I did say I was done ...) Have rubber-backed door mats and runners at the doorways and where people may be taking off shoes or boots. Places like K-Mart and such sell these w/the rubber backing pre-sewn. I think the longest runner is 5'.

My best to ya and hope this helps.

Jay J -Moderator

PS: If you have rugs with the rubber NOT permanently sewn into them on your floor, the rug MAY 'slide' off the under-mat because it's not permanently attached. This is why it's good to have this type of 'setup' with furniture on top to keep them somewhat 'in place'. I'd use pre-sewn runners (where you'd line them up if you had to) in open areas where there's no furniture holding them down. This is, assuming, you're putting runners in open areas.

Ugolini