Quick answer: furniture sliders are pads or glides that go under furniture legs so you can move chairs, tables, sofas and cabinets more easily, with less risk of scratching the floor. Clean the bottom of each leg, fit a self-adhesive slider or a thicker stick-on pad, and then slide the furniture rather than lifting or dragging it on bare feet. Choose a size and shape that matches the leg, and use a type suited to your floor.
Sliders, felt pads and leg caps
Several products do a related job, and it helps to pick the right one:
- PTFE furniture sliders. Thin, smooth glides with a self-adhesive back. The PTFE face is meant to slide over tile, wood and carpet. TidyMend sells PTFE furniture sliders in a 20-pack of 20 mm squares, which can fit up to 20 legs.
- Thicker stick-on slider pads. Larger, thicker pads for heavier pieces such as sofas, tables and cabinets. The round furniture slider pads are a 4-pack, 54 mm across, for wood, tile and laminate floors — typically one pad per leg on a four-legged piece.
- Felt pads. Self-adhesive felt that sits under feet to reduce scuffs on hard floors. A 180-pack of mixed round and square felt pads covers many chairs and tables; a cut-to-size 5 mm grey felt sheet is useful for unusual leg shapes.
- Chair leg caps. Stretch-on silicone caps that go over the ends of round legs of a matching size (the ones we sell are about 3 cm tall with a 4 cm opening). They keep the bare leg off the floor rather than acting as a slim glide.
You can see them all in Floor & Furniture Protectors.
Step-by-step: fitting self-adhesive sliders or pads
- Empty or lighten the furniture if it is heavy, so you can safely tip or lift each leg a short way. Get help with large pieces.
- Clean the bottom of each leg and let it dry. Dust, old felt or uneven residue will stop a new pad sticking well.
- Check the size. A 20 mm square slider suits many chair and table legs; a 54 mm round pad suits a larger foot. For an odd shape, trace the leg on a cut-to-size felt sheet and cut the pad to match.
- Peel and press. Peel off the backing and press the pad onto the leg, with the glide face or felt facing the floor. Hold it firmly for a few seconds.
- Repeat on every leg, then set the furniture down and try a short slide. If a pad shifts, remove it, clean again and refit it.
Step-by-step: fitting stretch-on chair leg caps
- Check the opening against your leg diameter. The caps described above have an opening of about 4 cm and are for round legs of a matching size.
- Stretch a cap over the end of each leg so it sits flush. The 20-pack can cover five four-legged chairs, or a mix of chairs, stools and a small table.
Tips
- Fit sliders or pads to every leg of a piece, so it does not sit crooked or dig in on one corner.
- On carpet, a smooth PTFE slider is usually easier to move than bare felt; on hard floors, both sliders and felt pads are used, with felt especially helpful for reducing scuffs under chairs that stay put.
- If you move a piece often, check the pads now and then and replace any that have come loose or worn through.
- Sliders make moving easier, but a very heavy piece should still be moved with care, and with enough people to keep it under control.
More options in the shop: the X-Protector 48 round felt pads, 1 in and the Ansible silicone chair leg caps with felt, 24 pack (ships to the United States only).
Frequently asked questions
Do furniture sliders work on every floor?
It depends on the slider and the floor. The PTFE sliders above are described for tile, wood and carpet. The 54 mm round pads are for wood, tile and laminate. Felt pads are typically used on hard floors such as wood, laminate and tile. Always check the product details for the floors listed there.
How are sliders different from felt pads?
Sliders have a smooth face designed to glide, so the furniture is easier to slide. Felt pads are softer and are mainly there to reduce scuffs when furniture sits or moves a little on a hard floor. Many homes use both: sliders on pieces you move often, and felt on chairs and tables that mostly stay in place.
What if my furniture legs are an unusual shape?
A cut-to-size felt sheet lets you trace the leg and cut a pad to match. Ready-cut square or round sliders work best when they cover the whole foot without hanging over the edge.
Do I need to lift the furniture right off the floor?
You only need to raise each leg enough to clean it and press a pad on. For a heavy sofa or cabinet, tilt it slightly or get someone to help rather than dragging it on its side.
Related
To stop toys and dust disappearing under a sofa or bed, an under-couch gap blocker (5 cm high, 3 m long, cut to length) closes the gap to the floor. For step-by-step help, see how to stop toys going under the sofa. To lift a bed, sofa or table for storage underneath, stackable furniture risers add about 2.6 cm per layer.
See all floor and furniture protectors, read how to childproof your home to anchor tall furniture with anti-tip straps, see how to fix scratches on wood furniture with touch-up markers, or browse all TidyMend guides.