Is there a difference between a rug and a carpet? A rug is a floor covering of shaggy or woven material used to cover part of a floor. Rugs, in particular area rugs and oriental rugs, are made of some sort of pile knotted onto a cotton foundation. Materials can include wool, silk, cotton, camel hair, goat hair, sea grasses and synthetics.Rug tends to be a piece of heavy fabric, usually with a nap or a pile, that are used as a floor covering but do not extend over the entire floor. They can also be the treated skin of an animal, for example, a bear rug.  Rugs are both man and machine made. Carpets are generally machine made and are installed wall to wall.  They tend to be a more functional form of flooring covering the entire floor. They are usually more difficult to remove than a rug which is free laying.

Many people prefer rugs because they can be moved from room to room and to other places if the owner shifts house.  Both rugs and carpets can be made of similar materials but as rugs are smaller, they can be made in more textures and patterns than carpets.

By definition, any flooring that is less than 40 square feet is referred to as a rug and wall to wall floor coverings are called carpets. It is more difficult to both clean and move a carpet whereas rugs often require less maintenance.

Google can help define in depth what is a rug.