Chair Mat For Carpet Buying Guide
A chair mat for carpet is an essential office accessory that protects your floors, makes it easier to roll your desk chair around and helps reduce back strain. It also extends the life of your carpet and prevents damage from the rolling casters on your chair, which can pull at or leave marks in carpet and hard floors. There are many different types of chair mats on the market, so it’s important to consider your needs and the type of floor you have before making a purchase. In this buying guide, we will highlight the most important features to look for in a chair mat for carpet, as well as provide tips on how to get the best performance out of your new desk chair mat.
A good chair mat for carpet should sit firmly on the surface of your flooring and not sink into it. The thickness of the mat will also play a role in how well it works on your flooring. The most common mats are 3 to 5 millimeters thick, which provides enough strength and rigidity to resist the pressure put on them by four or five desk chair wheels. There are thinner mats on the market, but they may not work as well on carpeted surfaces and might bunch up or sink under your chair.
Some people might be tempted to switch out their carpet for hardwood flooring, but this isn’t always feasible in an office setting. If you’re looking for an alternative, we recommend checking out a set of bell glides, which go underneath your chair feet and increase the amount of surface area that the wheels touch. They’re not as visually appealing as a chair mat, but they do a great job of protecting your floors and helping your chair slide more easily.
The most common material used in a chair mat for carpet is polycarbonate, which is a durable and affordable option. Polycarbonate is also environmentally friendly and biodegradable, which makes it an excellent choice for an office chair mat that will be used regularly. There are also eco-friendly options made from natural materials such as bamboo and sisal.
Whether you have a commercial or residential carpet, there is a chair mat that will fit your flooring type and meet your budget. For example, there are economy chair mats for hard surfaces that have no carpet cleats and are designed to be safe on laminate, wood, tile or concrete. There are also standard chair mats that have carpet cleats and are ideal for medium to high pile carpet.
There are even premium carpet mats with extra-high pile that can withstand the weight of a heavy desk chair and include padding to support your back and neck. The cleats on these carpet mats are also specifically designed to not damage the flooring underneath them. If you have any questions about the type of chair mat that is right for your office space, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for help.