Whenever you decide to move a piece of furniture that has been in the same place for quite some time, it usually leaves an unsightly worn patch on your carpets and floors. The same goes for chairs, with workers in offices sitting on their chair in the same place for up to 8 hours a day.
The best way to protect your carpets or floors from the legs or wheels of an office chair is to use chair mats, also known as floor protection mats.
Chair mats come in different shapes, sizes, and materials. It is important that you choose the right type of chair mats for your application, to ensure that it does the best possible job of protecting your carpets and floors.
Mat Backing
Many mats come with a choice of backing options, gripper and flat back. If your mat is being placed on a carpet, your mat should have a gripper backing so that it holds onto the carpet pile to prevent it from moving. If your mat is being placed on a hard floor, choose a flat or smooth backing to ensure that the mat does not scratch your floors. Selecting the correct backing ensures that you are matching the mat to that surface that it protects.
Mat Shape
The shape of the mat will depend on the type of desk that you are using or the shape of your workspace. There are a variety of chair mats available, but the most popular are rectangular and lipped:
- Rectangular: best for going under a standard, rectangular desk or table
- Lipped: best for U-shaped or corner desks, where the lip of the mat can slot underneath the desk for maximum floor protection
Mat Material
The material that you require for your chair mat will depend on a number of things, such as, durability, budget and the application it is being used in.
Polycarbonate: The most durable option of chair mats, made with the same material used to make bullet-proof glazing! It is a crystal clear material that is compatible with heated flooring systems and is fire resistant. Polycarbonate chair mats do come with a small premium price tag, but the benefits of the product do outweigh this.
PVC: This is the lowest cost option of chair mats, which does affect the durability somewhat. Whilst the mats will still do the job of protecting your floors and carpets, they will struggle in high or low temperatures or under heavy weight, causing them to crack. They are also not suitable in buildings with under floor heating systems.
If you are worried about your carpets and floors getting damaged by chairs, or maybe they are already starting to look worn, then a chair mat is the solution. Before you go ahead and purchase a chair mat, consider all of the points above to ensure that you have the best mat for the job, so that it will protect your floors and carpets for years to come.
You can view our range of Chair Mats through our website here. Alternatively, if you would like some personal advice on the best mats for you to choose, you can speak to one of our mat experts over the telephone by calling 0121 351 4444, or emailing sales@mats4u.co.uk.
