Whether you’re preparing to go back into the office, or want to improve your working from home space, this one's for you. A chair mat is the easiest way to protect your surroundings, while maintaining the style and comfort of your office, or office away from the office. In this post, we’ll be advising you on how to find the best chair mat for your office.
As its name suggests, a chair mat lies beneath your chair to protect the flooring underneath, and to make movement easier. While it is primarily a functional item, meaning it is there for a specific purpose, it can also brighten up your office space by adding a bit of texture or shape. Most chair mats on the market are transparent which means your chair mat blends seamlessly with the floor beneath, and so no matter your preference, there is a mat on the market that suits your needs.
Do I Need A Chair Mat?
A chair mat isn’t essential to your office, however, it will make your life a lot easier. This is because it is a preventative measure, designed to mitigate future expenses and future time-wasting activities, such as removing stains or purchasing new flooring. So while the short answer is no, you don’t need a chair mat, the smart answer is that you should purchase one anyway.
Benefits Of A Chair Mat
These are some of the main reasons why we think everyone should invest in a chair mat because its benefits are proven to be effective in the long-term, and to maximise productivity and efficiency in the office.
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Protect Your Floor: Whether you have carpet or floorboards, your office chair can wreak havoc on your flooring by scuffing and snagging, especially if you move around a lot. A chair mat prevents this from happening, as it is a layer that helps avoid wear and tear.
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Protect Your Furniture: The most common reason that an office chair breaks is leg fatigue, because it is placed on a soft or textured surface which makes it difficult to move. The smooth surface of a mat can prevent this from happening as quickly, making it even more cost-effective.
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Minimise Mess: We’re all guilty of having cups of tea at our desk, and demolishing a biscuit or six. This can lead to crumbs and spillages which could stain your flooring, but are easily restricted to and cleaned up from your chair mat.
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Improved Ergonomics: A chair mat eases mobility and movement, which can in turn reduce back pain and increase productivity. It is also incredibly useful in helping you to move more, which is essential for both physical and mental health.
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Office Safety: Electrostatic charges can significantly reduce the lifespan of your electronics, and can severely impact your work. An anti-static mat can prevent this kind of damaging build up, especially when near printers and computers, and save you time and money further down the line.
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Easy To Clean: These mats are, normally, incredibly easy to clean. This means that even the toughest stain, which would ruin your flooring, can be easily taken care of with a quick wipe. This is really useful in the office environment, when everything from marker pen to printer ink is a spill risk.
Selecting A Chair Mat
At Mats4U, we pride ourselves in using our 25+ years of experience to provide the guidance and advice our customers need to make the best choices for themselves, their offices and their homes. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about selecting a chair mat, so that you can find the best fit for your office and lifestyle.
Flooring Type
The best office chair mat for you is dictated by the kind of flooring you have, as they are specifically designed for different flooring types. A hard floor chair mat typically requires a flat backing, which prevents it from slipping on surfaces such as tiles, ceramic, laminate and wood. A chair mat for carpet typically has a gripper back, which is well suited to natural and synthetic fibres but can damage hard flooring.
It is important to use the correct backing for your floor, as failing to do so can actually create more damage than if you didn’t use a mat!
Thickness
This largely applies to those with a carpet, as its thickness can determine the thickness of your mat. This is because a low pile, medium pile or plush pile is often the deciding factor on how thick your mat is. A thin mat placed upon thick carpet can bow or crack, both breaking it and making it a safety hazard.
It’s really easy to measure the thickness of your carpet. Simply use the straightened end of a paper clip and sink it into the carpet; that measurement, in mm, is it’s thickness. While carpet thickness is subjective, and can vary from store to store, the measurement you have just found is not, which makes it incredibly simple to seek assistance either in-store or online.
Size
Your chair mat should cover the total floor space of your chair, with extra room if you use a rolling chair to navigate from one end of your desk to the other, or from your desk to your cabinet. When deciding what size you need, it is important to take into account the configuration of your office space and how the furniture is arranged.
Shape
The three most common chair mat shapes are: contoured, lip and rectangular. These are suitable for most office spaces, as they are versatile and reflect modern styling practices. A contoured chair mat is stylish and sleek, a lipped chair mat provides extra coverage and protection beneath your desk, and a rectangular chair mat affords compactness and functionality.
The shape you choose typically goes hand-in-hand with the sizing you require, due to the other factors that you need to consider. Whether you favour a U, L or corner desk in your productive working space, our experts can recommend the best mat for you.
Material
The two most common mat materials are PVC and polycarbonate. A PVC chair mat is recommended for plush carpets because it is pliable, while a polycarbonate chair mat is recommended for hard floors and low profile carpets because it will not bend, crack or break. Both options are durable and long-lasting and built to stand the test of time in a hectic office environment. They are also transparent, and so don’t interfere with your current decor or colour scheme.
Don’t be concerned about the environmental impact! At Mats4U, our chair mats are made from 25% recycled materials, and 25% of the manufacturing process is performed using renewable energy. This means that our eco chair mats can put your mind at ease, as you are investing in your office and the environment.
Forward-Thinking
Make sure that your office chair mat is an investment piece by looking to the future. If the office is being remodelled in a months time, this could change your current flooring and layout. Rearranging your space and purchasing a new desk can significantly alter your office. If any of these changes are coming imminently, it is best to wait to purchase a mat. This is because it may not be a suitable size, shape or material for your needs. Forward-thinking makes your purchase cost-effective and long-term, which is exactly what we want for all of our customers.
Buying A Chair Mat From Mats4U
If you’re interested in buying a chair mat, then you’re in the right place, as they are one of our most popular specialist mats. At Mats4U, we supply high-performance, high-quality and cost-effective matting for domestic, commercial and industrial use. With a wealth of industry experience, we can provide any assistance or advice you may need to choose the best-fit chair mat for your office.
Whether you need something for your home office or your workplace office, we’re confident that we can help. Our wide range of mats means that no matter what you are looking for, we are guaranteed to have the best fit. With different shapes and sizes available, you will find exactly what you need in our online store.
Contact us today by completing our online form, phoning 0121 313 6748 or emailing sales@mats4u.co.uk. A member of our friendly team will be happy to talk you through your options, and provide any advice or recommendations that they can. And if you already own a mat from Mats4U, share it using #Mats4U across social media so that we can see what you’ve done with it.
