Do I need a chair mat on carpet? This question is very important to address because it has become the talk of the town in past years. Chair mats are used to protect the floor from scratches, indentations, or other scuffs that may occur because of rolling chairs frequently on the floor. These mats are differently designed for different surfaces i.e. hard or soft.
Chair mats are placed exactly beneath the chair of the user and make it easy to roll a chair over it. These mats not only prevent different kinds of flooring from scratches but let the chair move effortlessly as well. On them, a chair also rolls smoothly and easily. They are most commonly used in offices on carpets because as we all know it is a bit harder to move a chair through its rolling casters over a carpet. So for our ease, there is a vast variety of chair mats available in the market even choices can be made depending on the thickness of the carpet. Let’s have a look over the benefits when we use the Chair mat for carpet.
Contents
Related article:
Best desk chairs for college students 2022(complete buying guide)
Benefits of using a chair mat on the carpet:
The chair mat has become an essential office tool, due to the benefits it provides. Let’s learn its significance in detail.
- It provides support and easier movement over a carpet. When we place a chair in the office over a carpeted floor, it is always a challenge for us to move the chair from one place to another. However, using a chair mat for carpeted floors makes this challenge a bit easier.
- When we are on an office chair we tend to move again and again, from one place to another. This repetitive movement of the chair damages the floor or carpet. Hence placing a chair mat beneath a chair prevents the floor\carpet from marks and scars.
- While being seated on the office chair one needs to move around the desk frequently. But on carpeted floors, accidents occur sometimes while moving. By placing the best Chair mat on carpet you can protect your body from such injuries.
- It is difficult to do multitask while sitting on an office chair placed on the carpet. But when we use a chair mat the results are absolutely different. You can easily perform multitasking around your desk efficiently.
- On Thicker carpets movement is relatively difficult to manage. A chair mat for a thick carpet will work best and is easily available in the market. It is harder to adjust, shift or move a chair over a thick carpet. While doing these tasks mostly chairs get stuck or fall. To avoid such risks chair mats prove to be very helpful. If you want to add style and class to your office there is an option of a glass chair mat on carpet in chair mats other than plastic. These are more durable as compared to plastic mats as plastic mat gets cracked very early as well as needs to be changed in a very short span
In short, if you want to be more efficient, productive, and comfortable at work then add these chair mats into your life. You will feel the major positive difference.
Related article:
Best office chair under 150 (Guide and Review)
Factors to consider before buying the chair mat:
If you are planning to buy a chair mat, you need to consider the following factors first to make a worthy decision.
1. Type of the floor:
It is the first thing to consider because there is a huge range of chair mats that suits different types of floors. For instance, the Chair mat for tile floors is different from the Chair mat for hardwood floor. As well as there are mats that grip well over a carpeted floor but slip over the tiled or wooden floor. So it is important to know the floor type first then decide chair mat. If you have to buy a chair mat for carpeted floors then there is another question to answer; what is the thickness of the carpet; you need a thicker Chair mat on thick carpet if you choose a thin mat for thick carpet, the mat will be cracked very soon.
Similarly, if you have a hardwood or tiled floor then you should prefer a thinner chair mat with straight edges rather than sloppy. it is a bit easy to make choice but mostly mats are designed for these floors with the non-slippery element.
2. Size of the chair mat:
Next to consider is the size of the area where you want to place a chair. Size should be according to your estimated rolling area where you normally roll around in your daily routine. Meanwhile, don’t ignore the size of the chair base while measuring the chair mat. Hence, this rolling area and base of the chair will altogether decide the size of the chair mat.
3. The shape of the mat:
After measuring the size next to decide is the mat’s shape. There is a vast variety of shapes in the market. Such as rectangle, teardrop, flower-shaped, square, lip-shaped, and much more. So choose the shape of the chair mat that fits best to your office or workplace.
These factors have a great impact and directly influence the choice of chair mats so think about these factors carefully and consciously.
4. Pocket-friendly:
Chair mats made of vinyl are less expensive whereas wood-finished mats are very expensive. Both kinds perform the same function so select the chair mat that is wallet-friendly.
What are the alternatives to the chair mat and why do we need them?
There is no doubt; even the best or most expensive chair will definitely cause damage to your floor. So it is essential to use a chair mat beneath an office chair. But sometimes chair mats are also the cause of damage to the floor. Although this happens when our choice of chair mat is not according to the type of floor. In addition to this, another reason for the failure of chair mats is ‘low-quality mats’. So it is necessary to choose a chair mat consciously and carefully in terms of its type and quality. But if you don’t want to go for a chair mat there are some alternatives also available that you can avail to avoid the purchase of a chair mat. Here I am going to give you some choices that you can go for in place of chair mats
- roller-blade wheels
- standing desks
- office chair bell glides for carpet floor
1. Roller-blade wheels:
Sometimes you don’t want to use chair mats and also don’t want your floor to be scratched then another option is to fix roller blade wheels to your chair. Plastic wheels leave a great impact of friction on the floor and create wear and tear to the floor. Whereas roller blade wheels are made of rubber that reduces the damage to the floor and roll more smoothly than any other wheel. These wheels cover less area that touches the floor as compared to other types of wheels
So instead of using a chair mat, you can change your plastic wheels with rollerblade wheels to eliminate wear and tear of the floor.
2. Standing desks:
If we talk about research regarding standing desks then you will get to know that standing gives you less fatigue, reduces back-related problems and obesity. Many international companies have introduced adjustable standing desks. These desks can be adjusted according to height and the sitting-standing position can be switched just with a button. So…. no chairs, no scratches, and no chair mats. But alas! These desks are not pocket friendly, are too expensive, and are not affordable for everyone.
3. Bell glides:
If you are having a carpeted floor then I can offer you another alternative of chair mat; to fix bell glides rather than wheels. These bell glides are made of rubber. These are stoppers for the movement of the chair. No movement no scratch. Glides fix the chair into the carpet without giving harm to it. You can use it over hardwood or tiled floor but glides eliminate the actual purpose of the office chair so be thoughtful while choosing glides as an alternative to chair mat.
Do I need a chair mat on carpet?
We discussed earlier that it is difficult for you to move in an office chair if it is placed on the carpet. Most importantly, moving gives harm to the carpet as well as your productivity. So to eliminate this negativity you should use a chair mat over the carpet beneath your chair base. It will not only protect the carpet but will improve your movement around your desk too. So try to be comfortable to step towards a productive work attitude.
Conclusion:
Do I need a chair mat on carpet is no more a question now because we have explained it in the best possible way. Moreover, I am sure, considering the above-described buying guide will definitely help to make right decision. Don’t forget! A wrong choice will lead to financial and psychological damage to you. So be careful and conscious while making a decision.