With many workplace employees organising distant workstations at dwelling, there’s a new emphasis on creating a snug and protected home-office setting. Laptop desks, workplace chairs and gear are actually filling up areas that have been beforehand dens, rec rooms or spare bedrooms. One vital floor to guard from workplace chair wheels and shoe scuffs is the flooring, particularly hardwoods. Unpleasant or damaging ruts and scratches can completely mar a hardwood ground over time.

The answer for this drawback is a heavy-duty chair mat. An workplace chair mat supplies a barrier between the hardwood ground and the work area. The caster wheels of an workplace chair can nonetheless transfer freely, however they gained’t make abrasive contact with the ground itself. Chair mats with a further lip will even shield the ground from hard-soled sneakers. Most chair mats are constructed from a sturdy type of plastic, polycarbonate or even-tempered glass.

Among the best chair mats available on the market at the moment is the Gorilla Grip Polycarbonate Chair Mat, an exceptionally thick mannequin with a protecting lip and beneficiant dimensions.

What to know before you purchase a chair mat for hardwood flooring

Building materials

Essentially the most noticeable distinction between a primary entry-level chair mat for hardwood flooring and a higher-end mannequin is the development materials. Cheap chair mats have a tendency to make use of vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). These supplies do present respectable safety between the chair and ground, however in addition they have sturdiness and questions of safety. Slippage is a typical concern with both vinyl or PVC until the mat additionally accommodates a backing materials. These supplies may also be troublesome to flatten in the event that they arrive in a roll.

Midrange chair mats are sometimes produced from a sturdier type of plastic known as polycarbonate. Polycarbonate chair mats are sometimes shipped flat to keep away from curling, they usually have been designed to supply extra grip on a comparatively clean floor reminiscent of hardwood. Polycarbonate can be extra sturdy than both vinyl or PVC.

On the highest finish of the spectrum is tempered glass, which supplies most sturdiness and adhesion. A tempered glass chair mat all the time arrives flat, and lots of fashions incorporate a protecting lip to maintain the chair and occupant within the correct location.

Dimensions

The perfect dimensions of an workplace chair mat are typically decided by the scale of the desk and workspace. Many producers provide a variety of sizes, sometimes rectangular or sq.. The kind of flooring can even play a task in sizing a chair mat. Earlier than ordering a chair mat, it helps to measure the width of the desk and the space of the chair from the desk.

Trending: Best Office Chair Mat For Hardwoods: Top 7 Picks

Many workplace chair mats incorporate an extension or lip that matches below the desk and supplies further safety from shoe scuffs. This additionally supplies parking area for the chair between makes use of. A lip is just not important to guard a hardwood ground from harm, however many customers do discover it useful.

Ease of use

A chair mat shipped in rolled type is probably not prepared for service straight away. Some vinyl or PVC fashions require just a few hours of off-gassing to cut back any chemical odors upon arrival. Eliminating the curl or fold can even take some effort and time, reminiscent of putting the mat in direct daylight for not less than an hour.

The extent of adhesion between the mat and the flooring can be a consideration. Chair mats for carpeting typically comprise particular studs for extra grip, however chair mats for hardwood flooring have to be clean. The underside floor can’t be too abrasive, as a result of that will harm the ground’s end. A top quality chair mat ought to stay securely in place whereas the person performs routine actions within the chair. Some slippage could also be unavoidable, however the mat shouldn’t be so slick {that a} severe fall might happen.

Chair mat for hardwood flooring options

Shade choice

Many chair mats designed for hardwood flooring are produced from clear supplies to permit the pure aesthetics of the flooring to be seen. Nonetheless, some producers additionally provide chair mats in gradations of grey, black or impartial colours. There are additionally chair mats accessible in bolder tones that accent the room’s total coloration scheme.

Antistatic properties

Normal chair mats for hardwood flooring can construct up static electrical energy over time, and that cost might be launched into a pc or different delicate electronics with the contact of a finger. Particular antistatic chair mats are designed to dissipate any build-up of static electrical energy earlier than it may be discharged. This info must be included on the product description or packaging.

Chair mat for hardwood flooring value

The least-expensive chair mats for hardwood flooring will most probably be constructed of vinyl or PVC and value lower than $35. A top quality midrange chair mat produced from a extra sturdy polycarbonate can retail within the $35-$70 vary. Excessive-end tempered glass chair mats can value $70 or extra, however the efficiency high quality is phenomenal.

Chair mat for hardwood flooring FAQ

How can I inform which is the highest and backside facet of my new chair mat?

A. Most chair mats designed for hardwood flooring have a clean facet and a textured facet. The underside facet is clean to guard the flooring, and the highest facet is textured to supply extra traction for an workplace chair with caster wheels. Some producers connect a sticker or different marker earlier than transport to point correct orientation.

Why does my chair mat have an prolonged tongue?

Trending: Chair Casters for Hardwood Floors to Protect Your Office

A. Many chair mats for hardwood flooring are sq. or rectangular, and they’re designed to guard the flooring beneath the chair. A chair mat with an prolonged tongue or flap is designed to suit below the desk and supply a barrier between the ground and the person’s ft.

Which chair mat for hardwood flooring ought to I get?

Better of one of the best chair mat for hardwood flooring

Gorilla Grip Polycarbonate Chair Mat: accessible at Amazon

Our take: The Gorilla Grip chair mat works properly on a variety of flooring however is an particularly good match with hardwood flooring in dwelling workplaces.

What we like: The mat is constructed from sturdy polycarbonate, not thinner PVC. With a thickness over 3 mm, it resists divots, indentations and grooves attributable to workplace chairs. The clear polycarbonate materials minimizes the looks of the chair mat on hardwood flooring or carpeting. Chairs glide simply over the sleek prime floor, whereas the underside floor resists sliding and migration.

What we dislike: The mat could also be shipped in rolled type, not flat as promoted. The adhesive product label is difficult to take away.

Greatest bang to your buck chair mat for hardwood flooring

AiBOB Workplace Chair Mat for Hardwood Flooring: accessible at Amazon

Our take: The entry-level value of this polyethylene chair mat makes it superb for distant employees who want to guard their dwelling flooring from the wear and tear and tear of workplace chairs.

Trending: Best chair mat for hardwood floors

What we like: The inexpensive value level is interesting for many who want a number of mats. The mat is designed particularly for laborious surfaces, together with wooden, tile, concrete and linoleum. It is constructed from polyethylene and accommodates no BPA or phthalate. The floor is simple to wash and resists staining.

What we dislike: A powerful chemical odor upon arrival is a typical grievance, requiring an extended airing-out interval earlier than use.

Honorable point out chair mat for hardwood flooring

Amazon Fundamentals Polycarbonate Workplace Chair Mat: accessible at Amazon

Our take: This sturdy polycarbonate chair mat is an inexpensive various to high-end fashions promoted by Huge Field workplace provide shops.

What we like: The chair mat is out there in a variety of sizes for various workplace desk and chair dimensions. The design contains an under-desk lip that protects the ground from shoe harm. The polycarbonate materials lies flat quickly after unboxing and resists curling. It doesn’t comprise phthalates or heavy metals. The mat is designed particularly for hardwood flooring, not carpeting.

What we dislike: The quantity of grip on hardwood flooring might be variable, with some slipping reported.Michael Pollick is a author for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product evaluate firm with a singular mission: to assist simplify your buying choices and prevent money and time.

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