Office chair mats ruin carpet if you use the wrong type.
Using an office chair mat designed for that type of flooring protects it from wear and tear, preserving the integrity of the carpet.
Office chair mats offer many benefits for your carpet, and using the correct type for your carpeting protects its lifespan and makes it easier to move the chair.
Keep reading to learn the risks and benefits, as well as how to make sure you choose the correct mat.
How Improper Chair Mat Use Ruins Carpets
Using the wrong type of chair mat can ruin a carpet by tearing it up or providing insufficient protection.
For example, using medium cleats on a low pile carpet is more likely to cause damage as the chair rolls over them and snags the shorter fibers.
This might be more harmful than foregoing the carpet mat in certain cases.
Using a carpet mat designed for hard floor use can also fail to protect the carpet, as it does not offer the right grip, thickness, or weight.
It will likely shift on the fibers, adding to your frustration and failing to protect the areas you need to be covered.
Read More >> Top 5 Best Chair Mats for Carpet (2022 Review)
The Benefits of Chair Mats for Carpet
As long as you choose a chair mat suited for your carpet expect benefits such as:
- Protecting the carpet’s lifespan
- Moving around more easily and without straining your body
- Greater visual appeal
- Aesthetic protections
While the degree of protection varies depending on the chair mat, most cover these areas.
Protecting the Carpet’s Lifespan:
A carpet has a limited lifespan, usually around 5 years with normal use, but a rolling chair can shorten this drastically.
Carpets left unprotected from an office chair can wear down as quickly as one year.
A chair mat protects the fibers from the office chair by distributing the weight and preventing snags.
This lets the carpet live out the entirety of its lifespan, and you may notice this part of the carpet ends up nicer than the unprotected high-traffic areas.
Easier, Healthier Movement:
Casters experience greater resistance when rolling on a carpet than they do on a hard surface. You also notice this change going from low pile carpets to plush carpeting.
Because this defeats the purpose of using a rolling office chair, you want a mat that allows free movement.
Reducing the work needed to move around prevents strain on your lower back and legs, and it increases your opportunity to get work done.
Even if you don’t move your chair often, one slight snag is more than enough to cause irritation and potential injuries.
Visual Appeal:
Carpet mats help break up the monotony of your floor, and they serve as a placeholder for your chair.
Visually, we like to see balance in a room. Having a large piece of furniture like a desk or a chair without anything underneath can throw the visual balance off.
Chair mats come in a variety of sizes and styles, and you can find one to suit both your aesthetic sense and protective needs.
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Other Protection:
The primary purposes of a chair mat are protecting the fibers of your carpet and making it easier to roll around, but they protect you from other hazards as well.
Whether you are worried about snags, scuffs, stains, or liquid damage, there is a chair mat to offer these protections.
While a coffee spill may not ruin your carpet completely, it can leave you with an unsightly stain that has you cringing every time you sit down. An offer chair lets you avoid this discomfort.
Types of Carpets and Chair Mats
The key to choosing the right chair mat for your carpet is identifying the type of carpet you have installed.
This lets you know which features your mat must have, including the size of the cleats and the thickness of the chair mat.
Low Pile:
Low pile carpeting features short fibers that feel flat and dense. These carpets are easy to clean, and you can probably get away with sweeping up a mess to avoid pulling out the vacuum.
Low pile carpeting is common in office areas because it is more durable, allows better chair movement, and has few cleaning requirements.
Low pile chair mats are at least 3 mm thick and may not have cleats. They usually have a non-slip felt back to prevent the mat from slipping.
Read More >> Do You Need a Mat for a Standing Desk?
Medium Pile:
A medium pile carpet is slightly larger and most commonly used for domestic spaces like living rooms or bedrooms. This carpeting is more comfortable under your feet and provides greater cushioning.
Chair mats for medium pile carpets range from 5 mm to 20 mm thick. These mats almost always have cleats to help them hold on to the carpet and stay in place.
Plush/Shag:
Plush and shag carpets are far less common, but they exist. These fibers are often cut to a uniform height greater than that of a medium pile carpeting to create a soft and luxurious surface.
These are the softest carpets out there, and they usually use wool or synthetic fibers that can make cleaning more difficult.
These chair mats start on the thicker end of the medium chair mat range, and you should expect larger cleats to effectively grip the carpet fibers.
Choosing the Best Chair Mat for Your Carpet
To choose the best chair mat for your carpet, you need to discern the type of carpet you have, the size and shape you need to cover, and your stylistic preferences.
Read More >> Top 5 Best Chair Mats for Carpet (2022 Review)
Choose a chair mat that covers your work area with room to spare. While you can find creative shapes, the most common options are:
- Rectangles/squares
- Circles
- Teardrops (for corner desks)
If you are worried about rolling off this space, look at mats with a lip to prevent your chair from rolling off.
There are countless options out there, so finding one that fits the style of your space while protecting your flooring shouldn’t take long.
Taking the time to choose the right mat protects your office chair from ruining the carpet, and you can expect years of use from both.
