7 Best Chair Mats For Carpet And Hardwood Floors

A chair mat is specifically designed to protect your flooring or carpets from wear and tear. A good chair with the perfect ergonomics along with a desk can do wonders at making your workplace less stressful and more luxurious.

Since most of us move our chairs several times a day, it becomes essential to buy a chair mat for easy movement of chairs and little strain on our legs, backs as well as on the floors.

Choosing a perfect chair mat can be quite a struggle with the range of products available in markets. It is for this reason that we have compiled a list of the best chair mats for carpets and hardwood floors.

Along with this, we have also attached a comprehensive guide where we have listed all the factors you need to look out for when going for floor mat shopping. This article also answers some common FAQs regarding chair mats at the end of it.

List Of 7 Best Chair Mats Reviewed

1. Heavy Duty Carpet Chair Mat

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This heavy-duty chair mat has been designed for carpets and not suitable for hard floors. Made out of polycarbonate, this chair mat is transparent like glass. This mat is to be cleaned only with chemical-free water otherwise the product can crack or face damage.

Features

This polycarbonate chair mat comes with a studded underside that acts as a carpet grabber and holds the mat firmly in place.

The chair mat extends beyond the main rectangular area of the mat so that it could be easily placed under the desk and protect the floor underneath it.

The dimensions of the product are 48 x 36 x 0.11 inches.

The best thing about this chair mat is that the chair wheel doesn’t sink or leave marks on the mat. It only allows the smooth sailing of your chairs along with a firm grip on the ground while staying flat.

This polycarbonate mat is very durable and highly transparent which increases the aesthetic value of your room while also letting the beauty of your floor shine through, same as a transparent chair.

The mat is phthalate-free, free from volatile toxic compounds, and does not release any toxic chemicals so that the indoor environment of your house or workplace can be kept safe and healthy.

Pros

• Very high durability and heavy-duty performance
• Environment-friendly materials used
• Studded undersides for added sturdiness and stability
• Withstands 200,000 loading cycles
• Allows super smooth rolling of the chair

Cons

• Carpet grabbers can be seen under certain lighting

2. Starcounters Chair Mat

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This is one of the best chair mats for carpet and is supposed to be cleaned only with water, not chemicals as they can cause damage and cracks on the mat’s surface.

This office chair mat comes with a sturdy grip to hold onto the carpet and does not let your chair slip and slide around while you work peacefully.

Features

This heavy-duty chair mat comes in a durable build that lasts for years and does not release any toxic fumes or odors. The product has been tested to withstand a whopping 90,000 loading cycles and does not dent or crack easily.

The desk chair mat has been made out of the best quality, heavy-duty, durable, and 100% polycarbonate material and with the dimensions of 1/8 x 48 x 36 inches, resists a lot of damage.

Its transparent design makes your room interior look great while also letting the beauty of your floor shine through it, making it perfect for your home or office!

At 1/8 inches thick, this chair mat does not have any bending or curling edges and the chair does not sink in it or leave any marks. There are no parts sticking up, only a firm grip and easy chair movement. It is perfect for low and medium pile carpet.

This office chair mat is 100% recyclable and free of PVC, Vinyl, and Phthalate which provides the user with a healthy indoor environment.

Pros

• Environment friendly by being 100 percent recyclable
• No bending or curling edges
• Heavy-duty and highly durable
• Studs with a 4mm long underside for an excellent grip
  Prone to cracks

Cons

• Not meant for hard floors

3. Mushyn Chair Mat with Cushioned Foam

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This chair mat is an ambassador of innovation and style. This cool Mushyn 2 in 1 anti-fatigue comfort chair mat comes in a cool and comfortable ergonomic design that protects your floor as well as enhances your posture with its footrest.

Make your feet say thank you while you work on your PC with the comfortable cushioned footrest that helps you combat incorrect posture and unnecessary strain. This chair mat uses your body weight to relieve pressure and reduce fatigue after long periods of sitting.

Features

This anti fatigue mat comes with a 1/2 inch foam core to reduce stress and discomfort while sitting. This feature makes the chair mat a 2 in 1 ergonomic mat.

This Mushyn chair mat is suitable for hardwood floors and its thick carpet of 0.06 inch (1.5 mm) provides a smooth rolling on which you can place your chair without any hassles. Its scratch, stain, and tear-resistant surface is perfect for the smooth rolling of your chair without leaving any marks or indentations.

The chair mat’s eco-friendly properties make it a healthy and safe choice for your workplace or rooms. The chair mat is phthalate-free and suitable for hard surfaces such as wood, tile, laminate, low pile carpet, etc.

Pros

• Eco friendly and safe
• Comes in an ergonomic design
• Anti-fatigue cushion foam footrest
• Enhances and improves posture
• Scratch and stain-resistant

Cons

• Mat could jam under the desk

4. MuArts Crystal Clear Hard Mat

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The dimensions of this cool chair mat are 47″ x 35″ x 0.2″ (length x width x height) and the product weighs about 14 lbs. This chair stands to be the thickest and heaviest as compared to other chair mats of this size.

Features

The chair mat is perfect to support your chair on carpet or hardwood floor and since this product is made out of top quality hard material, it cannot be folded or rolled. Its hard surface and flat structure are what give this chair mat its durability.

This chair mat is transparent like a piece of crystal-clear glass which allows the beauty of your carpeted floor to shine through it. Additionally, this heavy-duty chair mat can withstand 1200 lbs of pressure.

Pros

• Made out of non-toxic and odorless, top quality material
• Highly stable and sturdy
• Made to withstand wear and tear
• Does a great job in protecting flooring

Cons

• Might develop wrinkles after a long time

5. Ilyapa Chair Mat

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This Ilyapa chair mat not only provides a sturdy and stable base to put your chair on but also protects your hard flooring from scratches and marks. The chair mat is suitable for hardwood, tile, laminate, concrete, and other hard floors. However, this mat is not suitable for use on carpeted floors.

Features

The chair mat is slip and scuff resistant and does not stain easily. The upward surface is lightly textured so that you can easily control your chair’s movements while working.

This cool plastic chair mat comes in a smooth design that lets chairs glide over it easily. To clean the mats, one only needs to wipe the stained area with a mildly soapy cloth.

Ilyapa chair mat, made of PVC, is one of the best chair mats for hardwood floors and is highly durable and can survive wear & tear. These mats are built to last, with no cracks, odor, curls, or discoloration.

Pros

• Slip and scuff resistant
• Easy to clean
• Highly durable design

Cons

• Rolling the mat might lead to waves on surfaces

6. Anji Mountain Rug’d Chair Mat

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The Anji chair mat is a versatile pick when it comes to a product that is the perfect combination of style and durability. This 100% jacquard woven polyester rug comes with a felt back layer that does not let the mat slide from below your chair.

This cool rectangular chair mat comes in an abstract gray diamond print but is also available in a wide range of designs. Choose from over 20 different designs to suit your interior décor. The product can be spot-cleaned with a mild soap solution.

Features

The chair mat is ¼ inch thick and is suitable for hard surfaces as a commercial carpet. The mat comes with a 100% phthalate-free PVC core which makes its mid-layer provide durable support.

Its tightly woven polyester rug surface allows the chair to glide over it smoothly while also adding to your room décor.

Needless to say, this mat has been specially crafted for hardcore performance and durability. The dimensions of the product are 36″ x 48″ with 1/4″ mat thickness.

Along with the felt back-layer, the chair mat also comes with rubberized dots which prevents the mat from sliding on any type of floor or carpet.

Pros

• Available in a range of exciting designs
• 100% Jacquard Woven Polyester
• Perfectly styled and built
• Provides super-smooth gliding of chairs

Cons

• No size variables

7. Lorell Tempered Glass Chair Mat

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The Lorell chair mat is made out of the best quality scratch-resistant glass material that ensures a long-lasting smoothness and high durability of the mat in all settings.

This glass chair mat has an easy-to-clean design that does not need a lot of maintenance. This rectangle-tempered glass chair mat is crystal clear and allows the chair to glide smoothly over it without any hassles, making your work environment super comfy.

Features

The dimensions of the product are 36″x 46″x 0.25″.

This durable Lorell chair mat is built in such a way that it can support up to an impressive 1,000 lbs weight, making it suitable for a heavy person. The product can be used on any floor type like marble, hardwood, including high-pile or low-pile carpet, and a lot of other types of floors.

Its crystal clear design helps the mat to camouflage and also makes for a good décor as it does not look out of the place or stick out oddly.

Overall, the product is sturdy, smooth, and highly durable!

Pros

• Easy to clean
• Highly durable
• The casters do not leave impressions or dents
• The chair glides easily without leaving marks
• Inexpensive and best

Cons

• Breakable if comes in contact with a metal item with force
• The glass is very heavy

Chair mats can indeed make for a very important piece of furniture when it comes to protecting your floors as well as providing a sturdy base for your chairs so that they can slide easily on them.

Chair mats come in various shapes, sizes, designs, and for different types of flooring. One made for carpeting might not be the best for hard flooring which is why it is important to know exactly what you want and for what setting you want when you plan to buy a chair mat.

A base for your chairs, a piece of home décor, or a means of improving posture – chair mats are underrated workplace and household products. They distribute your weight evenly on the ground.

Due to the variety of these mats available in stores, it is understandable to feel a little confused. That’s why we have covered the best chair mats for carpets and hardwood floors, and for different settings. The next section provides you with a comprehensive guide towards buying your ideal chair mat.

Factors To Consider To Pick Best Chair Mat For Carpet

1. Size

The mat should be big enough to allow your chair to glide on it without rolling off the mat. Keep in mind the area of your workplace. A larger mat than required does no harm but a smaller one is useless.

2. Shape

Mats come in circular, rectangular, and other shapes. Choose a shape that best fits your desk’s shape. A rectangular one is recommended if you move around your chair a lot.

3. Classifying mat type

Chair mats come in low pile, short pile, medium pile, and thick pile types for carpets. If you put a lot of pressure on the floor, you can also opt for a tempered glass type of chair mat. The more pressure you put, the thicker mat you require to distribute your weight evenly.

4. Type of flooring

If you have a solid floor made out of vinyl, concrete, tiles, or hardwood, a smooth-backed mat would be useful. A felt layer at the back will also prevent the mat from moving around the floor. However, if you have carpet flooring, go for mats with rubber grippers at the back so that they remain in their place while in use.

5. Frequency of usage

If you use your mat a lot throughout the day, choose a thick one as they are more durable and less prone to indentations and wear and tear. On the other hand, a mat that is not used as frequently can be thinner.

6. Footrest

Some mats come with a padded footrest which is usually placed at the lip of the mat. If your chair mat comes with a footrest, it can provide you with support as well as improve your posture.

FAQs

1. How to clean and take care of chair mats?

Compared to chair cleaning, mats require more often cleaning. Chair mats should never come in contact with chemical cleaners as they might cause corrosion and abrasion of the surfaces which will ultimately weaken the mats and cause them to get damaged.

Chair mats are products meant to stay in a particular area but this is what makes it all the more important to clean the mats regularly.

Staying at one location makes the mats prone to accumulating dust and moisture which can lead to dirt buildup on these mats. You must regularly adjust the chair mat’s position to avoid this buildup as well as clean it from time to time. Mats made out of different materials need to be cleaned differently. The main two categories of chair mats have been discussed in the following section:

For Glass Chair Mats

Glass chair mats can be cleaned with mild soap and water. To increase the gloss and shine of the mat’s surface, you can use a damp piece of cloth and gently wipe the mat before placing it.

Refrain from using chemical cleaners or anything other than a mild soap and a soft cloth otherwise, it may lead to abrasion of the surface. Due to this, the glass will be weakened which will ultimately cause the glass to crack after some time.

For Polycarbonate and PVC Chair Mats

For these mats, you can use a soft, damp cloth to wipe the surface gently. These mats should not be washed directly under water as this may reduce the mat’s glossiness from the surface. Avoid vacuuming or brooming the mats too.

2. How thick should a chair mat be?

The thicker the chair mat the better it is since the thickness will not lead to curling of the mat or raised edges in the mat. This will make it easier for the chair to roll on it.  Thicker chair mats also prevent unnecessary movement of the chair on the mat by staying more level and sturdy.

The first step you should take before going ahead and buying yourself a chair mat is classifying the type of your floor.  Mats that are manufactured for hardwood floors or vinyl, concrete or tiled floors are manufactured in one thickness since they rest on a solid platform quite easily.

However, mats manufactured for carpeted floors come in a range of thicknesses with rubber grippers or extra padding for added grip. If your floor is carpeted, you must know about the four different types of floor coverings – low pile, short pile, medium pile, and thick pile.

This is done so that you can buy the product that best suits your flooring and does not let the chair mat slip away while also keeping your flooring safe and free from damage.

To measure the type of your carpet, you can fold a paper clip and push its metal bar through the carpet and padding in such a way that it meets the subfloor.

By measuring the distance between the top of the carpet and the subfloor, you can get the desired thickness of the chair mat that will best suit your flooring. Select a mat for this depth after you have decided what material you want your chair mat to be made out of.

3. How chair mat protects the floor from rolling chair?

Chair mats, along with providing a solid base for your chairs to roll on, also double up as matting to protect your floors. Rolling chairs exert a lot of pressure on the ground as your entire body weight is narrowed down to only five wheels of the chair that come in contact with the floor.

This high pressure can cause permanent marks on hardwood floors and ruin your carpets. This is where chair mats come in. They distribute your weight evenly by providing a wider area of contact between your chair and the floor, reducing the amount of pressure put on the floor per unit area.

Chair mats also prevent any scratches or indentations that the chair can cause to your precious flooring. When it comes to carpets, people who use chairs with wheels find it very difficult to move around since the carpet surface often causes friction.

This can also lead to the carpet surface getting damaged due to wear and tear. A chair mat prevents these and provides you with a smooth surface to roll your chair on.

A good chair mat also protects the natural beauty of your carpets and keeps them clean and safe, thus increasing their durability as well. With a chair mat that is flat as well as transparent, you do not even have to worry about concealing your beautiful flooring as the floor’s beauty can be seen right through the chair mat.

4. Are glass chair mats good?

Chair mats made of glass are actually made out of tempered glass which is safe and tougher than regular glass. These properties make them better, safer, less breakable, and more durable than regular glass while also giving them five times the endurance of normal glass.

Tempered glass mats are amazing when it comes to enduring weight of up to 1000 lbs. These mats are great for carpeted floors as well as tile, hardwood, or vinyl floors which make these chair mats super versatile unlike mats made of other materials.

Tempered glass mats are usually scratch and scuff resistant while also providing your chair with a strong and sturdy base to glide around on. These mats do a great job in distributing your weight evenly while also protecting your floor. The hard surface of tempered glass does not let the chair make any indentations on it as well.

The only downside of these chair mats is that with wear and tear, they are prone to developing cracks, and when they do get damaged, they break or shatter which can be a little difficult to clean.

To sum up, the benefits of tempered glass chair mats here are a few points:

• Are crystal clear so that the beauty of your floor can shine through it.
• Are very strong, sturdy, and smooth.
• A very flat surface with no tension of curling, bending or raised edges.
• Let the chair glide on it and do not let it slip off while staying at their fixed places.
• Can endure a weight capacity of up to a whopping 1000 lbs.

Are perfect for both hard floors and carpeted floors.