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Office chairs are excellent. They are so much comfier than regular chairs, and they are part of what makes office life bearable.
Office chairs allow you to move freely in your little workspace, and they help protect your back and hips from increased pressure due to prolonged sitting.
That being said, there is one bad thing about office chairs, and that is that they can damage the flooring that they are being used on.
The rolling function of office chairs can cause scratches on hardwood flooring, and tears and collapses of carpets. But there is something that can help protect your flooring from your office chair, and that is a chair mat.
There is a wide range of chair mats available that are guaranteed to protect your flooring from any unnecessary damage. You can get chair mats for hardwood floors, and you can get chair mats for carpet, but the most important thing is that you buy the one for your flooring.
Today we’re looking at chair mats that are designed to protect your carpet from the office chair. There are lots of different options available and this can make it difficult to find the one that is right for you, but there’s no need to worry because we’ve put together this guide to the best chair mat for carpet to help.
It’s complete with absolutely everything that you need to know about these devices to purchase the one that suits you perfectly. So with no further ado, let’s get started.
In a hurry?
If you need a chair mat to protect your carpets from your office chair in a hurry, we would recommend the AmazonBasics Polycarbonate Chair Mat.
We love this chair mat because it is excellent value for money, and made with bundles of great features, including:
- High impact resistance and easy glide rolling without damaging your carpets.
- Clear appearance which ensures that you can still see your beautiful carpet beneath the mat that is protecting it.
- A gripper underside that maximizes stability on the carpet, and ensures your mat will not slide about, no matter how thick your carpet is.
- Contains no tin, lead, cadmium, or phthalates to ensure that this chair mat is perfectly safe to use and poses no risk to you or your family.
OUR TOP PICK
Our favorite chair mat for carpet floors on the market is the AmazonBasics Polycarbonate Chair Mat. This is part of the Amazon Basics range but it does absolutely everything you could need from a chair mat.
It provides high impact resistance which allows you to easily glide on the mat and it does not curl or flex ensuring safety at all times.
It comes with a clear appearance meaning that you can see your carpet beneath it, and is easy to clean with no chemicals required.
Additionally, it comes with a gripper underside which ensures that the mat will never slide on your carpet, making this easily one of the best options available.
Pros:
- Provides high impact resistance and easy glide rolling
- Does not curl, cup, or flex on standard pile cupboards
- Excellent clear protection without preventing you from seeing your carpet
- Easy to clean with no chemicals required
- Gripper underside to make it safe and ensure that the chair mat does not move about
- Free of metals, cadmium, and phthalates to ensure that this mat is perfectly safe
Cons:
- No notable drawbacks
EDITORS CHOICE
We also love the GorillaGrip Premium Polycarbonate Chair Mat if you want to protect your carpet from your office chair. This mat is great as it is available with and without a lip allowing you to purchase the one that is best for your office’s shape.
It is over 3mm thick providing more than enough protection to your carpet and ensuring that the material will not curl or bend.
It has an extremely durable design which is enhanced by a slip-resistant backing that promises that the mat will not slide about on carpet.
With all of this and a transparent design which allows you to see your carpet through the mat, there’s no doubt this is one of the best options on the market.
Pros:
- Available with and without a lip so you can fit it into your workspace
- Over 3mm thick to ensure that the mat will not bend or curl at any point
- Extremely durable and guaranteed to last for years to come
- Slip-resistant backing which ensures that the mat will not slip on the carpet
- Transparent design allows you to see your carpet beneath the mat
- Allows you to glide on the mat without sinking into thicker carpets
Cons:
- No notable drawbacks
BEST VALUE
Another wonderful option is the Dimex Clear Rectangle Office Chair Mat. This is a brilliant choice if you want your mat to fit your office perfectly as it comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes so you can choose one that fits.
It is excellent for both small and large offices and comes with a clear design that will always fit with your office decor. You can get this mat with or without a lip, and it is also odor-free and toxin-free to ensure safety at all times.
With all of this plus a soft top surface so that your chair can easily glide, there’s no question that this is one of the best chair mats for carpet flooring.
Pros:
- Comes in a variety of different sizes so you can get one that’s perfect for your desk
- Works brilliantly with both small and large office chairs
- Clear design ensures that it fits perfectly with your workspace and decor
- Odor-free and contains no toxic chemicals for the utmost safety
- Buy with/without a lip
- Includes a soft top surface so that you can easily glide about in your chair
Cons:
- Not suitable for thick carpets
RUNNER UP
Alternatively, you should consider the Starcounters Office Chair Mat for Carpeted Floor. This mat is built to last with a heavy-duty and durable design that will survive for years to come.
It is designed so that it will not lift or curl and comes with a non-slip surface which prevents that mat from moving about on the carpet.
It easily cleans with water and requires no chemicals to be cleaned, and it is also 100% recyclable making it an eco-friendly product if you are conscious about the environment.
So with all of this plus the fact that it does not dent, it is clear that this is one of the best chair mats for carpet available.
Pros:
- Heavy-duty design ensures that this will last for years to come
- Non-slip surface ensures that the mat will not move about on carpet
- Designed so that it will not lift or curl at the edges so it will always be safe
- 100% recyclable making it an eco-friendly option
- Easily cleans with water, no chemicals needed
- Ensures that your chair wheels will not sink into the mat
Cons:
- Better suited for thicker carpets
RUNNER UP
Finally, you need to consider the OFM ESS Collection Chair Mat with Lip. This is another heavy-duty option that is guaranteed to provide durable protection to your carpet.
It provides premium quality at an affordable price and is easy to roll out and lay flat even though it is delivered in a circular tube.
Once rolled you will see that this mat has a clear design that allows your carpet to shine through and an anti-slip surface which ensures that the mat won’t slide and your wheels will not slip.
With all of this and the fact that this mat promotes ergonomic posture, it is understandable that this is one of the best chair mats for carpet that money can buy.
Pros:
- Provides heavy-duty and durable protection to your carpet
- Premium quality for an affordable price
- Easy to roll out and lays flat despite the fact it is delivered rolled
- Anti-slip surface that ensures your chair wheels will not slip and the mat won’t slide
- Clear design lets your carpet shine through
- Promotes ergonomic posture which will help ease back/hip pain
Cons:
- Takes a little while for it to lay completely flat
Best Chair Mat for Carpet Buying Guide
As anyone who uses an office chair will know, a chair mat is essential if you want to be able to enjoy the full ability of your chair.
With a chair mat, you no longer have to worry about your chair catching on the carpet, or scratches appearing on your hardwood flooring. But finding the perfect chair mat for you can be difficult, simply because there are so many excellent options available.
The options that we have looked at above are some of the best chair mats for carpet flooring on the market, but if you’re still unsure, there’s no need to stress because we’ve put together this quick buyer’s guide to help.
It contains everything you need to know about chair mats to ensure you buy the one that suits your carpet the best. So let’s take a look at what you need to consider.
Type of Flooring
The first, and perhaps most important, thing that you need to consider before buying a chair mat is the type of flooring that you want to protect.
On the surface, there appear to be two primary categories: hardwood and carpet, however, there are actually more things that you need to consider than these simple categories.
While a mat to protect hardwood flooring will protect all hardwood flooring, a mat designed to protect carpet will not protect all types of carpets. Let’s find out why.
While hardwood flooring all fits into one category, carpet flooring does not, and that is because of one reason: the thickness. As you will probably be aware, carpet comes in a variety of different thicknesses, and it is due to this that you will have to buy a different chair mat depending on how thick or thin your carpet is.
Carpet comes in 3 main thickness categories: low pile, medium pile, and thick pile. As you would expect, low pile is the thinnest option and thick pile is, as the name suggests, the thickest. Low pile is fairly easy to purchase chair mats for as most hardwood floor chair mats will also protect low pile carpets, which gives you a huge range of options.
But both medium and thick pile carpets will require a chair mat that is specifically designed for use on carpet. They require these mats not only to protect the carpet but to also allow you to use your office chair as it is supposed to be used.
If you do not use a chair mat, the wheels of your chair will likely sink into the carpet and your chair will not move freely. This is why you must always use a chair mat with carpet flooring.
Mat Shape
Finally, it is also vitally important that you consider the shape of the mat before you make a purchase. This might not be something that immediately strikes you as important, but it actually is as the wrong shape mat can prevent you from being able to lay it flat.
To decide which shape of mat is best for you, you will need to consider the size and shape of your workspace. There are three main shapes of chair mats that are better suited for different office spaces, so this is why it is important to consider your situation before buying.
The main three types of mats that you will encounter are square/rectangular mats, bulb mats, and mats which come with a lip. So let’s take a deeper look at what types of office spaces these mats are best suited for.
The standard chair mat will come in a square or rectangular shape depending on the dimensions of the mat that you have purchased.
These are usually the cheapest type of mat to purchase as they require very minimal effort to manufacture and can be mass-produced easily. These mats are also suitable for most workspaces which is why they are such a popular choice. But if you often roll your chair beneath your desk, then a lipped mat might be better for you.
Chair mats with a lip come with an extra rectangle of material that slots underneath your desk. It is easy to forget about the carpet beneath your desk but this requires protecting just as much as the rest of the carpet in your office.
Without you realizing, every single time you roll your chair beneath the desk you are putting that carpet at risk which is why lipped mats are a great option.
The final option that you have is a bulb-shaped mat. These are more circular than the other two and are perfect if you have a corner desk in your office. You must consider all of your options before deciding which mat to buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are chair mats bad for carpet?
It is a common misconception that chair mats are bad for carpets, and you can understand why people think this when you see the way that chair mats compress carpets.
However, as long as you purchase a chair mat that is designed for use on carpet then the chair mat will not do any damage.
There are lots of different types of chair mats available, some are designed for use on carpet, and others are designed for use on hardwood flooring.
But as long as you purchase the one that is designed for the type of flooring that you want to protect, it will not damage the carpet.
How do you keep chair mats from sliding on carpet?
There are lots of different ways that you can prevent your chair mats from sliding on your carpet flooring. But the best way to do this is to buy a chair mat that includes non-slip rubber backing.
This material will prevent the mat from sliding on the carpet floor, and is extremely effective when used on thicker carpet.
Alternatively, you can use grippers to attach the chair mat to your carpet, or a non-skid underlay that can be placed beneath the mat to prevent sliding.
If the first method that you use does not work, there’s no need to stress as there are plenty of other methods you can use which will likely prove effective.
Can you use hard floor chair mats on carpet?
No, you cannot use hard floor chair mats. Well actually that is not strictly true, you can use hard floor chair mats on carpet, however, they are likely to cause damage to the carpet.
Hard floor chair mats and carpet floor mats are very different from each other, so you must use the type of mat which is designed for the flooring that you are trying to protect.
Hard floor chair mats are much thinner than carpet floor mats which is why hard floor chair mats are not suitable for use on carpet, especially carpet which is of a thicker size.
So you should only ever use a hard floor chair mat for hardwood flooring, and a carpet chair mat for carpet flooring.
