When you have an office at home with beautiful hardwood flooring, you want to protect it as much as possible. Using an office chair on hardwood floors can damage it when you roll around the room. There’s a huge chance of the wheels creating scratches and other damage. With that said, you might wonder, ‘do you need a chair mat for hardwood floors?’ Well, you are on the right page.
Yes! Chair mats can protect your hardwood floors from office chair wheels. Now, using chair mats long-term can damage your floors slowly. Dust can be trapped under the mat over time, and chemicals can be present and can scratch or discolor your hardwood flooring.
Chair mats are a great option when it comes to protecting your hardwood floors from your office chairs. In this article, you will know whether you need chair mats or not for your hardwood floors. Aside from that, I will also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using chair mats. You will also know the different types of chair mats that you can purchase and also what are the different alternatives you can do aside from using a chair mat.
Chair Mats on Your Hardwood Floors: Do You Really Need It?
When it comes to chair mats, they are not necessary to add to your office. You can get different alternatives like rollerblade-style wheels, which will eventually defeat the purpose of chair mats. As I’ve mentioned above, chair mats will eventually ruin your hardwood floors when they are placed on them for a long time.
It is best to go with alternatives such as bell glides, standing desks, and much more. Chair mats are only effective in avoiding damage to ordinary rolling chairs. There are better solutions to cubicle-style offices, however.
Now, don’t take this the wrong way; you can also use chair mats if you please, as there are some advantages that come with them. However, there are also plenty of disadvantages to using chair mats in your workplace.
Chair Mats on Hardwood Floors and Their Advantages
Office Chair Casters: Chair Mats are the Answer
Office chair wheels can scratch hardwood floors which can be expensive to repair; you might even have to replace your flooring if the scratches are too much. Chair mats are the answer to prevent the scratches that will form over time from long-term use.
There are also some chances that permanent scratches may be present on your flooring due to the chair sliding back and forth while you are working. When you have chair mats, you can avoid repetitive wear and tear.
Spill-Free: No Worry!
Coffee is our best friend when it comes to working hours. If you are not a coffee drinker, you might have some other type of drink on your desk. Now, you may hastily spill some drinks or even food on your hardwood flooring.
When you have chair mats, you don’t have to worry about protecting your floor against these spills—no need to worry about damaging your beautiful floors.
Provides Flexibility, Mobility, and a Good Appearance
Chair mats provide flexibility by being able to move your chair smoothly in different parts or sides of your workstation. Being able to do this is critical when you need to multitask during your work. It will also let your body move properly.
The mats will be able to give you leverage to move, reposition, and adjust your chair as you may need it.
Lastly, it will give an aesthetic look and feel to your office. When you have high-end office chair mats, they can provide a sophisticated look. Aside from that, it will also make your home office appear clean, tidy, and organized.
Having this type of working environment will allow you to work productively and get things done rather than having a chaotic environment.
Using Chair Mats and Their Disadvantages
Yes, chair mats have their advantages when used on hardwood floors. However, there are some disadvantages that you should consider when deciding if you need this or not in your office.
When you keep your chair mat on the hardwood floor for a long period of time, it can collect dust between the mat and the floor. It is best to replace it at least once a year to avoid this problem. However, it can get expensive as time goes on.
Aside from that, it can leave stains on the hardwood floor and can cause scratches when your office chair slides back and forth. The covered part of the chair mat is the easily moving zone for your office chair. Having said this, it limits the space where you can move.
Lastly, chair mats can be a bit expensive. They can cost up to $900, and when you need to replace them once in a while, it can break the bank.
Types of Chair Mats that Are Safe for Hardwood Flooring
Chair mats are specifically designed to protect your hardwood floors. Now, not all chair mats are made the same. So it is best that you take different factors into consideration when shopping around for your mats.
The worst chair mat you can purchase for your hardwood floor is the soft one without the non-slip back. These are made for carpets, and there are some people who choose to buy these types of mats, which is not very recommendable.
The best chair mat that you can get for your hardwood flooring is one that is made out of tempered glass. This may be the best way to go if you have the money to splurge. It is the most expensive option on the market since it provides long-term strength.
Aside from that, it also has a built-in protective lip that makes them stick to the floor, so it wouldn’t be moving around while you use it. The Lorell Tempered Glass Chair Mat 50” Clear is the best option for this type of chair mat.
The next option that you have is at a mid-range price which is made out of polycarbonate, which is made out of soft and durable plastic. Most manufacturers usually ship these mats flat so that they wouldn’t curl up. The Marvelux Heavy Duty Polycarbonate Office Chair Mat is the best option for this category.
If you are a person that is on a budget, you can purchase a chair mat made out of vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chair mat. You can use this type of chair mat on hardwood floors as long as it has an anti-slip backing. It may not be the best option for hard surfaces, but it will do.
The best budget option chair mat that you can purchase is the Superbuy PVC Chair Mat for Hardwood Floors which is available on Amazon.
Make sure that you stick to these types of chair mats so that you don’t have to worry about ruining your beautiful hardwood flooring!
Alternative to Hardwood Flooring Chair Mats
The main role of chair mats is to provide great protection for your hardwood flooring. Not all people are big fans of chair mats as they limit your movement. Also, there’s a belief that a chair will ruin the beautiful hardwood flooring.
There are a couple of tips that you can follow if you don’t want to use chair mats, and I’ll be discussing that in the following section.
Opt for Standing Desks
When you spend long hours sitting down, it can be a risk to your health and posture. To reduce the risk, it is better that you opt to use standing desks. With a standing desk, you can easily adjust the height of the desk with a press of a button.
Since you don’t need to use a chair on a standing desk, there is no need to worry about damaging your hardwood flooring.
Replace the Casters of Your Office Chairs
When it comes to traditional office chair casters are usually made out of plastic. They can be easily rollable. However, they can be the main cause of damage to your flooring. You can purchase alternate casters rather than buying a chair mat.
Casters are wheels that are made out of durable polyurethane material, which is a type of rubber and can cover less surface area than regular office chair wheels. These would have less damage than the regular wheels.
If you don’t have time for this task, you can place a layer of duct tape around your caster’s circumference. Doing this will provide some protection on your hardwood flooring.
Conclusion
You can definitely use chair mats to protect your hardwood floors, but you need to make sure you are using the right one. There are different factors that you need to consider when you are shopping around for your chair mat. If you don’t use the right material for the chair mat, there is a bigger chance of ruining your hardwood floors. Not every person would prefer using chair mats, so there are alternatives that you can do, such as changing the casters or using a standing desk to prevent damaging the hardwood flooring.
