All About Chairmats

Floor insurance

Chairmats are proof that letting people walk all over you doesn't make you a weakling. A chairmat is as sturdy and dependable as they come, providing lasting protection for the carpet or flooring surface in your home or office. A chairmat is a small investment that will pay huge dividends in the long run. When it comes to protecting your floor, it's all about chairmats.

What is a chairmat?

A chairmat is a large, flat piece of vinyl, wood, pressboard, or rubber that provides a smooth and strong barrier between a chair and the floor. Chairmats are a sort of insulation for office flooring, absorbing the pressure that's applied by chair legs or rolling wheels, and thus cutting down on the wear and tear that would make frequent office redecorating and renovation necessary.

Many chairmats are also shaped to accommodate unique office spaces such as cubicles. Many chairmats are square, while others are square with an extended tab in the middle to reach beneath your desk. Other chairmats may have extra length on the sides or an indentation meant to accommodate a desk or filing cabinet.

Chairmat materials

Most chairmats are made of vinyl, especially chairmats intended for use in carpeted areas. An obvious design problem was how to prevent chairmats from slipping during use, so many vinyl chairmats also feature teeth or cleats on the underside. If a chairmat is meant for use on a surface such as vinyl or linoleum, its underside will typically feature rubber pads or grippers.

Purchasing points

When shopping for chairmats, there are several purchasing points to keep in mind:

Customcut

A custom cut chairmat can be made to accommodate your uniquely shaped workstation or area. A custom cut chairmat will help eliminate the chairmat speedbump problem, which occurs when you roll off your chairmat to reach a printer or cabinet and have to rock your chair back over the edge of the chairmat.

Moisture

Work areas prone to moisture can be dealt with by getting a chairmat with airholes for better air circulation.

Static

Carpeted areas that are prone to static problems are best handled by anti-static chairmats. The materials in vinyl are excellent for combating this problem. Anti-static chairmats are also of functional value in environments with a great deal of electrical equipment, such as recording studios or computer rooms.

Chairmat brands

There are a number of companies making chairmats today, but Eldon Rubbermaid chairmats seem to be especially popular. Eldon chairmats offer a unique Bevel Track edge that eliminates the chairmat speedbump problem for even the smallest chairmats. The sloped edge allows you to roll your office chair on and off the chairmat as necessary.

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