Floor mats for chairs are some of the most cost-effective office products around. They extend the life of your carpet or floor by protecting against wear and tear and preventing scratches on hardwood floors. They can also protect your equipment and data from damage caused by static electricity. Chair mats make it easier for a desk chair to move over floors or pile carpets, minimizing resistance and drag and preventing scuff marks. Some office chair mats are padded, providing ergonomic benefits, including footrests and antifatigue properties for sit-stand desks or standing desks.
To experience these benefits, take a look at the chair mats below. We include office mat choices to protect your pile carpet and hard floor.
What are Office Floor Mats?
An office floor or chair mat is meant to be placed under desk chairs. They can protect your carpet or floor against drag marks from chair wheels.
7 Best Chair Mats for the Floor
Chair mats come in many different sizes, materials, and designs. Consider your needs to help you pick out the best office chair mat for your business.
- Top Pick: Amazon Polycarbonate Chair Mat
- Runner up: Dimex Clear Rectangle Office Chair Mat
- Best Value: Anji Mountain Standard Bamboo Roll-Up Chair mat
- Best Chair Mat for Carpet: Anji Rug’d Mountain Chair Mat
- Best Chair Mat for Hard Wood Floors: Sallous Office Floor Mat for Hard Surfaces
Amazon Polycarbonate Chair Mat for Hard Floors
Top Pick: Our top choice is an Amazon Basics chair mat — an office products brand generally known to be no-frills yet good value and cost-effective. This durable chair mat is made of polycarbonate, which is considered a strong material to avoid wear and tear.
The polycarbonate chair mat is impact-resistant, heavy-duty, and provides an easy-glide surface to roll office chair wheels. It is claimed the surface will not curl, cup, or flex on hard floor surfaces.
This rectangular mat for hard surfaces is meant for wood, tile, laminate, linoleum, and concrete. This mat has over 2,700 customer reviews, many with a high star rating.
AmazonBasics Polycarbonate Chair Mat For Hard Floors
Sallous Office Floor Mat for Hard Surfaces
Runner Up: The Sallous chair mat looks like a rug. Offered in multiple colors, including dark blue (pictured), black, dark gray, and light gray, it is more aesthetically pleasing in providing floor protection than some other chair mats.
Sallous’ chair mat is made of polyester and an acrylic resin with 100% recyclable materials. The soft loop-like fabric protects your floor from damage by chair legs. The soft fabric is designed specifically for hard floors only and is not made for carpets.
You can clean it with a vacuum cleaner. It is slip-resistant and gets good customer reviews with a high star rating on Amazon.
Office Chair Mat, Upgraded Version – Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floors
Anji Mountain Standard Bamboo Roll-Up Desk Chair Mat
Best Value: Are you looking for an office chair mat for aesthetically pleasing carpets? Perhaps you want a natural material to complement your home office carpet.
This chair mat is the standard version designed for low pile carpets. This chair mat is made from 100% durable bamboo and a UV-curved coating. Since it is bamboo, you can easily clean it with a damp cloth and water.
Other versions of this chair mat come in thicknesses suitable for medium pile carpets and plush carpets, with three colors to coordinate with your office desk and office chairs.
It is ideal for home or office, both. It gets good customer reviews with a high star rating.
Anji Mountain Standard Bamboo Roll-Up Chair Mat
Floortex Polycarbonate Chair Mat
The Floortex Polycarbonate Chair Mat is translucent to show off your hardwood flooring. It is made with 100% recyclable polycarbonate with a smooth back and an anti-slip coating, keeping the mat in place without leaving marks or residue.
Floortex for carpeted floors also offers mats with grippers that keep your chair mat in place without damaging the floor. This office chair mat is a good size, at 60 x 48 inches.
Floortex Polycarbonate Chair Mat 60? x 48? for Hard Floors
Evolve Modern Shape 33? x 44? Clear Office Chair Mat
Evolve Modern Shape is designed to keep the wheels of your chair on the mat and off your floor because of its shape. It has a cleated backing so it can grip low pile carpet up to 1/4” and low-medium pile carpet up to 3/8”.
The small size makes it ideal for a home office. In a standard office, you will likely want a larger chair mat. This mat is made in the United States and comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
Evolve Modern Shape 33? x 44? Clear Office Chair Mat with Lip for Low Pile Carpet
Homek Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor with Footrest
The Homek Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor with Footrest protects your floor and your feet. This is a chair mat for low pile carpet and hardwood.
The mat is made of flexible vinyl with a scratch and tear-resistant surface, providing smooth rolling for your chair. The padded side for your feet has a 1/2” core of NBR memory foam you can use sitting or standing.
The foam makes it comfortable. Free delivery is available, and it ships quickly.
Homek Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor with Footrest – Standing Desk Anti Fatigue Mat
Tempered Glass Transparent Office Floor Mat
Consider glass if you want a different chair mat for carpets or a hard floor. Tempered glass is thick and sturdy. This heavy-duty clear chair mat takes up to 1000 pounds and is scratch-resistant.
One challenge with glass is its cost. It tends to have a higher price than some other choices. It will also be heavier, and delivery will have a larger package than some other types of mats, which can be rolled up. Its stylishness outweighs those downsides. It is 100% transparent.
It comes with a beveled edge for an easy glide, smooth transition from floor to edge — and a limited lifetime warranty. This particular seller offers free shipping.
Glass Chair Mat with Exclusive Beveled Edge by Clearly Innovative
MyOfficeInnovations Low Pile Carpet Chair Mat
If you have carpeted floors in your office, this chair mat may be a good option. This roll-up mat is 45″w x 53″l and is made from a durable resin material. The AnchorBar cleats keep the mat in place while the smooth back ensures stability when used on low pile carpet.
This mat is highly rated for durability and sturdiness and comes with a lifetime limited manufacturer’s warranty.
MyOfficeInnovations Low Pile Carpet Chair Mat with Lip
Bungalow Flooring Upper East Side Blues Chair Mat
For a more stylish option, Bungalow offers this 3 x 4 rectangular chair mat in a variety of patterns. It is made from long-lasting, commercial-grade materials; including a naturally stain-resistant polyester surface, PET mid-layer made from recycled plastics, and a non-skid rubber backing.
This chair mat is praised by buyers for being stylish and adding creative flair to the office space. However, it is advised that it works much better on hardwood floors than carpeted floors.
Bungalow products are made in the USA.
Bungalow Flooring Upper East Side Blues 9to5 Desk Chair Mat
100pointONE PVC Desk Chair Mat
These floor mats feature a smooth back for hard floors. The topside has a special textured surface, which provides a strong grip that prevents the chair from slipping while moving the chair.
This clear chair mat is available in three different sizes – 30 x 48, 36 x 48 and 53 x 53. It is made of BPA-free PVC.
The manufacturer notes that this mat is only suitable for hardwood floors.
100pointONE Office PVC Desk Chair Mat for Hardwood and Tile Floors
Anji Rug’d Mountain Chair Mat
The second chair mat on our list by small business Anji has you covered for either hard surfaces or medium to high pile carpets. This mat is available in two different thicknesses depending upon the type of flooring you have.
The surface is made from tightly woven polyester, which allows chair wheels to glide over it effortlessly. The mid-layer is made from phthalate-free PVC which provides sturdy and durable support. The non-skid felt backing keeps the mat securely in place.
This chair mat is available in 36″ x 48″ and 40″ x 54″ and has a selection of more than 20 patterns.
Anji Mountain Rug’d Collection Chair Mat for Hard Surfaces and Commercial Carpets
Dimex Clear Rectangle Office Chair Mat
This chair mat by Dimex is designed with cleats to protect low pile carpet measuring 1/4 (0.25) inches or less, with a smooth top surface for easy chair movement.
Measurements are 46″ x 60″
Made in the USA from BPA and Phthalate free plastic, this mat is suitable for larger workspaces and comes with a one-year warranty. This mat has over 10,000 positive reviews.
Dimex 46″x 60″ Clear Rectangle Office Chair Mat For Low Pile CarpetBuy on Amazon
How to Choose the Best Office Chair Mats
You don’t want to risk wasting money and time by purchasing the wrong chair mat for your needs. Consider these factors when deciding which is the best chair mat for you:
Size
Measure your workspace. Measure rolling your desk chair back and foot/leg space. Chair mats come in all sizes.
A large chair mat is generally 60×48 inches or bigger and is meant for a large workspace. But in a smaller office with sporadic usage or limited space, you might prefer something a smaller style. Some mats can be cut to fit a space.
Shape
Chair mats can be rectangular or square-round. There are even bulb-shaped mats for workstations. Many mats have a lip.
A lip on a chair mat is the protrusion for the space under the office desk when a chair is pushed in. Usually, the product description will specify a lip, or you can recognize it from the product picture.
Durability
Some chair mats are prone to cracking if too much weight is placed on them. A heavy-duty floor mat such as tempered glass will handle up to 1,000 pounds. If your chair mat is going to be heavily used, be sure to get one made from durable materials.
Grip
Different chair mats have different types of gripping surfaces. Be sure to take note of how the mat grips on the bottom to prevent any possible damage to your carpet or floor.
Edging and Mat Thickness
The edge on a mat can be straight or beveled. Beveled can help smooth the transition to a thick mat for both carpet and hard floors.
Eco-Friendly
Check product detail pages or talk with the customer service department to determine if the office desk chair mat is free from BPA and phthalates. Look for items that say no off-gassing, no volatile toxic compounds, and are odorless.
Ease of Cleaning
Chose a chair mat made of a material that will be easy to clean. Most chair mats are made of plastic, vinyl, or other non-porous surfaces that can be wiped clean. Some can be vacuumed.
What is the Best Material for Chair Mats?
The answer depends on the type of floor you have. When it comes to chair mats, there are two types of floor: carpet and hard floor. You really should not use a hard floor chair mat on the carpet — or vice versa. It defeats the purpose of protecting your floor.
For hardwood, tile floors, and other hard surfaces: There are many floor mat material choices for a hard floor. Carpet-type mats, polycarbonate, vinyl, and tempered glass mats are all suitable. Polycarbonate and glass are the most durable. Vinyl and carpet-type mats do not last as long.
For carpet: Some of the best chair mats for carpets are made of translucent polycarbonate, a tough and durable material. These mats usually have grippers on the back to keep the mat from sliding on the carpet.
For stylish looks, choose bamboo, wood, or carpet-like rugs with a pattern.
Depending on whether you have a medium pile or low pile carpet, you may have to make further choices for floor mats. Purchase a chair mat for the right thickness to avoid problems. A chair mat for a low pile carpet is fairly easy to find, but you may need a specialty chair mat for plush or high pile carpet. If you are unsure of your pile carpet height, most retailers suggest using an unfolded paperclip inserted in a pile to measure whether it is a medium pile, low pile, or plush.
Pro Tip: If you are shopping online, access the product detail pages and read them carefully to determine which type of floor an office chair mat is designed for size options, and other important information to get the best chair mat for your business.
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Image: amazon