Why You Should Avoid Glass Chair Mats & The Better Alternatives For Hardwood Floors
Why Avoid Glass Chair Mats?
The Limit Overall Mobility (Weak Chair Glides)
Difficult to Install & Heavy Compared To Alternative Materials
Fragile to Transport (May Break or Chip Being Shipped)
Expensive Compared To Alternatives Materials ( $79 – $599)
Needs to be cleaned more often (High Maintenance)
What is a glass chair mat?
An extra little floor for your office chair to protect the actual floor from their plastic wheels. They are unique to other material chair mats in at least two ways.
- The rigidness of tempered glass makes rolling on soft floors like rugs easier.
- Since these chair mats are clear, it makes them very adaptable for any professional office space setting.
Glass Chair Mats Limit Mobility
The area of a chair mat is usually between 2 to 5 square feet. This may seem like enough space for your workstation, but think about rolling over across the room to grab a printed piece of paper, or to shred it.
Longer & Delicate, Installation Process
The is process is still simple, but translucent glass makes it easy for any dirt underneath them. Be sure to that installation space is clean and on even ground.
Dirt Gets Under The Glass Chair Mat
These types of floor protection require daily maintenance because dirt gets under the few centimetres between the chair mat and ground.
Glass Chair Mats Chip From Wear & Tear
Your enormous glass sheet will be shipped out hopefully with no damages.
Even if your package comes in one piece, the sides may chip from getting rolled over daily.
More Expensive Than Alternatives
Compared to alternative materials, Glass is by far the most expensive type of chair mat. They are double the price of transparent synthetic chair mats.
There are other ways of protecting your floor from chair scratching like equipping soft wheels casters.
These chair mats should be scratch resistant (tempered glass)
An important feature to look for in glass chair mats is that they have bevel edges. This little ramp will make cracking or chipping less likely from chairs rolling off and on them.
Avoid chair mats with extreme beveled edges because they can affect it the integrity of the glass by reducing the edges' thickness. Instead, look for a pencil polish finish.
Glass Chair Mats VS Soft Wheels?
| Glass Chair Mat | V.S. | Soft Wheel Caster Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Over $199 | PRICE | Under $100 |
| Hard To Install | INSTALLATION | Easy To Install |
| Limited (60 X 60) | RANGE | Unlimited (Room Size) |
| Needs To Be Cleaned Daily | MAINTENANCE | Occasionally |
The Best Alternative To Chair Mats Is Not Flat But Round
Unwilling to be bound by a glass square? Think outside the box.
Soft Caster Rollerblade Style Casters are not the traditional casters for office chairs.
They sell separately these specialized wheels, but are worth the cost.
Soft casters are kinda like a roller skate wheel and softer than hard plastic casters.
They design these types of chair wheels to roll around best on hard surface flooring.
Hard casters work better with carpet and rugs.
They are commonly available nylon twin casters and covered by a plastic shell to make rolling on a thick carpet floor easier to move on softer surfaces.
Knowing which two types of casters is on your office chair may save you from damaging your floor.
Why Glass Chair Mats Are Not All Bad?
The smoothness of glass is unmatched compared to other chairs, mats!
1)Five Times Stronger Than Your Windows (Untreated) Glass
Most glass chair mats can support up to 1000 lbs (454kg).
2)Will NOT Discolor With Age
Looks more professional than plastic and vinyl chair mats (IMHO).
3)Last Longer Than Other Types of Chair Mats
Will NOT bend under your weight of continuous sitting.
4)Odorless, Does Not Have The Smell of Chemical
Some people can even get sick from the synthetic scent found on vinyl chair mats.
5)Easier to Clean Stains (Just Use Windex)
No cross to clean compared to plastic and vinyl chair mats!
6)Eco-Friendly Compared To Synthetic Material Chair Mats
We source glass chair mats from recycled materials, using 25% to 30% reclaimed glass.
7)The High Cost Matches With The Products Lifespan
Compared to the cheaper plastic chair mats, with proper care glass mats will last multiple vinyl chair mat lifetimes.
The Chair Mat Size Comparison Chart
| SIZES | DIMENSIONS | SHAPE |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 36" x 46" | Rectangle |
| Medium | 44" x 50" | Rectangle |
| Medium | 46" x 46" | Square |
| Medium Large | 40" x 60" | Rectangle |
| Medium Large | 45" x 57" | Rectangle |
| Medium Large | 48" x 48" | Circle |
| Medium Large | 48" x 60" | Rectangle |
| Large | 60" x 60" | Rectangle |
Small (36” X 48”)
This limited dimension is best for a less spacious workstation. For those who value aesthetic, these smaller mats are not as much of an eye sought.
Medium ( 44” X 50”)
This additional space compared to smaller mats is best for the spare bedroom home office. If you want to maintain the room’s aesthetic, these medium-sized mats blend into their surroundings.
Medium Large( 48” X 60”)
This additional space compared to smaller mats is best for the spare bedroom home office. If you want to maintain the room’s aesthetic, these medium-sized mats blend into their surroundings.
Large ( 60” X 60”)
The longer length will make mobility easier. If you have the room for larger dimensions, they offer a better workspace experience.
These chair mats should be scratch resistant (tempered glass)
An important feature to look for in glass chair mats is that they have bevel edges. This little ramp will make cracking or chipping less likely from chairs rolling off and on them.
Avoid chair mats with extreme beveled edges because it can be affect the integrity of the glass by reducing the edges thickness. Instead, look for a pencil polish finish.
The Differences In Chair Mats?
While all mats will protect your floor, some won’t last the test of time.
Glass Chair Mats VS Transparent Synthetic Material Chair Mats, Which is best?
Glass chair mats are heavier, more rigid, and are costly to make compared to transparent synthetic materials.
Glass will last much longer but is usually twice the price tag.
Plastic or Vinyl chair mats are less costly, but have shorter lifespans.
They are quicker to wear out from daily use and if not replaced, will ruin the floor. It sought them to protect.
Cleaning each chair mat has its pros and cons.
- Glass chair mats need to be dusted more to maintain its like ‘new’ look.
- Plastic and vinyl chairs show their blemishes less overtly, but over time will build up gunk that is more difficult to clean.
The quick answer is NO. Standing mats make staying in place at your workstation for lengthy periods of time easier.
You should avoid using a standing mat in place of a chair mat is because it’s hard to roll around over the thick cushions. It means these mats to help ache legs and not for office chair casters.
Related Questions
As scratch resistant as glass chair mats may be, lesser quality office casters can leave streaks on the glass.
High-quality wheels that glide well, especially soft casters, will make rolling smoother, quieter, and more enjoyable.
Setting up a chair mat with your workstation is simple.
Basically you remove your chair from the area and plop it down. If you have carpeted floors, I suggest cleaning the rug before installation.
Not looking to spend hundreds on a glorified floor covering for your office chair?
Want a cheaper DIY method for creating premium wooden office chair mats? We created a step-by-step guide with both video and text instructions on how to create your on chair-mat for around $50.
SOURCE
“American Floor Mats.” Www.Facebook.Com, www.americanfloormats.com/glass-chair-mats/.
“FAQs.” MyGlassMat, www.myglassmat.com/faqs.
Anne Fenety, P, et al. “In-Chair Movement: Validity, Reliability and Implications for Measuring Sitting Discomfort.” Applied Ergonomics, vol. 31, no. 4, 1 Aug. 2000, pp. 383–393, www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article /abs/pii/S000368700000003X, 10.1016/S0003-6870(00)00003-X.
Claude
ChairPickr | "Writer"
Hello, My name is Claude and I enjoy sitting comfortable. Research into what separates the good from the bad in the matter of chairs started when I made a new year’s resolution to have better posture.
You clicked here to find that first-rate chair. Why not stay and learn some self care?