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Whether your office is located at home or in an office building, if there is carpet, chances are, you’ve dealt with the annoyance of trying to roll around in your chair only to get stuck. Not only can it be challenging to maneuver a desk chair around the carpet, but the constant friction from the rolling wheels can wreak havoc on the condition of your carpet.
Getting up out of your chair to move from one office area to another can be pretty time-consuming. This is why many of us who have office chairs with wheels and an office with carpet will opt for a chair mat.
A chair mat can help make it easier to move your desk chair to and fro around your desk or office. It can also create a barrier between your desk chair wheels and the carpet, ensuring that the wheels don’t get caught. They can also help protect the integrity of your carpet and help avoid unwanted damage. Keeping all of this in mind, there are a few popular chair mats for high pile carpet that can help narrow down your options.
Our Top Picks – The 5 Best Chair Mats for High Pile Carpet
Best overall: Floortex Polycarbonate Chair Mat at Amazon
Amazon Basics Polycarbonate Office Carpet Chair Mat at Amazon
MuArts [UpgradedVersion] Crystal Clear Heavy Duty Chair Mat at Amazon
Resilia Runner/Protector for Deep Pile Carpet at Amazon
Lorell Tempered Glass Chair Mat at Amazon
Now let’s see each of them in detail.
Best Overall: Floortex Polycarbonate Chair Mat
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This rectangular chair mat is made with polycarbonate plastic and comes in a few different dimensions, giving you more options depending on your office space. This chair mat is firm and can stand up against your chair, and doesn’t run the risk of developing a foul smell or discoloration over time. However, some of the reviews stated that customers experienced cracking and warping with these chair mats after a short use time.
It’s a waterproof and fatigue-resistant mat that lays flat and translucent on top of your carpet. There are grips on the bottom of the mat, making it an ideal fit for a thicker, high pile carpet. Moreover, this chair mat is recyclable and non-toxic, doesn’t have a toxic smell.
Amazon Basics Polycarbonate Office Carpet Chair Mat
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If you want a sturdy chair mat that is easy to move around on and will hold up against friction, this one is a top choice. It comes in a few different sizes and can also be purchased with or without a lip that you can rest your feet on. It is also easy to clean with just a damp cloth, and the description states it’ll stay flat even on carpet.
Despite this chair mat being made with polycarbonate plastic, it does not contain any other toxic substances like lead and doesn’t have a strong or unpleasant odor. Many of the reviews on this product also warn you to be careful when opening the package, as the mat is rolled up and can pop out harshly if you are not careful.
MuArts [UpgradedVersion] Crystal Clear Heavy Duty Chair Mat
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This versatile and heavy-duty chair mat comes in a hard and soft version, and while it weighs a lot, it is said to hold up against the movement of your chair. It’s transparent in appearance, and it gives you the durability and sleekness of a glass mat without the delicate material.
While it withstands up to 1400 pounds of pressure, it also comes with a one-year warranty if you are not satisfied with how it holds up.
This chair mat has a lot of good reviews stating it essentially delivers what it promises. You can find it in different measurements to ensure a good fit with your office setup. If for any reason, you want to move your chair mat somewhere else, it also works on hard flooring.
Resilia Runner/Protector for Deep Pile Carpet
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This chair mat is made from a robust and thick vinyl material, one of the most common materials for chair mats. It can be found in clear or black color, depending on whether or not you want your carpet to show through. There are studs on the back, which is ideal for a high pile carpet, as they help keep the mat in place. That being said, some reviews say despite this, the mat still slides around.
You can easily customize the size of this plastic mat to meet your needs. Despite the fact that it will lay flat without adhesive, it can be fixed in place using any vinyl compatible solution or a two-sided tape if desired.
A couple of unique features of this chair mat are that it’s made in the US and is allergy-friendly. The material is made of recycled and eco-friendly PVC vinyl and is free of contaminants. Moreover, it is easy to clean off with a damp cloth and traps allergens like dust and fur, so they don’t build up and disrupt you.
Lorell Tempered Glass Chair Mat
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This chair mat is ideal for someone looking for sleek style and practicality all in one. The tempered glass is shiny, translucent, and expensive-looking without the high price tag. It’s also scratch-resistant and built to withstand over 1000 pounds of weight, ensuring it stays looking good after extensive use.
It’s also really easy to clean to keep it looking fresh. There’s also a limited-time warranty on this chair mat if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
If you purchase a chair mat made out of a more pliable material, such as plastic or vinyl, it may possibly come shipped to you rolled up. One handy tip to help flatten out your chair mat is to let it lay flat outside on a sunny day. Once it feels warm, bring it inside, lay it flat, and let it cool down. This should help keep the mat flat and help it maintain its flatness for longer.
How to Choose Chair Mats for High Pile Carpet
There are a few things to consider before purchasing any chair mat you come across. Not all chair mats are created equally.
Height of the Pile
The pile of your carpet is one of the most important things to examine before purchasing chair mats for high pile carpet. Most chair mats have little spikes at the bottom so they can stay in place on a carpet, but not all do. This is an important feature if you’re wanting a chair mat that’ll work with high pile carpet. The longer the spikes at the bottom, the better suited it would be for a high pile carpet.
Materials
Chair mats for high pile carpet can also come in a variety of materials, although vinyl is one of the more common materials. They can also be made with tempered glass, plastics, and wood. Materials such as vinyl or glass are usually translucent, which can add a sleek touch to your office space. There are also colored chair mats if you would prefer a pop of color and patterns that could add some personality to your space. A colored mat can also cover up any unsightly stains or marks that are on your carpet.
As mentioned, vinyl is a very common option for chair mats. These mats tend to be on the more affordable side. They tend to be quite thin, so they are better suited for low pile carpets or flooring. That being said, it’s possible to find vinyl chair mats that are thicker and are designed specifically for thicker or high pile carpets. Their affordability, unfortunately, means that they can be cheaply made, and are more prone to cracking, although this is not always the case.
Tempered glass is a more expensive but sophisticated-looking option for chair mats. They tend to hold up better to frequent use, are easy to clean, and are considered more environmentally friendly. You of course want to be gentle when maneuvering around the tempered glass to avoid breaking it, which can be dangerous to clean up.
Polycarbonate plastic chair mats are also fairly common, and they are also an affordable option. The material is pretty durable and strong, so it should stand up even if you slide around in your chair quite often.
Shapes and Sizes
Chair mats also come in a variety of sizes, but not necessarily a variety of shapes. The most common shapes are rectangular, or rectangular with a more narrow lip that fits under your desk and acts as a footrest of sorts. You’ll want to take some measurements of your desk before shopping for a mat to ensure it fits seamlessly in the right place.
A thicker or heavier chair mat can put some weight on your carpet, making it sink in that particular area over time. With a high pile carpet, this discrepancy would be much more noticeable.
