How To Keep Chair Mat From Sliding On Hardwood Floors?

How To Keep Chair Mat From Sliding On Hardwood Floors

Your office space is beautiful and it contributes to your productivity.  You are blessed to sit on a beautiful hardwood floor.  Finding the best chair mat could solve all of your problems.

For the safeguarding of that floor from the moving casters of your chair, you have opted to use a chair mat. 

Everything should be perfect, but unfortunately, you become frustrated because the chair mat keeps on sliding. 

There are, of course, ways to prevent this from happening. Is there only one great solution?  How much will it cost? How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors?

For example, the Kuyal Clear Chair Mat keeps your room looking clean while stopping your chair from sliding.

Sale
Kuyal Clear Chair Mat, Hard Floor Use, 48' x 30' Transparent Office Home Floor Protector mat Chairmats (30' X 48' Rectangle)
8,300 Reviews
Kuyal Clear Chair Mat, Hard Floor Use, 48" x 30" Transparent Office Home Floor Protector mat Chairmats (30" X 48" Rectangle)
  • Designed for HARD FLOOR surfaces only. No gripper. Transparent surface, anti-slide coating on the underside which is designed to keep them firmly in place while in use. Please put the smooth side...
  • No Phthalate, No Toxins, No Cadmium, No Tin and No Lead. keep a healthy indoor environment while give your floor and furniture the best protection.
  • This PVC chair mat is ergonomically designed to provide added ease of movement, it's very flexible, which proven to reduce leg fatigue by taking the strain off your legs. you can choose the Rectangle...
  • Effectively helps to prevent damage to hard flooring caused by your office chair casters or wheels. Under standard use will not crack, curl, break, scratch or discolor

This article will discuss the various options available to solve your problem:

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors?

The purpose of a chair mat is to protect the hardwood floor surface and the chair itself. 

Your shoes and the continuous movement of your feet can also damage the hardwood floor surface, making a chair mat almost mandatory.

The damage on the floors can vary from minor scratch marks to unsightly damage. 

Office chairs leave scuff marks on the hardwood surface. 

In addition, a loose, slippery mat can cause serious accidents that should be prevented.

When you discover the chair mat being slippery, take immediate action. 

It may save you some annoyance, accidents and damage to your floors.

Solution number 1:  Double-sided tape

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors? Attaching double-sided tape is one of the easiest and cheapest solutions to keep the chair mat in place. 

It is important to use the right type of double sided tape, specially made for this purpose as the regular household one will not be durable and remain in place for long.

Steps to follow:

  • Clean the back of the mat from dust or any other forms of debris that may influence adhesiveness.
  • Turn the chair mat upside down.
  • Cut the double-sided tape into 5-inch strips.
  • Attach it to each corner of the chair mat.
  • With a larger mat, add a middle point strip for added adhesiveness.
  • Tap the corners of the mat, using your hands to ensure attachment.

This is an inexpensive way to keep the chair mat in place.

Although. if you opt for the BesWin Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor you won’t have to worry about this problem.

BesWin Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor - 36'x48' Clear PVC Desk Chair Mat - Heavy Duty Floor Protector for Home or Office - Easy Clean and Flat Without Curling
4,380 Reviews
BesWin Office Chair Mat for Hardwood Floor - 36"x48" Clear PVC Desk Chair Mat - Heavy Duty Floor Protector for Home or Office - Easy Clean and Flat Without Curling
  • PERFECT FOR HARD FLOOR: Protect your flooring from scratches and dust of any kind with this perfect office floor mat for hardwood floors, tile, laminate, vinyl, concrete, and linoleum. BesWin office...
  • DURABILITY & FLEXIBILITY: The mat’s surface is super tough, so our office chair mat won’t be crack or shatter while protecting your office floor from damaging chair casters. Because of the mat’s...
  • ANTI-SLIP:Frosting on the surface can achieve a strong grip which prevent the chair from slipping while controlling the roll of the chair which also helps to considerably reduce the risk of leg...
  • HEALTHY MATERIAL:This office chair mat is made of PVC and free of the BPA. It contains no polyvinyl chloride, no volatile toxin, no special odor, for a healthy indoor environment. Rest assured you are...

Solution number 2:  Rubber backing

Cutting and putting down a rubber backing underneath the chair mat is an option, but unfortunately, not the best one for preventing the chair mat from sliding as it does not grip the chair mat very well.

Steps to follow:

  • Buy the rubber backing.
  • Resize according to the chair mat.
  • Put it underneath the chair mat.

Solution number 3:  Non-slippery felt pad

Using a non-slippery felt pad is a very effective way to hold the chair mat in place.  Make sure to buy excellent quality felt as it will increase the longevity of both the felt and the chair mat.

It is, however, very important to keep it dry as it will lose some of its effectiveness on damp floors.

Have a carpet? No problem. We have the best chair mats for carpets for you to check out.

Steps to follow:

  • Determine the size of the felt pad needed before buying one.
  • If resizing is needed, it can easily be done with scissors.
  • Place it underneath the chair mat.

The price of felt is not that expensive and seeing that it is so effective, you may do well to spend this small amount of money. 

Do your homework before you buy felt.

Solution number 4:  Claw backing/Gripper

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors? An anti-slip gripper is a type of mesh material that goes underneath a carpet and keeps it in place.  If you think long-term, buy the best gripper you can afford. 

Not only will good quality also protect your floors underneath, but because it is reusable, good quality can last a long time. 

It is also easy to clean, which is an added benefit. It is also sold in packages with more than one sheet.

Steps to follow

  • Clean the chair mat underneath.
  • Flip the mat over.
  • Apply the grippers (much like a sticker or tape) to the corner of the chair mat.
  • Take care to set the chair mat in the right place as it attaches to the hardwood floor.

This is also a very cost-effective solution, especially because of the reusable nature of the product and in itself, it is not expensive.

Pros Cons
– stops the chair from sliding – you will have to choose the right mat for your floor
– provides a new design element to your room – some mats are more difficult to clean than others
– easy to clean  
– cheap to buy  

Solution number 5:  The Right chair mat

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors? When it comes to buying a chair mat, the one is definitely not as good as the next one.  As all things in life, quality and function should be considered before you buy the mat. 

Sometimes, the difference between a hard and soft chair caster could be crucial for making the decision about which mat to buy for your floor.

Some chair mats have built-in gripping capability.  A thicker mat creates more friction, therefore preventing slippage.

Other chair mats have small bits underneath, working like a gripper on hardwood floors. 

The aim is to find a chair mat that provides maximum protection for the floor while not being slippery.

Also, take into consideration the weight of your office chair when you purchase the chair mat.  It goes without saying that a heavy chair deserves a thicker type of chair mat.

Sale
Kuyal Clear Chair mat for Hardwood Floor 30 x 48 inches Transparent Floor Mats Wood/Tile Protection Mat for Office & Home (30' X 48' Rectangle)
4,961 Reviews
Kuyal Clear Chair mat for Hardwood Floor 30 x 48 inches Transparent Floor Mats Wood/Tile Protection Mat for Office & Home (30" X 48" Rectangle)
  • 【Specialized Designed】Designed for HARDWOOD FLOOR surfaces only. No gripper. Transparent surface, anti-slide coating on the underside which is designed to keep them firmly in place while in use.
  • 【Best Protection】Effectively helps to prevent damage to hard flooring caused by your office chair casters or wheels. Under standard use will not crack, curl, break, scratch or discolor.
  • 【Specifications】This PVC chair mat is ergonomically designed to provide added ease of movement, it's very flexible, which proven to reduce leg fatigue by taking the strain off your legs.
  • 【Safe For Your Home】 The chair mat is Odorless, No Phthalate, No Toxins, No Cadmium, No Tin and No Lead. keep a healthy indoor environment . It is 100% pure polyethylene chair mat. Rest assured...

Chair mats are made from different types of materials.  

  • A tempered glass mat is extremely durable, capable of withstanding more than 1000 lbs of pressure and allows sliding office chairs to glide smoothly.
  • An alternative is plexiglass chair mats that are also very durable, but quite heavy to move. 
  • A third option is Polypropylene which is sturdy, crack- and abrasion resistant.  The latter comes with cleats or studs to keep the chair mats in place. 
  • The most common type of chair mat is made from PVC/plastic.  They are long-lasting and resist dents and scratches. 

Thinner types of mats work best on hard floor surfaces.

Steps to follow

  • Do your homework before buying the chair mat.
  • Place the mat in the desired spot.

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors?

When you consider the extra cost you have to incur to secure your existing slippery chair mat, it might be well worth your effort to just buy the best non-slippery chair mat you can afford from the start.

Can a chair mat ruin your hardwood floors?

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors? The purpose of using a chair mat is to protect your hardwood floors from damage. Hardwood floors are quite expensive to install or repair. 

So how is it then, that the exact measure you put in place for protection can cause damage?

The unfortunate answer is yes.  You will have to take extra care to prevent this, by doing the following:

  • When you clean the hardwood floor, make sure that no dirt or small hard particles get stuck between the chair mat and the hardwood floor.
  • Take care to evaluate the condition of your chair mat from time to time.  A chair mat that starts to perish, can be torn by the chair wheels or feet and when there is a hole in the mat, you can unknowingly damage the floor underneath when your chair moves around.
  • The size of the chair mat should be carefully planned.  You do not want a chair mat too small to accommodate your normal movement of the chair.  The absence of a lip on the chair mat that can go underneath your feet and underneath the desk, can cause damage to the floor. A too large chair mat can bubble and you may struggle to keep it flattened, causing frustration and
Kuyal Desk Chair Mat for Carpet, 30'' x 48'' Rectangle Transparent Mats for Chairs Good for Desks, Office and Home, Easy Glide, Protects Floors for Low and No Pile Carpeted Floors
1,819 Reviews
Kuyal Desk Chair Mat for Carpet, 30'' x 48'' Rectangle Transparent Mats for Chairs Good for Desks, Office and Home, Easy Glide, Protects Floors for Low and No Pile Carpeted Floors
  • 🎈Effective Grip: Studded underside holds the mat firmly in place on carpet floors - Suitable only for use on low and No pile carpets.
  • 🎈Safe & ECO-Friendly: The kuyal chair mat No off-gassing - odorless, free from BPA, phthalate, PVC and volatile toxins for a healthy indoor environment
  • 🎈Transparent Surface:Transparent surface with special treatment, uneasy to slip, allowing the beauty of your floor to shine through.
  • 🎈Easy to clean& Durable : Easy to clean,you just need to wipe it with a cloth and it will be clean, the Kuyal chair mat made of top-grade PVC material, durable and reliable for long-term use.

Conclusion

How to keep chair mat from sliding on hardwood floors? Hardwood floors need protection when it is used in an office setting.  Chair mats can provide that much-needed protection, but it is not without their own set of problems. 

We suggest you buy the best quality chair mat you can afford, preferably with built-in gripper qualities.  Alternatively, secure your existing chair mat in place with some gripping accessories. 

Again, use the best quality product you can afford.  Your budget may determine your solution, but you would rather spend money on securing the chair mat than replacing the hardwood floor surface.