Chair Mat

[seekermeister]

One thing that I didn't bring to my new apartment when I moved was the chair mat that I had for my computer station. I had a inexpensive plastic mat that I never liked much. I'm thinking of just using an area rug instead, but at the price that I'm willing to pay, I doubt that I can find one that would stay in place and not wrinkle. I got to thinking about using some kind of fastener that would keep it in place, but I didn't find anything for that purpose Googling.

I suppose that I could attach some kind of rubber pad to it, which would both stiffen the rug and perhaps provide some frictional resistance, but I'm wondering if anyone has a better idea?

 

[Cato]

I've been mulling over the same possibilities for the last couple of weeks. I'm wondering if adding a pad would make your chair "bog" down, so to speak, as to make it hard to move around? I've thought of double sided tape on an area rug, but not sure what it would do to the carpet beneath it.

I don't want a plastic mat as I have so much static electricity that I'd probably knock out a video card or something. Right now I'm sort of looking around for a mat that's made similar to a car floor mat with the fabric insert.

Gotta do something soon because we just put new carpet down and I know my wife is going to be inspecting my "roll around" space any day now.

 

[seekermeister]

I also thought about using velcro tape, but I know that will leave a gummy deposit of the adhesive on the carpet, so I've ruled that out. As far as how difficult it would be to roll the chair on the rug/pad, it would depend on the nature of both. I think that something like a braided rug or Persian would be much firmer than the typical rug, but they also cost a good deal more. As far as the pad goes, it would depend on the density of it, some are much firmer than others. Of course, if it was too firm, it probably wouldn't provide any friction either.

The only alternative that I have found are some wooden mats, but they are quite expensive, so I've ruled them out.

EDIT: The car mat idea doesn't sound bad, but I think it would be difficult to find one the right size and shape. Something that just crossed my mind is mats made for work shops, but I have only seen pictures of them, so don't know what they are really like.

 

[Cato]

This is the first time in 25 years of messing around with computers that I've ever looked for a chair mat so I was surprised at the expense of the cheap ones.

I had a friend that was a tech at a Mac shop and they put a rubber mat under him because he blew out so many internal cards, but it was butt ugly.

The search continues...

 

[seekermeister]

If you find an answer that you like, let me know, because I still don't know what I'm going to do. I have thought about getting a piece of quality oak plywood, and beveling the edges, and finishing it with something like polyeurothame, but from what I have seen of oak lumber, that wouldn't be cheap either.

 

[valtonray]

go to wal-mart, target, or the dollar store and get that foamy drawer liner they sell in rolls. use a glue gun and glue it to the back of your rug. this should work great and stop the rug from dragging and moving

 

[Cato]

Sounds like a good idea. I think my wife has all that stuff in her workshop. Won't cost anything to try, so I think I will "let" her make it for me.

 

[seekermeister]

Hmm, I sense a bit of a role reversal. I stopped at Big Lots today, and bought a cheap rug that I thought would be too small (38x58) but actually it is slightly too wide. I got it more as an experiment than something to continue using at the desk. While I was there I saw a fairly plush 3'x5' rug that I think that I'm going to get, but it isn't cheap ($60), but I think that it wouldn't tend to bunch up like the one that I got today.

A thought crossed my mind, just as I received the notification of your post...I'm considering upholstery tacks. The kind with sort of a hammered dome head, as sometimes seen on antique furniture or some office chairs. If I can find some long enough, I don't believe that they will do any visible damage to the rug or carpet. However, that rug is ~1" thick, and the carpet and pad are probably another 1/2", so there may not be a tack long enough. Of course, the rug's plushness should let the tacks down into the pile some.

 

[valtonray]

Hmm, I sense a bit of a role reversal. I stopped at Big Lots today, and bought a cheap rug that I thought would be too small (38x58) but actually it is slightly too wide. I got it more as an experiment than something to continue using at the desk. While I was there I saw a fairly plush 3'x5' rug that I think that I'm going to get, but it isn't cheap ($60), but I think that it wouldn't tend to bunch up like the one that I got today.

A thought crossed my mind, just as I received the notification of your post...I'm considering upholstery tacks. The kind with sort of a hammered dome head, as sometimes seen on antique furniture or some office chairs. If I can find some long enough, I don't believe that they will do any visible damage to the rug or carpet. However, that rug is ~1" thick, and the carpet and pad are probably another 1/2", so there may not be a tack long enough. Of course, the rug's plushness should let the tacks down into the pile some.

the problem with a rug that thick is going to be rolling your chair across it.

 

[seekermeister]

Perhaps, but when I felt of it, the pile was so thick, that I don't think that it would sink too much. The longest upholstery tack that I have found with the dome top is only 7/8", which I doubt would work. I did find some carpet tacks of 1 1/4", but the heads were somewhat large diameter nail heads. I'm not sure that they would be hidden in the pile or not. Even with the thin rug that I have at the moment, I'm guessing that a fastener would have to penetrate 1/4" rug, 1/4" carpet & 1/4" pad and still have another 1/4" remaining to securely imbed in the flooring. With the thicker carpet, I'm not sure how much to add.