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Why does my chair mat keep cracking?
There are many reasons for chair mat cracking. I want to tell you that why your chair mat keeps cracking.
Actually, your chair mat keeps cracking because those mats are generally made of vinyl or PVC.
Vinyl is one of the cheapest materials available. It is easy for manufacturers to make vinyl clear or opaque, which is why vinyl is widely used for chair mats.
It is also very light, so it has a tendency to slide and slip on hardwood floors.
If you don’t have a non-slip back, you can still anchor yourself by putting your desk legs on it. Either option would overcome the slippage problem.
PVC is another cheap material that shares some common properties with vinyl.
It also shares some problems, like slippage. However, with the proper backing, PVC is a good material for a chair mat.
Other Material Characteristics
Clear chair rugs are popular because they allow the color of the floor to show through – and if you have a hardwood floor, you probably want to show it off.
However, not all transparent materials are created equal. The same can be said for non-transparent rugs.
- Polycarbonate: Polycarbonate is a tough, naturally transparent plastic often used in bulletproof glass and airplane windows. It is widely used as a lens in glasses and is quite resistant to heat. Chair rugs made of polycarbonate are durable and strong. They are also slightly more expensive than vinyl and PVC.
- Tempered glass: Glass chair mats are completely non-deformable. They are transparent and heavy enough to stay in position on any floor. They are also the most expensive material for chair rugs. They typically come with extended manufacturer warranties, which is something other rugs typically don’t have.
Color
See-through rugs are the most popular, but black rugs are also common. Some manufacturers offer a range of colors that span the rainbow.
However, these are the exception rather than the rule.
Antistatic
Some chair mats are listed as antistatic mats. This is useful if you are a computer technician who repairs or builds computers and laptops.
Static discharge can be deadly to exposed computer components, which is why those technicians need to have a static-free mat under them at all times.
Odor
Plastic chair mats often have a distinctive odor when they first arrive. If a mat is listed as BPA-free, it shouldn’t have any odor.
If your carpet has an odor, dispose of it in an open space (like a garage), and give it 24 hours to air out before putting it in place.
Outer lip
Some chair mats for hardwood floors have trim around the edge to prevent the chair from rolling off the rug onto the bare floor.
Think of it as a road curb for your carpet. It’s a nice feature, but it can also trip you up when you walk around the mats.