What’s just a mild annoyance to some, can be a terrifying nightmare to another. And your glass chair mat sliding around on the carpet is one such scenario.
Since most of us work from home, we all would love to be comfortable while we work in our home office. And the convenience of rolling around from one corner of the workspace to another is too great to pass off.
But, alas! Such a convenience can be massively disrupted if your chair mat moves around too much on the floor. If you have ever used a chair mat on a carpeted floor, then you know what I’m talking about.
But, fear not my friend. If you want to know how to keep the glass chair mat from sliding on the carpet, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I’ll discuss the process of keeping your chair mat from sliding on the carpet. So without any further ado, let’s jump right in!
Why Do Glass Chair Mats Slide on Carpet?
The reason for such a phenomenon is pretty simple actually. Glass chair mats and basically any chair mats for that matter, move in the same direction of the piles of the carpet.
And so, when a force is applied on the glass mat such as when you walk across the carpet or roll a chair over it, that force gets transferred through the carpet’s surface.
In other words, any activity done over the carpeting has an effect on it. This is especially the case of plush mats that don’t have any rubber backing. As these carpets are softer in comparison, they are more susceptible to this effect.
If you want to know more about how to make glass chair mat work on carpeted floor, read this article.
How Do You Keep Chair Mats from Moving?
You could try getting a specially designed chair mat that is ideal for carpeting. You’ll even find chair mats that are designed based on the type of carpeting that you have.
When shopping for a chair mat you may have noticed that you can either go for a traditionally designed chair mat with a flat backing or a cleated/claw/gripper backing.
If you’re planning on using your chair mat on carpeted floors, then you should obviously go for a chair mat with a gripper backing. The grippers located at the back of the mat helps the mat get a better grip on the carpet pile, thus preventing it from moving.
How Do You Keep a Glass Chair Mat From Moving on Carpet?
Required Materials:
- Gripper Tape or Rubber pads: For carpeted floor gripper tape (Amazon Link) will work really well. But for hard floors, it’s better to use rubber pads (Amazon Link).
- Measuring Tape: Any regular measuring tape or even a ruler will do.
- Scissors: You can use any regular scissors of a blade to cut the tapes.
Step 1: Check if You Have The Right Chair Mat:
Glass chair mats are perfect for carpeted floors. However, if you have a high pile carpet you will need a thicker glass mat. Otherwise, you will not be able to use the glass chair mat comfortably on the carpet.
If you have a low to medium pile carpet it’s okay to get a thin (0.2 inches) glass mat. But if you have a high pile carpet, make sure the thickness of the mat is at least 0.25 Inches.
Step 2: Measure & Flip Your Glass Mat
First, flip your glass chair mat upside down. Since the mat is made of glass, make sure you flip it carefully. Don’t rush it.
After flipping is done, take your measuring tape and measure the dimensions of the glass chair mat.
You don’t need to measure the thickness. Just measuring the lengths will do.
Step 3: Cut The Tape Accordingly
In this step you have to cut the gripper tape according to the length and width of the glass chair mat.
So, cut as per the measurement of the length and as per the measurements of the width.
Keep in mind that you have to cover all 4 sides with gripper tapes. So, cut additional two pieces of gripper tapes of the exact same length and place them on two opposite sides of the chair mat and press them down.
Keep the gripper tape 1 inch smaller than the actual measurement. Take a look at the picture below for a better understanding:
If you are not into measuring and cutting go with rubber pads. Alternatively, buy 4-6 rubber pads and attach on the edges in between the carpet and your glass mat. Like shown in the figure below:
Step 4: Press Down The Tape on The Mat & Place The Mat
Attach the gripper tape on all four sides of the glass mat. Now, Flip the glass chair mat again and place it on the perfect spot gently. This will resist movement of your glass chair mat on the carpet.
Alternative Solution: [Purchase a Glass Chair Mat that Has the Bumper]
We know that we don’t need to remind you of this, as this should be the case with all the products that you purchase.
But, if you want your chair mat to not slide away as you roll your chair, then there is no alternative to buying a high-quality chair mat that already comes with a bumper that keeps the mat firmly in place.
If you go with the factory made cheap, thin and small mat then, you’ll most likely be disappointed by its performance.
Typically, doing some research into the most popular and highly-rated glass chair mats in the market before purchasing one does the trick. We recommend you check out the models made by Vitrazza, Lorell and GLSLAND.
Related Questions
Do Glass Chair Mats Work on Carpets?
Yes, glass chair mats do indeed work on carpets. In fact, a glass chair mat is the best tool you can have to protect your carpet from uneven tread tracks and the wear and tear caused by the chair’s wheels.
If you use a glass chair mat on your carpeted floors, that will enable your chair to move more smoothly as you roll around on it.
However, you should remember that not all glass chair mats are designed to be used on carpets. You must purchase a chair mat that’s perfectly suited for carpets.
For instance, Lorell Tempered Glass Chair Mat 36†is a perfect example of a glass chair mat made for carpets.
We have a dedicated article that discusses “The differences between top 2 brands of glass chair mats in the market, You can check it out: Lorell Vs. Vitrazza Glass Chair Mat: 7 Things You Need to Know Before BuyingÂ
What Can I Use for a Chair Mat on Carpet?
If you’re in search of a chair mat that can be used on carpets, then you have a myriad of choices available to you. You can go for chair mats made out of tempered glass, rubber, plastic or even PVC.
However, by far the best material for carpets suffices is polycarbonate plastic or PVC for short. This thermoplastic material is incredibly durable and it’s less susceptible to skidding/sliding.
To know more I suggest you read the following articles.
- Chair Mat Materials: 11 Answers You Should Know
- Can I Use Rug As A Chair Mat? (Explained)
- Rug Vs. Chair Mat Vs. Carpet: What’s The Difference?
Final Thoughts
If the fear of your glass chair mat sliding on the carpet is haunting you for some time, then you can bid goodbye to those fears and concerns.
Armed with the knowledge of the 7 best hacks to keep glass chair mats from sliding on carpets, you can now easily take care of this issue.
We just request you to acknowledge the fact that not all of these methods will work in your case. And so, some experimentations are in order.
As such, we highly recommend you thoroughly go through the steps and figure out which method is best suited for you.
That’s all for now. If you have a minute check out my article on, Do Glass Chair Mats Break? (The Whole Story) Many people avoid glass chair mat just because they think, glass chair mat will break easily. Read this article to know the real story.
