Office chair mats

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#3424991 15-Oct-2025 09:27

I went with vinyl flooring under my chair as well. Not as fancy as mounting it on mdf - I just taped it together in two layers. Been working well for the last few years. The sides get a little thrashed but thats all good, they are sacrificial. I tried all sorts of plastic mats prior and just didnt find them that great - I still use one at my spare desk but that really doesnt get anywhere near the use of my main one.

openmedia

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#3425122 15-Oct-2025 13:49

jlittle: I use a 1 m² carpet tile, after damaging the vinyl tiles at my desk. ~10 years and still good. Cleans really well with a dry scrubbing brush.

Are you using a single tile?

I've got some 1m tiles on top of carpet and I've used professional tape to join then, but they keep separating due to chair movement.

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#3425170 15-Oct-2025 14:29

openmedia:
Are you using a single tile?

Yes; on a hard floor it's ok to go over the edge briefly.

Regards, John Little

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#3425173 15-Oct-2025 15:34

JuiceNZ:

I’ve been using a 1m x 1m carpet tile from Bunnings for about five years. The rubber backing has developed some cracks over time, but remains intact thanks to the carpet layer on top. Our existing carpet is a dark grey synthetic, there’s no visible damage underneath the tile. Not sure if the rubber base would affect lighter-coloured or wool carpets.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/products/flooring-tiles/carpet/carpet-tiles-squares

Yep - We have had two polycarbonate office chair mats over a period of 25 years. The first one we bought in Aussie, and it lasted till we returned home in 2014. Replaced it with the NZ office max version, and it lasted around 5 years. So just bought the same product as mentioned by JuiceNZ and laid it over the top of the failing office max polycarbonate mat.

We bought 2 carpet tiles and joined them together so as to accommodate two offices.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

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#3425181 15-Oct-2025 17:07

I'm very tempted to get those carpet tiles and put them in for the carpet in my workrooms. Do you think the back deterioration is from them being junk or from the flex with it being over other carpet?

Richard rich.ms

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#3425669 17-Oct-2025 07:57

E3xtc:

I have one of these - https://officefurnitureonline.co.nz/products/accessories/chair-mats/rubber-chair-mat-keyhole-shape-ideal-hard-timber-or-vinyl-floors - been using it now for a few years. I landed on that one as a result of a conversation I had with the person from the carpet company we used.

Thank you @E3xtc

I've not seen these before and have ordered one for our office to give it a try. Several of our polycarbonate mats are deteriorating.

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#3425697 17-Oct-2025 10:41

richms:

I'm very tempted to get those carpet tiles and put them in for the carpet in my workrooms. Do you think the back deterioration is from them being junk or from the flex with it being over other carpet?

Splitting of the rubber base is due to flex because of the carpet underneath, I have another one on concrete in the garage and it's backing is intact.

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#3426003 18-Oct-2025 16:44

JuiceNZ:

richms:

I'm very tempted to get those carpet tiles and put them in for the carpet in my workrooms. Do you think the back deterioration is from them being junk or from the flex with it being over other carpet?

Splitting of the rubber base is due to flex because of the carpet underneath, I have another one on concrete in the garage and it's backing is intact.

Also, it is very important NOT to unfold the folded ones by hand.

Take them outside, hang them in the sun and let them unfold themselves.

mrgsm021

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#3426336 19-Oct-2025 14:04

JuiceNZ:

I’ve been using a 1m x 1m carpet tile from Bunnings for about five years. The rubber backing has developed some cracks over time, but remains intact thanks to the carpet layer on top. Our existing carpet is a dark grey synthetic, there’s no visible damage underneath the tile. Not sure if the rubber base would affect lighter-coloured or wool carpets.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/products/flooring-tiles/carpet/carpet-tiles-squares

Have also bought one of these today from Bunnings, it's much thicker than the transparent PVC mat, so let's see how it goes, hopefully lasting longer.

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#3426939 21-Oct-2025 10:44

I just made one from 8mm plywood. Looks real nice and matches the furnitue in the office. It's about 1.2x1.2m. Nice size too

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openmedia

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#3426958 21-Oct-2025 13:22

Brend:

I just made one from 8mm plywood. Looks real nice and matches the furnitue in the office. It's about 1.2x1.2m. Nice size too

Did you seal it and how does it cope with the office chair wheels?

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#3426960 21-Oct-2025 13:33

openmedia:

Did you seal it and how does it cope with the office chair wheels?

No sealant and it is perfect fornw wheels. You don't get durable mats at a decent price. I can build 2 of these mats out of one sheet of ply (takes about 30 mins) and it will cost less than those cheap plastic ones that won't last on thick carpets like we have. I used 6-7mm ply in the past - it lasted for years, but ply being ply started to crack and disintegrate. I'm tall and weigh about 100kg. But like I said, it lasted years. The 9mm feels a lot better as it is thicker. I'll never spend money on those plastic things again.

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shanes

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#3427010 21-Oct-2025 14:13

Brend:

No sealant and it is perfect fornw wheels. You don't get durable mats at a decent price. I can build 2 of these mats out of one sheet of ply (takes about 30 mins) and it will cost less than those cheap plastic ones that won't last on thick carpets like we have. I used 6-7mm ply in the past - it lasted for years, but ply being ply started to crack and disintegrate. I'm tall and weigh about 100kg. But like I said, it lasted years. The 9mm feels a lot better as it is thicker. I'll never spend money on those plastic things again.

Good to know, I made mine out of 18mm MDF as I wasn't confident that 9 or 12mm ply would have been stiff enough

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#3427012 21-Oct-2025 14:22

shanes:

Good to know, I made mine out of 18mm MDF as I wasn't confident that 9 or 12mm ply would have been stiff enough

I considered 15 amd 12mm, but cringed in Mitre10 at the thought of bumbing my toe against it constantly. I know the 9mm won't last forever (like most things), but it's inexpensive and looks 10x times better than plapstic 😂

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shanes

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#3427017 21-Oct-2025 14:36

Brend:

shanes:

Good to know, I made mine out of 18mm MDF as I wasn't confident that 9 or 12mm ply would have been stiff enough

I considered 15 amd 12mm, but cringed in Mitre10 at the thought of bumbing my toe against it constantly. I know the 9mm won't last forever (like most things), but it's inexpensive and looks 10x times better than plapstic 😂

I was going to run some molding around mine, to round it off and maybe keep the chair from rolling off, didn't bother to start with so far I've never hit my toe on it, and it's wide enough that the chair pretty much never gets to the edge.

Mines about 1.2 x2m as I had a spare sheet that size and it fitted nicely, I also have my workbench behind my office desk, so I just spin around and wheel over to the other side.

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