Stupid PVC computer chair mat

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askelon

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#273330 17-Aug-2020 09:51

Just had the house re-carpeted, omg the old underlay was like the thickness of a piece of paper and had literally shrunk all over the place leaving large gaps under the carpet which in itsself was garbage.

Got myself one of those stupid chair mats so I wouldnt damage the carpet with my constant moving around on my chair. Plus the new carpets too thick anyway! The damned thing keeps bunching up against the side of my desk! I hate the thing! I got a 2mm thick one. I saw 5mm thick ones are also available. Anyone got any experience with thicker ones? I dont want to spend a whole heap of money on the thing. I was thinking this: Trademe Link

PeterReader

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#2542667 17-Aug-2020 09:51

Hmmmm. Here we go.

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PolicyGuy

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#2542721 17-Aug-2020 11:00

Frankly, that looks too cheap to be any good.

I bought a polycarbonate one from OPD (it might be this one: https://www.opd.co.nz/shop/en/wellington/chair-mat-advance-coverzone-polycarbonate-1200-x-900mm-rectangle-clear-3507860) about eight or nine years ago, and it's just starting to show signs of wear now.

The polycarbonate is pretty hard, though somewhat flexible, and it has little studs on the bottom that stop it sliding around on the carpet. Definitely no "bunching up against the side of my desk"

askelon

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#2542723 17-Aug-2020 11:02

Yeah I thought I was getting one with studs but turns out nope. Not sure they would help on this one though.. I can see it lasting a few months tops.

timmmay

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#2542725 17-Aug-2020 11:09

Polycarbonate is stronger, but it's difficult to get keyhole ones. PVC ones crack. I have a rubber chair mat over the top of a slightly cracked PVC chair mat. Not sure how thick my PVC chair mat is, but it's nowhere near 5mm, that's very thick.

Gurezaemon

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#2542743 17-Aug-2020 11:41

I've found that if you can bend a chair mat to any real extent (such as in the photo on the Trademe link) then it will migrate around the place and be a pain to use. I grabbed a keyhole shaped one from Warehouse Stationery 8 years ago, and it was rigid enough that it has a crease down the middle to fold it. There is no way it could be rolled up. Little studs on its underside also keep it in place. It hasn't moved at all in the 8 years I've had it.

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timmmay

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#2542790 17-Aug-2020 11:53

I put double sided carpet tape under them to hold them in place.

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DonH

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#2542800 17-Aug-2020 12:12

Studs on the underside of the mat (or carpet tape) are the the way to go.

Carpets have "grain" (or whatever it's called where the pile lays at an angle). When you press the mat, the carpet pile lays down in the direction of the "grain", pushing the mat along with it. When you release the pressure, the pile springs up but the mat stays still. So the mat migrates in the direction of the carpet "grain".

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askelon

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#2543550 18-Aug-2020 11:41

Ive found a compromise for now on the existing one. Its just wide enough if I turn it side on to be pinned down by both sides of my desk (which weighs a ton!) so as of right now its sitting right. Long term I'll chuck this one and get a better one when shops all start opening again. Currently have my rubbish bin under my desk pinning down the parts that got all bent out of shape so hopefully later on today it should settle back down to being flat!