Hardwood floors + Computer Chair w/ wheels = ?

polm

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
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Do I need to lay one of those floor mats to protect the hardwood ?

Are certain hardwood's more scratch resistent than others ?
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Look at the rest of your hardwood floors, particularly one near the entryway or where you frequently walk on/drop stuff off/put stuff onto. See how bad that's scratched up (or how scratch resistant it is) - if it's heavily scratched/marked, a chairmat would do you some good. If not, it's not really necessary.
 

nodoubts2k

Golden Member
Sep 7, 2003
1,531
1
71
Yeah i got one of the chair mats at ikea for dirt cheap. They work pretty well but occasionally slide around (we have no weight on it except the computer chair)
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,986
11
81
I need a freaking steel chair mat... I've already cracked my plastic one in several places (I'm about 125lbs in case you were wondering). And, my chair has 5 wheels... That's about 30lbs per wheel! Not a lot of weight.

:disgust:
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Originally posted by: Howard
I need a freaking steel chair mat... I've already cracked my plastic one in several places (I'm about 125lbs in case you were wondering). And, my chair has 5 wheels... That's about 30lbs per wheel! Not a lot of weight.

:disgust:

Is the surface carpet or hardwood? (I'll assume carpet) If carpet you need a diff chairmat - they make them in low, medium, and high pile varieties. Using a low pile chairmat on a high pile carpet (or vice versa) results in cracked chairmats. And almost regardless of carpet type, the cheap ass $15 chairmats crack after several months of use.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,986
11
81
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: Howard
I need a freaking steel chair mat... I've already cracked my plastic one in several places (I'm about 125lbs in case you were wondering). And, my chair has 5 wheels... That's about 30lbs per wheel! Not a lot of weight.

:disgust:

Is the surface carpet or hardwood? (I'll assume carpet) If carpet you need a diff chairmat - they make them in low, medium, and high pile varieties. Using a low pile chairmat on a high pile carpet (or vice versa) results in cracked chairmats. And almost regardless of carpet type, the cheap ass $15 chairmats crack after several months of use.
Carpet. Hmm... I never really noticed. My mom bought them.

And yes, these had to have been cheap for my mom to buy them.
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,108
5
81
Yeah, mine on the carpet get cracks too, right now there is o nly one crack so I'll live, but it is annoying at times
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
16,968
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Those mats are fugly.

Do you have laminate flooring (i.e. Pergo) or real hardwood? Your chair (most likely) won't harm laminate flooring, but hardwood isn't as durable.
 

kt

Diamond Member
Apr 1, 2000
6,032
1,348
136
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: Howard
I need a freaking steel chair mat... I've already cracked my plastic one in several places (I'm about 125lbs in case you were wondering). And, my chair has 5 wheels... That's about 30lbs per wheel! Not a lot of weight.

:disgust:

Is the surface carpet or hardwood? (I'll assume carpet) If carpet you need a diff chairmat - they make them in low, medium, and high pile varieties. Using a low pile chairmat on a high pile carpet (or vice versa) results in cracked chairmats. And almost regardless of carpet type, the cheap ass $15 chairmats crack after several months of use.

I have the cheapass $15 chairmat I picked up from OfficeDepot. I've already used it for almost 3 years now. Still in the same condition as when I first got it. It's been used on carpet.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
same here, cheap works. mats good, much better the matcrack then a patch of shredded carpet/scratched wood
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Your oak floor will be unscathed by the chair's wheels, but the finish may take a beating. I look at it this way. I paid for the floor. It's there to suit me, not the other way around. If I want to use it without protection, it's mine to abuse. Let the next owner fret about refinishing it. I'm going to use it as I see fit, and not worry about it. Even then, it will only take a few minutes to sand, and throw on a new coat of varnish or polyurethane.
 

Dead3ye

Platinum Member
Sep 21, 2000
2,917
1
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Originally posted by: Ornery
Your oak floor will be unscathed by the chair's wheels, but the finish may take a beating. I look at it this way. I paid for the floor. It's there to suit me, not the other way around. If I want to use it without protection, it's mine to abuse. Let the next owner fret about refinishing it. I'm going to use it as I see fit, and not worry about it. Even then, it will only take a few minutes to sand, and throw on a new coat of varnish or polyurethane.

You obviously have never refinished a floor. It takes more than "few minutes" to sand and revarnish. More like a few days if you do it right.
 

arcas

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2001
2,155
2
0
Higher-end chairs can be ordered with casters/wheels designed specifically for hardwood floors. I know Herman Miller does this. I suspect other manufactures such as Steelcase do it too.

 

richardycc

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
5,719
1
81
I paid like $50 for a high pile one at staples, it was well worth it. I ordered thur their website, and got a different and better one than the one they sell at B&M for the same price. It's thicker, but non-foldable.
 

PanzerIV

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2002
6,875
1
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Originally posted by: Howard
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Originally posted by: Howard
I need a freaking steel chair mat... I've already cracked my plastic one in several places (I'm about 125lbs in case you were wondering). And, my chair has 5 wheels... That's about 30lbs per wheel! Not a lot of weight.

:disgust:

Is the surface carpet or hardwood? (I'll assume carpet) If carpet you need a diff chairmat - they make them in low, medium, and high pile varieties. Using a low pile chairmat on a high pile carpet (or vice versa) results in cracked chairmats. And almost regardless of carpet type, the cheap ass $15 chairmats crack after several months of use.
Carpet. Hmm... I never really noticed. My mom bought them.

And yes, these had to have been cheap for my mom to buy them.


You aren't kidding. I don't know what brand we have at work but I've been using mine for over three years and I weigh 185lbs and it's in perfect condition. I don't recall any of the mats having cracks in them for that matter.
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
Originally posted by: Dead3ye
Originally posted by: Ornery
Your oak floor will be unscathed by the chair's wheels, but the finish may take a beating. I look at it this way. I paid for the floor. It's there to suit me, not the other way around. If I want to use it without protection, it's mine to abuse. Let the next owner fret about refinishing it. I'm going to use it as I see fit, and not worry about it. Even then, it will only take a few minutes to sand, and throw on a new coat of varnish or polyurethane.

You obviously have never refinished a floor. It takes more than "few minutes" to sand and revarnish. More like a few days if you do it right.
I've installed AND finished solid oak tongue and groove floors. I've renovated a house with oak floors, that had damaged varnish on its oak floors. I can repair the minor damage an office chair would do in less than one half hour. Whether it's 'done right' or not, doesn't matter if nobody can see the difference, now does it?