If you have carpeted floors in your home office, potentially ruining them with your office chair wheels can be a serious concern. Carpet, after all, is not easy nor cheap to replace or repair. And let's face it - damaged carpet is unappealing. This eyesore is the last thing you need in your working space.
So, do computer chairs ruin carpet? The short answer is yes, they can. In this article, we will go over how rolling office chairs can be bad for your carpet, as well as how to prevent them from doing so.
Let's get started!
So - Are Computer Chairs Bad For Carpet Or Not?
Yes, rolling office chairs can ruin carpet. But only if they have low-quality wheels. As you likely already know, not all computer chairs are created equal.
Cheap Wheels Can Ruin Carpet
There are two main types of office chair wheels: plastic and rubber. Unfortunately, most office chairs come with built-in caster wheels that are made of cheap plastic. Rolling these wheels against a carpeted surface can cause friction and ruin the carpet. What's worse is that moving around in an office chair with plastic wheels can be very difficult. If you've tried rolling around a carpeted floor with a caster-wheel office chair, you might have found mobility to be lacking.
Rubber wheels, on the other hand, are covered in soft polyurethane that does not leave marks or cause excessive friction on carpeted surfaces. High-quality office chairs usually come with these types of wheels, especially ergonomic office chairs that are designed to reduce physical strain, which can happen if you can't move around smoothly in your chair.
This brings us to our next point: another benefit of rubber wheels is that they allow for easy movement across all types of surfaces. So, if you tend to move around while sitting on your office chair, getting a chair with rubber casters will be the least physically-straining choice.
It's Not The Wheels - It's Your Carpet!
Office chairs can also ruin carpet if the carpet itself is of low quality. If your carpet is made of low-quality material, it is very likely that office chair wheels will cause damage to it (and maybe the padding underneath as well)--even if it's just a small person sitting on the chair.
Furthermore, the more plush your carpet is, the more noticeable will the marks be. However, these marks may be temporary depending on the quality of your carpet. If your plush carpet is not that great, you can expect to find wheel tracks on it over time. High-quality plush carpet, on the other hand, may have the ability to bounce back.
If you want to avoid wheel tracks in the long term, consider investing in commercial carpeting for your office. Commercial carpet is built to withstand wear and tear, which makes it great for heavy traffic areas.
To sum it all up--yes, office chairs can ruin carpet if they have cheap caster wheels and/or if your carpet is of low quality. So, how do you prevent your office chair from ruining your carpet?
How To Stop Office Chair Wheels From Damaging Carpet
Damaged carpeting is not only difficult to replace--it can also be expensive. So, to avoid having to replace your office carpet prematurely, take steps to prevent damage in the first place. Here are some of the best tips on how to stop your office chair from damaging the carpet:
Replace Your Office Chair Wheels
As we've mentioned earlier, most office chairs come with cheap plastic caster wheels. Unless you want to replace your office chair entirely, the best solution to this problem is to replace the casters with high-quality wheels that are coated with rubber material. Aside from ensuring that your office chair doesn't ruin your carpet, replacing your office chair wheels with higher-quality casters will make it easier for you to glide around while sitting.
Buy a New Office Chair
If you are due to replace your office chair anyway, why not do it now? Find an office chair with built-in casters coated with carpet-safe rubber material. And while you're at it, choose an office chair that meets all the ergonomic requirements to boost your posture and productivity at work.
Not sure which office chair to get? We don't blame you, there are lots to choose from! We know you may be overwhelmed by how expensive a quality chair is - here is a breakdown of why desk chairs are so expensive these days.
Invest In A Floor Mat
Getting an office chair mat is the easiest way to prevent your chair from damaging your carpet. A chair mat serves as a physical barrier between your office chair's wheels and the carpet below, thus preventing marks and friction. Plus, chair mats can also protect your carpet from indentations, scuffs, and stains.
What To Look For In A Floor Mat
To ensure that your chair mat doesn't affect your mobility, pick one that will not let the wheels or your feet sink into it. Otherwise, you could find it difficult to move around while sitting on your office chair, which can lead to unnecessary leg strain.
More than that, you would want a chair mat that is big enough to cover the entire area where you usually move around. And if you tend to push your chair all the way inside your desk when not in use, we recommend getting a chair mat that has a "lip" (a protruding section that goes under the desk).
Chair mats can also add aesthetic value to your office. There are many different patterns, shapes, and colors you can choose from. However, if you want your mat to be as "invisible" as possible, there are also transparent chair mats available online.
Another important factor to consider when picking out chair mats is the thickness. Here's a guide on how to pick the right thickness depending on the type of carpet you have:
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Regular chair mats - for carpets 3/8" thick without padding underneath
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Standard chair mats - for carpets 3/4" thick or less
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Premium chair mats - for plush carpets thicker than 3/4" and with padding
Use Non-Skid Underlays on Your Chair Mat
Office chairs can be heavy, especially with the added weight of a person. With enough weight, a chair mat can scoot away from its original spot and cause your wheels to roll on the carpet. If your chair mat gives you this type of grief, use non-skid underlays to prevent it from slipping away. But be careful though--make sure there are no protruding parts of the underlay that can stick to your carpet.
Are Computer Chairs Bad For Carpeted Floors? Wrapping Up
Yes, rolling office chairs ruin carpet if they have poor-quality plastic casters. Luckily, the solution is something as easy as placing a chair mat underneath your office chair. But if you want a more permanent fix, simply replace the original wheels with higher-quality, rubber-coated casters. Since most office chairs do not come with these roller blade style wheels, you are better off making the replacement on your own.
Better yet, why not buy a new ergonomic computer chair entirely? This is an especially good idea if your office chair is not ergonomic in the first place. Many ergonomic office chairs come with high-quality wheels to allow for easy movement. And as a side benefit, these wheels do not cause damage to your carpet! Get yourself the chair you deserve - the best ergo chair in Australia.
