How Big Should a Chair Mat be?

So, you’re wading deep into the world of upholstery, starting your own upholstery business, and you want to know how big should a chair mat be.

Chair mats have several shapes, sizes, and styles. Next to the chair’s ergonomic design, its primary function is to protect your carpet or flooring and the employees’ health.

This blog describes the standard chair mat sizes and identifies how big should a chair mat be for your environment and all related to it.

What is the Standard Size for a Chair Mat?

The most common size for a chair mat is 48″ x 36″. It covers most of your floor space while allowing you to walk around the chair without stepping over it.

If you have a lot of chairs or are looking for something bigger, you may want to consider using a 98″ x 48″ mat.

The best chair mats can cover more space and protect against spills and stains. They are also great if you want to save an entire room from spills and dirt that people walking around on hard floors could track into the space.

A 48″ x 36″ mat might be enough for one person working at one desk, but if more people need to share the same desk space, you’ll probably want an even larger mat (or multiple smaller mats).

How Big Should a Chair Mat be?

The answer depends on your office space and what kind of chairs you need to cover.

There are different sizes of chair mats available, and depending on how many people will be using them, you might need one that can accommodate more than one person at a time.

Be sure not to get too big or too small of a mat. You want it to be long enough to fit under every chair in your store and wide enough to cover all parts of each chair at once.

Avoid buying a small mat because it will not work effectively if all chairs are placed on top of it at once.

How do You Measure for a Chair Mat?

Two basic measurements determine how much floor space a chair mat should cover:

The Length of Your Desk

The length of your desk (or countertop) determines how much room you have and how many people can work simultaneously. If you have a long desk, you may want a longer mat so that more than one person can use it comfortably.

However, if you have a smaller desk, it’s probably best to find a shorter mat so that there is enough room for everyone who needs to use it at once.

The Width of Your Desk

The width of your desk determines how many people can comfortably sit or stand at it at one time. A wider mat will allow more people to stand or sit on it while they work.

How Do You Measure Chair Mat with Lip?

The lip is the excess material hanging over the edge of your chair mat. Here are some tips on how to measure chair mat with lip:

• Measure from the front edge of your desk or table to the back edge of your chair.
• Add 2 inches to each dimension to accommodate more giant chairs or other items on your mat.

Can Chair Mats be Trimmed?

Chair mats can be trimmed to fit any size chair. The most common way to trim a chair mat is by using a utility knife or box cutter. Cut the excess material from one side of the mat, leaving about 1/4 inch of material on each side (no less than 1/8 inch).

Then, fold over the edge of the mat and glue it down with contact cement or spray adhesive. It creates a clean finished edge that will not fray or curl up like an uncut edge will do.

Conclusion

The size of a chair mat you need depends on your desk and chair size. To avoid buying an oversized mat, measuring both before buying is a good idea.

It may not be easy to find the exact dimensions for most furniture online. Still, you should always be able to find something in the documentation that comes with it, even if you have to contact the manufacturer directly to get detailed dimensions.