How to Make a Chair Mat

Chair mats protect the carpet under your desk and make it easy to roll your office chair around. Plastic or vinyl chair mats that are available at office supply stores shift around as you roll your chair or crack and tear easily in just a few months. You can make a sturdy and attractive mat from wood that will protect your carpet and withstand the day-to-day use a chair mat goes through.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood
• Vinyl tile
• Wood glue
• Utility knife
• Felt

Instructions

How to Make a Chair Mat

1. Measure the area around your desk to determine the size you need. Keep in mind you do not want to be rolling off the mat constantly so err on the larger side.

2. Purchase a sheet of 1/2-inch plywood. Have the lumberyard or home improvement store cut it to size.

3. Smear wood glue onto the top of the plywood and affix vinyl tile. Abut the edges of each tile together so there is no space between them. Use a utility knife to trim the tiles to fit. Allow the glue to dry for three hours.

4. Flip the plywood over and cut a piece of thin felt large enough to cover the bottom of the wood. You may need to cut several pieces depending on the width of your felt.

5. Glue the felt onto the bottom of the plywood and allow it to dry. The felt will protect your existing flooring from the roughness of the plywood.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also cover the plywood in wood laminate. Molding is available that you can attach to the edges of your finished mat.

• Make sure the floor is level where you place the mat so that the plywood doesn't crack.

References

• Trusted