I am considering purchase of a glass chair mat to replace an old vinyl chair mat. There have been recent ads for this one:
Does anyone have experience with a glass chair mat? Recommendations?
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I didn’t even know these things existed! Pretty impressive (and I guess the price reflects that). Looking forward to hearing the experiences of anyone who has one and/or your experience if you buy one.
I didn’t know such a thing existed either, and now I am intrigued. How strong could it be? Couldn’t you stub a toe really easily? You should definitely get one and let us know @Arthur.
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I own a glass chair mat - I’ve had it for a little over a month now. I got sick of the plastic ones getting dented up. One “mid-pile carpet” chair mat from the office store had a non-usable dent in it within 24 hours! Those plastic ones are a joke.
The glass mats are all about 1/5 - 1/4" thick, and heavy as hell. I grabbed this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K95V7X2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and I’d previously upgraded my chair casters to:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CSGXTLD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
mostly to squeeze another inch or so of maximum height out, and in a futile attempt to try and get the chair to roll nicer on the carpeted floor (which was a failure).
I haven’t had any issues with stubbing my toe or anything, but make sure they’re big enough for your space - if the chair rolls off the edge it’s definitely noticeable. Mine is very solid and no issues so far on top of the mid-pile residential carpet. The caveat is that the chair mat very much sits on top of the carpet, so it adds a bit of height to the chair. Probably not an issue, but just in case it is, be aware. 
Also, glass can be cold. So if you’re doing the home office sit/stand thing, you’ll probably want some sort of slipper / shoe.
Either way, I’d definitely recommend glass mats!
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Don’t forget the popular alternative of replacing your chair wheels with oversized rubber wheels that work well on both carpet and hardwood.
There are other threads/discussions here on the topic, if you search the board. Or go to Amazon and search for rubber chair wheels.
I have this thick, plush carpet that everything sinks into. Do rubber wheels help with that? I currently use plastic mats, but they slide a bit each day and it drives me nuts.
I currently use this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KAISER-Germany-Carpet-Medium-Friendly/dp/B07G2HYD4C
It’s a hard plastic mat with little “feet” regularly underneath to reduce crushing the carpet pile (so halfway between a flexible plastic/rubber mat and a glass mat). I wish it was another 6 inches wider as occasionally a wheel slips off the mat. But it’s lasting well. I’ve had it over a month using it daily with no deformation, but a bit of superficial marking where the wheels have been which is only visible when you lift it.
@kjw97 and @Leeabe51 asked for experience with the glass chair mat. It’s great! I waited for a 20% off coupon and bought the Vitrazza mat pictured above (post #1).
Plastic mats tend to develop dents from the weight of the chair wheels, but there is of course none of that with the glass mat. The office chair glides smoothly now. As @webwalrus suggested, err on a larger rather than smaller size to prevent the chair wheels from rolling off.
My office space appearance is much improved. Discoloration of the old plastic mat caused my office-sized area rug look old and dingy. The new glass mat makes the underlying carpet look new again. I opted for the “Luminoso” or extra-clear low-iron option despite the extra cost.
Patience is advised. If you provide an email address to Vitrazza well in advance of your purchase, you may receive promotional offers. There were 20% off coupon codes just before Mother’s Day and Cinco de Mayo.
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When I had to solve this problem about 10 years ago, I bought a 4 x 5 piece of plywood and put self-adhesive floor tiles on it. Cheap, very effective, and still in use today. But if I had to do it over again, I’m pretty sure I’d spring for the glass mat (although I’m also pretty sure I’d give @KirkS’s rubber wheels a spin first).
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