When your office chair is marring and scratching your expensive oak wood floors, you need a chair mat asap! And if you are located in Canada, here are the preferred brands.

Lorell nonstudded design ($31.82)

What I love most is the large space that it can occupy. It measures 60 x 24 inches, so it has a lot of room to push away from the desk. And this mat lays perfectly flat on hardwood floors. 

Another factor that you should be looking for in chair mats is the thickness. This would give you an idea of how well the product can produce your floors. And hardwood floors did cost you money to get installed, so you might as well want a mat that will prevent scratches and marks on the surface. 

The Lorell non-studded mat is quite thick at 60 mm and it provides sufficient protection for hardwood floors.

In addition, the material is clear vinyl. So it looks subtle and clean. It’s perfect for the minimalist home office. Or if you don’t want to draw too much attention to the mat, this is a good option. One thing to take note though, the mat will come in rolled up. So you have to unroll it and lay it flat and this can be pretty challenging. especially in the winter.

Pros

• Can occupy a large surface area
• Looks simple and clean
• Slip and scuff resistant
• Free from harmful chemicals
• Thick enough to prevent scratches on the floor

Cons

• Challenging to unroll

Glacier Mat executive chair mat ($41.97)

This mat is made from reinforced glass construction. It’s one heavy-duty mat and can hold up to 100 lbs. So if you need a mat that‘s more heavy-duty, the Glacier mat is a great contender. 

What sets it apart is the high-quality material. It’s unbendable, unlike regular PVC mats. You also won’t find the edges curling up or denting. And if you want the beauty of your wooden floors to still shine through, this mat also allows that. It’s clear and won’t cover your lovely oakwood floors.

And the tempered glass materials are also for greater ergonomics. It’s easy to slide along smooth surfaces.

At 36 x 48, it decently can cover an average space on your floor. And I love how good the grip of the mat on the floor is. It won’t easily slip or move. Also, the rounded edges add a touch of elegance to the mat.

And the more bang for your buck, the brand throws in a generous 10-year limited warranty. And we all know what a generous warranty means. It means that the brand is guaranteed to last for years. Because why else would a manufacturer throw in such a long warranty right?

Pros

• Heavy-duty
• Non-Slip and holds well on the floor
• The durable tempered glass material
• Generous warranty

Cons

• Problems with packaging, some have received mats with chips on the sides

Floortex Cleartex Advantagemat  ($55)

This PVC mat has great traction on the floor. It doesn’t slide or shift. It’s one of the more reasonable price mats that has good coverage. At 45”x53”, it’s quite wide. And it also covers enough space even when you pull the chair out. 

In addition, it’s a rectangular mat with a lip. And a percentage of it is made from recyclable materials. It can also be used on medium-pile carpeted floors.

And since it’s transparent, the beauty of your hardwood floors will still shine through. But keep in mind that you’ll receive this rolled up in a very big box.

One of the complaints was the packaging. It was rolled in a wrong way making it challenging to unroll and lay it flat on the ground. What you can do though is to either lay it out in the sun or use a blow dryer to hasten the unrolling process. The heat will also keep the mat flat.

Pros

• Wide coverage
• Fast shipping
• Non-slip

Cons

• Difficult to lay flat on the floor

AmazonBasics polycarbonate carpet ($47.91)

One of the things I love about this carpet is that it ships flat. Most brands would have the carpets rolled up. So you don’t have to spend time unrolling it and making sure it lays flat. 

It’s made of polycarbonate material and has spikes at the bottom. So you don’t need to put adhesive tape. It won’t go anywhere.

The material is thick and stiff. And it also looks bigger in person than in the photos. So you’ll be quite satisfied with the purchase. 

Just remember that since it has spikes, it’s a bit on the sharp side. So better wear gloves when unboxing it to prevent nicks and cuts.

Pros

• Delivered flat
• Stays on the floor
• Well shipped
• Durable material

Cons

•  Can make noise when you shift the chair

Sundance ($58.94)

I find the Sundance mat durable and it has a decent thickness to it. It’s about 5/64” thick, and your chair will glide smoothly on it without the mat shifting. It also has a decent size so it pretty much covers the space when you pull your chair from the table.

Make sure that the smooth side is facing down and the matte side is facing up when you lay it on the floor. Though you’ll receive the mat rolled up. Like most brands, you have to be patient in unrolling it. Using a blow dryer for outing some weight on the sides of the mat will help you flatten it. 

It’s also pretty flexible, so that might help you flatten the mat out faster. 

The brand claims that it’s free from cadmium, lead, and other toxic chemicals. But you might notice that there is some off-putting smell as you unravel it from the package. Though it doesn’t dissipate quickly, it does disappear over time. 

Pros

• Fast shipping
• Spacious and wide
• Free from lead and cadmium

Cons

• May have some smell

Northland Clear (41.52)

The Northland Clear mat is made from a combination of phthalate-free PVC and vinyl. And you’ll be happy that it’s one of those few brands that ships their mat unrolled. So there’s one less hassle for you. You don’t have to spend time flatting the mat onto the floor.

It’s very easy to use and there’s no unrolling process involved. Just take note though that the mat is purely rectangular in shape, it does not have a lip. It might be a bit thin for some, but it’s enough to protect your floors. The mat is about ⅛” thick.

I also find it durable. It’s made of semi-rigid material, so it can last for some time too.

Pros

• Ships unrolled
• Easy to use
• Durable

Cons

• The  dimensions are not as advertised

RICRNOS Gray polyester chair mat ($34.72)

If you want a solid color for your mat, this product from RICRNOS is a great choice. Instead of the usual clear mats that most brands, this product boasts of a solid gray color. It’s made from polyester and free from toxic fumes and chemicals.

I also find it easy to use. It’s equipped with a sort of adhesive on the back of the mat. You just need to peel off the sticker and press the mat firmly on the floor. So with the built-in adhesive, you don’t need to use tape or whatsoever anymore.

It’s also customizable and cuttable. So you can configure it to the size of your space. It also is easy to wash and you can toss it in your washing machine. 

You might also find the carpet a bit thin, but it does its job decently.

Pros

• Cuttable
• Washable
• Free from toxic chemicals

Cons

•  May have some creases at first since it ships rolled up

Somolux ($ 69.62)

Somolux is made of recycled PVC material. Now what I love about this brand is that even if it does come rolled up, it’s easier to flatten it on the ground. And the brand has a guarantee that there are no chips and dents. And this is often a common complaint with mats that are shipped rolled up. 

Though it will help if you unroll it in a hot room. This will speed things up a bit. Also, the brand claims that it is free from toxic compounds. And true to its claims, it does not have any funky chemical-like smell. Even when it comes straight out of the box, you won’t notice any weird smell. 

This clear mat also feels more premium. It’s well made. And albeit it’s a clear mat, you can still tell from the way it looks that it does cost a bit more than other clear PVC mats in the market. 

Pros

• Premium quality
• Easy to flatten out
• Free from chemicals
• Doesn’t have any funny chemical smell

Cons

• Customer service isn’t the best

Final say

Chair mats often come rolled up and this may cause some problems such as dents, chips, and a longer time to uncurl it. Some brands ship their mat flat, but it’s only a handful.

Albeit the longer time it took to fatten these mats, they were still rated high by the Canadian market. Because these brands were able to do the job that’s expected of them, many still rated them high. 

See more: Top 5 Best office chairs with adjustable armrests in Canada