| Why
do we need chairmats any way?
Typical commercial grade
carpeting is thinner today than in the past. Combine that fact with
currently available "carpet caster" on office chairs and
one can see why many offices initially choose to work without chairmats.
Though it is possible to move around an office area or work cell without
a chairmat, there are two reasons that make it unwise:
1. Although carpet is commonly
dense enough to allow a rolling chair to move, the carpet fibers and
backing were not designed to handle the extreme pressure generated
by casters. The downward force of a chair wheel or caster is nearly
100 times greater than a normal footstep. Unprotected carpet will
loose fibers and its backing will break down, thus shortening the
life expectancy of the carpet.
2. Use of chairmats can
significantly reduce lower back and joint strain because casters move
more easily over hard surfaces. The typical office employee moves
his or her chair over 250 times a day. These movements may be just
inches, but they require up to twice as much effort without a chairmat.
Given the frequency of these movements, an office without chairmats
is more susceptible to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Therefore,
chairmats are an ergonomic choice to reduce the likelihood of RSI
and lower back fatigue.
Do
I need a beveled edged or a straight edged chairmat?
It's a good question. If
the chairmat will not be covering the actual area where the user's
chair will be rolling, then a beveled edged chairmat is appropriate
to make it that much easier to roll on and off the mat. If the chairmat
will be covering every where the user will roll, the beveled edge
is as necessary.
When on of the thicker mats,
such as the Big Boss (.300" thick) or the Top Brass (.220"
thick) are used, the same guidelines apply. However, if it is felt
that people moving around the desk and crossing over the chairmat
may "find" the edge of the mat, then a beveled edge is recommended
to protect against tripping more than for the person rolling his or
her chair on the mat.
Selecting
the appropriate Lifetime Chairmat
Start with what kind
of flooring or carpeting over which each chairmat will be used.
Refer to the
chart above which indicated the right
Lifetime Chairmat thickness and style for the many different situations
that exist in offices and homes where chairmats may be needed.
Use a measuring tape
and graph paper to sketch out the "optimum" size and shape
chairmat for each location.
Compare the sketches
to the standard shapes and sizes to see if one or another will satisfy
each of the chairmats required. The part number of each Lifetime Chairmat,
a detailed description and its price (including delivery to anywhere
in the Continental USA) is listed on the web page or pages dedicated
to that style or thickness.
If
there is no appropriate size or shaped mat among the standard offerings,
refer to the Custom Cut Mats section of that Lifetime Chairmat information
chart.
Determine the overall
size of the chairmat needing to be Custom Cut by multiplying its over
all length by its overall width and dividing the result by 144 (the
number of inches in a square foot). The result will be the number
of square feet of Lifetime Chairmat material required to make that
Custom Cut Mat.
To determine the price
of that Custom Cut chairmat, multiply the number of square feet of
material needed by the indicate Price per SF (square foot). The resulting
number will be the Price for that one mat delivered to anywhere in
the Continental USA.
Bulk Orders: Shipping
costs may effect the overall price for multiple mat orders. Therefore,
please submit the inventory of mats being priced to The Mat King via
 e-mail
or Fax 1-800-Mats-Fax (628-7329). e will be pleased to provide an
itemized quotation with freight charges for the entire order listed
separately.
Lifetime
Warranty
Lifetime vinyl chairmats
are warranted to be free from defects in workmanship or material.
Should a Lifetime vinyl chairmat break or crack under normal usage,
the manufacturer will replace the chairmat with a like or similar
product (or, at its option, refund the original purchase price) upon
proof of purchase and upon return of a small piece of the defective
mat to the factory with transportation charges prepaid by the customer
to and from the factory.
Colors are subject to normal
action of exposure to sunlight and are therefore not covered by this
warranty. The use of metal chair casters or casters with surface contact
of less than one-half inch (1/2") in width or use on painted
or varnished surfaces voids this warranty. The manufacturer reserves
the right to inspect the returned goods for evidence of misuse prior
to issuing any adjustment. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties,
expressed or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability
or fitness, which are expressly excluded. Liability under this warranty
is limited to the cost of the product and shall not extend to any
other special or consequential damages. |