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View Full Version : A crazy request: floor mat spikes?


Jason Dunn
09-20-2003, 04:44 PM
Ok, I'm putting this message up here because I'm out of ideas, but I'm sure these things exist.

You know those hard plastic office floor mats you use if you have a computer chair with wheels? Well, I special-ordered two very large ones (4' x 5') that are made of a very hard plastic (no wheel indents on these). But much to my dismay, both sides are sheer - there isn't a "down" side with spikes to stick the mat into the carpet. The result is that the mats slide around my office floor, which means almost every day I have to reposition them.

When I called the company who sold them to me, RGO Office Products, they didn't see anything unusual with an floor mat lacking spikes. They said I could get small spikes that could be added to the mat - one side would be sticky, one side would have the spikes. I called Grand & Toy as they suggested, and they didn't carry such an item. I've heard people say that Staples has them, but I've tried two Staples in my area (and looked in the catalogue), and can't find any mention of such an item. I've spent 10 minutes searching using Google, and couldn't find anything.

So here's my request: do such things exist? If you've seen something like that in your area, post here and I'll buy them from you. :D

Dave Beauvais
09-20-2003, 05:24 PM
I called up the Staples right up the street from me and they had no clue what I was talking about. I also searched their site and did a Google search and came up empty.

I had a problem like this a few years ago and solved it with good ol' Velcro. I got a roll of self-adhesive Velcro strips and stuck the "rough" side to the bottom of my chair mat in several places. Each corner had four strips arranged in a four inch square shape, and I put a long "X" from corner to corner through the middle of the mat. Note that this used a lot of Velcro and since you're only using the rough side, the other side is pretty much useless and will likely just get thrown away because what can you do with that much fuzzy Velcro? :)

If you have a clear mat and you're really type A ;) you should get Velcro which matches your carpet as closely as possible so as not to look stupid through the mat. In this case, I got grey Velcro, which didn't stand out too badly against the carpet I was using at the time.

Note the Velcro didn't actually stick to the carpet as it does to its fuzzy sibling; it just provides enough friction that the mat no longer slides on the carpet. You also may not need (or want) to use as much Velcro as I did. I got a big roll of it, which as I recall, was not exactly cheap.

--Dave

Zensbikeshop
09-20-2003, 06:34 PM
I've seen stick on spikes for car floor mats called "Kitten Claws" but it was some time ago and was in the UK. Maybe look for similar car mat solutions?

The velcro idea actually sounds pretty good if you can match your carpet colour.

Sven Johannsen
09-20-2003, 06:57 PM
Coupla 16 penney nails should do the trick. Drill a hole through the plastic first though. :lol:

Janak Parekh
09-20-2003, 07:08 PM
I have a feeling that floor mats with spikes have become rare, due to the damage they can inflict on carpets. I don't see them nearly as often as I used to.

--janak

Jason Dunn
09-20-2003, 07:50 PM
If you have a clear mat and you're really type A ;) you should get Velcro which matches your carpet as closely as possible so as not to look stupid through the mat. In this case, I got grey Velcro, which didn't stand out too badly against the carpet I was using at the time.

Yeah, I had considered Velcro, but I only have black Velcro here so I dismissed that idea pretty quick. I'll have to look around for some beige Velcro, but I can't say that I've ever seen it in that colour. I'd still prefer spikes though...

Jason Dunn
09-20-2003, 07:51 PM
Coupla 16 penney nails should do the trick. Drill a hole through the plastic first though. :lol:

Hmm...I have 10 pound underlay under the carpet, then concrete. I suppose I could drill through it all, but that seems a wee bit drastic, and somewhat permanent. :D

Jason Dunn
09-20-2003, 07:53 PM
I've seen stick on spikes for car floor mats called "Kitten Claws" but it was some time ago and was in the UK. Maybe look for similar car mat solutions?

I'm having a hard time finding anything with Google, even with boolean search strings. That sounds like exactly what I'm seaching for, but I can't seem to find any place that sells them. Thanks for the lead at least! :wink:

Jason Dunn
09-20-2003, 07:53 PM
I have a feeling that floor mats with spikes have become rare, due to the damage they can inflict on carpets. I don't see them nearly as often as I used to.

Interesting - that's the ONLY type you can get at Office Depot and Staples up here...

Dave Beauvais
09-20-2003, 07:55 PM
... beige Velcro, but I can't say that I've ever seen it in that colour. ...
I haven't seen adhesive beige before, but I have seen the type that's designed to be sewn into clothing. I have seen translucent Velcro before but only in the form of tiny dots used for closing folders and promotional materials at trade shows and the like. Would probably take a lot of little dots to keep a chair mat in place. ;)

I've got to run up to Staples to drop off a FedEx package, so I'll poke around the store to see if I can find something usable. Maybe the guy I spoke with on the phone didn't understand what I was asking for.

--Dave

Dave Beauvais
09-20-2003, 07:58 PM
Interesting - that's the ONLY type you can get at Office Depot and Staples up here...
Same here. There are only a couple mats that I've seen there that were just smooth on both sides. They're designed for use on hardwood or other hard surfaces that you want to keep from getting damaged from the continuous movement of wheels. Anything intended for use on carpet has spikes.

--Dave

stitics
09-20-2003, 11:46 PM
If you have a clear mat and you're really type A ;) you should get Velcro which matches your carpet as closely as possible so as not to look stupid through the mat.
Or you could use something like this 3M™ Dual Lock™ Reclosable Fastener System (http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/utilities_telecom/mro/node_GS9K92H2B2gs/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_GSRXV6BQXBge/bgel_BXXVQF1RPBbl/gvel_T5N33GRP37gl/theme_us_mro_3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html).

It's clear, so you'd have to worry less about its appearance through your floor mat, but I'm not sure where you'd get it. They sell it here on post at the GSA (http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/home.jsp), but you can't "personally" buy anything there. It has to go onto a government credit card.

GoldKey
09-21-2003, 01:27 AM
How about this

http://kaysnet.com/gus/product.asp?brand=kays&cat%5Fid=15&zone%5Fid=&prod%5Fid=179716&offer%5Fid=&link%5Fid=1246&referer=&extra=&inSearch=&search%5Fcriteria=&mo%5Fid=&wl%5Fid=&wl%5Fsec=&fwid=&mscs_sid=ANVEWAMDWJ6N8H941K74BV839KSC5MNE

Jason Dunn
09-21-2003, 02:02 AM
How about this...

Hey, that's almost exactly what I want! Too bad they're black though...but I'll put up with it not looking nice just to get something that works. :-) Thanks! I wonder if I can find anything like this in North America?

GoldKey
09-21-2003, 02:23 AM
Not quite the same, but I got these little round half spheres that stick to the inside of cabinet doors to keep them from bumping the cabinet. If you got enough of them, they would probably do the job.

Kati Compton
09-21-2003, 02:55 AM
Not quite the same, but I got these little round half spheres that stick to the inside of cabinet doors to keep them from bumping the cabinet. If you got enough of them, they would probably do the job.
My guess is that it would be a temporary solution unless you were very careful to get ones with really good adhesive... There's a wide variance in stickiness, and the ones I seem to buy fall off after a while, and that's in less intense situations.

Khufu1
09-23-2003, 03:51 PM
Two words: DUCT TAPE...
Seriously, 3M has clear duct tape now and I have been using it like a madman.

David Prahl
09-23-2003, 06:21 PM
, 3M has clear duct tape now and I have been using it like a madman.

Wow! A perfect thing is more perfect! :lol:


Everyone has spiked mats where I work. Smooth ones seem like a bad idea, unless you have a tile floor.

I'd go for some duct tape! Just surround the whole thing with it.

Bruno Figueiredo
09-23-2003, 06:29 PM
I saw a thing once that can help. It was a sticky no-adhesive net matt that you cut to the same size as the plastic matt and place underneath. The idea is: as it is big and sticky the carpet won't bulge.

Since then I've seen it everywhere...

Edit: how about this http://www.frontgate.com/fg/pdp.jsp?Showarrow=y&prod_oid=2071808&Category_key=-13078&k=XX20721 or this http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000A1VG9/qid=1064338572/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-4613513-0239319?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846 or this http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000A1VG3/qid=1064338572/sr=8-5/ref=sr_8_5/102-4613513-0239319?v=glance&s=kitchen&n=507846 or even this http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000AZ4D8/qid=1064338572/sr=8-6/ref=sr_8_6/102-4613513-0239319?v=glance&s=kitchen&n=507846 and finnally this http://www.seriousshopping.net/Stores/CatalogCity/HomeAndGarden/Home/HomeAccents/RugPadsAndGrips/index-3.html

karen
09-23-2003, 06:30 PM
Two words: DUCT TAPE...
Seriously, 3M has clear duct tape now and I have been using it like a madman.

I'm sorry, it ain't real duct tape unless it is UHG-LY....That's the whole point, right?

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."

Karen

Video11
09-24-2003, 12:08 AM
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."
Karen

Ahh...Red Green. My favourite quote: "Keep Your Stick on the Ice"

JustinGTP
09-24-2003, 12:44 AM
They can still find you handy with clear duct tape!!!

-Justin.

Hmm, we always bought mats with grips from staples, always in the office section. But since we moved to a house that has Slate tile and Hardwood floors, we dont need to buy them anymore.

Even I have tile in my bedroom, where my pc is.

Mitch D
09-24-2003, 04:03 AM
They can still find you handy with clear duct tape!!!

-Justin.

Hmm, we always bought mats with grips from staples, always in the office section. But since we moved to a house that has Slate tile and Hardwood floors, we dont need to buy them anymore.

Even I have tile in my bedroom, where my pc is.

I hope you have radiant floor heating, slate tile on a bedroom floor in Calgary? Brrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ctmagnus
09-24-2003, 04:29 AM
They can still find you handy with clear duct tape!!!

-Justin.

Hmm, we always bought mats with grips from staples, always in the office section. But since we moved to a house that has Slate tile and Hardwood floors, we dont need to buy them anymore.

Even I have tile in my bedroom, where my pc is.

I hope you have radiant floor heating, slate tile on a bedroom floor in Calgary? Brrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was thinking the same thing.

JustinGTP
09-24-2003, 06:21 AM
We have in floor heat on every level. I know, the pilot light went out for 3 days, and boy did you ever feel the heat loss! :D

-Justin.

maximus
09-25-2003, 02:30 AM
Just to enlight a person who has never been in canada (but really looking forward to) like myself ... can someone share the temperature range you guys have over there ?

ctmagnus
09-25-2003, 03:49 AM
Just to enlight a person who has never been in canada (but really looking forward to) like myself ... can someone share the temperature range you guys have over there ?

In Calgary, anywhere from -40C to +40C. Sometimes in the same day!

JustinGTP
09-25-2003, 05:00 AM
I know, the saying in Calgary is

"If you dont like the weather, wait a bit and It will change"

-Justin.

Kati Compton
09-25-2003, 06:09 AM
I know, the saying in Calgary is

"If you dont like the weather, wait a bit and It will change"

No - I think it just stays cold. ;)

JustinGTP
09-25-2003, 06:27 AM
Why, and where do you live to know that?

maximus
09-25-2003, 07:57 AM
Ok. -40 to +40 on the same day is crazy.

JustinGTP
09-25-2003, 04:12 PM
That was an exageration, of course, but the temperatrure can climb quite high from what it was originally!

-Justin.

ux4484
09-25-2003, 04:20 PM
Jason,

Go to your local home center and by some clear flexible carpet runner (comes on a roll cut to size) that has the spikes on the bottom, cut it into pieces that will fit under your chair mat. The top of the carpet runner when new is tacky(especially to hard plastic), If you put it down first and put the chair mat on top of it, It won't move hardly at all.

Jason Dunn
10-01-2003, 04:27 PM
Go to your local home center and by some clear flexible carpet runner (comes on a roll cut to size) that has the spikes on the bottom, cut it into pieces that will fit under your chair mat. The top of the carpet runner when new is tacky(especially to hard plastic), If you put it down first and put the chair mat on top of it, It won't move hardly at all.

This seems to be the best suggestion so far - thanks so much! :D

Pat Logsdon
10-01-2003, 05:21 PM
Here's something that might work (http://www.officemax.com/international/canada/product/prodBlock.jsp?prodBlockOID=537058350).

Rubbermaid also sells a similar mat with the brand name "Econocleat", so you might want to look for that.

Jason Dunn
10-01-2003, 05:31 PM
Here's something that might work (http://www.officemax.com/international/canada/product/prodBlock.jsp?prodBlockOID=537058350).

Well, no, you see I've already spent $400 on two large floor mats - the problem is that they lack the spikes that I thought they'd have. Buying new mats is not an option right now, but finding some way to keep them from moving is. :D

ux4484
10-02-2003, 03:52 PM
This seems to be the best suggestion so far - thanks so much! :D


You're welcome!
We had this problem in an office I used to work in during college: They were mega-cheap and bought a bunch of used chair mats from a used office supply house. They were terrible on commercial carpet, the runners worked perfectly to keep them in place, and was the right price ;).

Let us know what you end up doing.

ux4484
11-04-2003, 06:18 PM
So Jason.........what did you end up doing?

Jason Dunn
11-04-2003, 06:34 PM
So Jason.........what did you end up doing?

Unfortunately I haven't made it down to the local hardware store to pick one up yet. :oops: But it's on my list!

Wiggin
11-04-2003, 07:22 PM
Here's a simple suggestion with a simple solution

Buy some double sided tape (hardware store, tape section, usually 2" wide, slightly thick)... apply 6" strips on each corner, set her down, and voila... pads are stable, no damage to the carpet, and hardly noticable. If the pad/chair still slide, no prob, just apply a few more strips.
Worked for me... might work for you!
Cheers