When you are looking at floors for your office or workspace, wood may seem like the obvious choice. And we would agree with you, wood is an amazing tactile natural material that can produce stunning effects in your workspace. But when you are thinking about hardwood floors you want to make sure that your investment will last and benefit the staff for years to come.  

We have news for you though. Hardwood floor has an enemy. Like a Superman and Lex Luthor kind of enemy. Your beautiful new floors in your workspace can be damaged by the Lex Luthor of the workspace – the chairs. Well, more specifically the wheels on the chairs. 

Now a great office chair is a must for those who sit at a desk all day, as anyone who has tried to work a full-time desk job with a bad back will tell you. But unfortunately, it is a human habit to scoot around on our chairs which can actually damage the finish on your hardwood floors. It can also come from dirt and debris getting caught in the wheel casters and scratching the floor.

So does this mean you have to say goodbye to your dream of a beautiful hardwood floor? Thankfully no. Office chairs don’t have to ruin hardwood floors if you take some precautions. At Fin we have you covered so here are some top tips to help protect the flooring in your workspace:

1.     Check the wheels 

It’s not actually the chair that can cause damage, but the plastic casters and wheels that are attached to most models of office chairs. Frankly, they are not designed with the well-being of your floor in mind.  But no fear, there is an answer and that is rollerblade style wheels. Most manufacturers have realised the peril of the plastic wheel, and designed rollerblade wheels for their models, so the first thing to do is see if it’s possible to replace the wheels of the chairs you already have. 

If the manufacturer doesn’t offer the correct model, then you can see if it’s possible to buy standard ones to replace the existing plastic wheels. Most rollerblade style wheels are made from rubber and polyurethane. This is great because it doesn’t mark the floor when they move and also give really smooth movement. 

2.     Invest in chairs 

This might be a good opportunity to actually check and see if the office chairs need to be replaced. Most people don’t realise when they sit in a chair day in and day out that it’s not actually up to the best health standards. Although the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) does not talk specifically about the use of ergonomic chairs and equipment, under the General Duty Clause Section 5(a)(1) it is required to keep the workplace free from serious hazards, including ergonomic hazards. 

Ideally, your office chairs should cover these key areas:

1- Have adjustable backs, height and armrests. Being able to adjust these is so important to avoid posture and musculoskeletal related problems. Lower back and neck pain is a common effect of having the wrong chair, so make sure they are adjustable. 

2- Have a deep enough seat. so that if you are tall your legs are supported, but if you are short then it is not too deep for the same reason. The edges of the seat should also be rounded to stop any digging in.  

3- Have the ability to lock and unlock so that the chair reclines. The variety of movement is important so that you are not sitting in the same position for the whole day. 

3.    Grab a mat 

There is such a thing as a chair mat that can help protect your floor and even ones that are transparent plastic so you don’t have to compromise on style. You can still admire the hardwood floor in your workspace. They also stop the chair from sliding quickly which can protect from accidents, we all know that heart-stopping moment when we feel the chair slipping out from under us. With a chair mat that feeling will be a thing of the past, and you can drop into your chair with velocity. 

So do office chairs ruin hardwood floors? As we have seen they don’t have to if you make sure you have the right equipment and protection for your floors. We know the importance of great flooring and also the need to maintain and protect it. If you would like to talk to us about what would work for you and your workspace interior then please contact us at: hello@finworkspaces.com or call 206-489-0134