My plastic chair mat was cracked and broken in several places and after a while, even duct tape didn't work. My husband had a great idea about using quarter inch plywood instead. He bought a 4 x 4 ft. piece for a lot less than the price of a new plastic mat, and this will last a lot longer. It's also smooth enough that I still don't have to wear shoes in the house. Why pay $50 plus when you can spend under $15 for plywood. You can stain or paint it if you like, but we haven't.
By Marti S. from Athens, GA
You can also use tempered hardboard. It is also called floor underlayment and is cheaper than plywood.
We used leftover laminate flooring from a spare bedroom project and it has worked great!
