The chair mat is the carpet protector I needed. I assume it is doing what it is designed to do - I just do not know. I bought the chair protector because my niece is working at "home" which this week is my Mom's house. The desk chair my niece had was not working with the new carpet Mom just had put in the living room. Neither my Mom nor my niece were going to go get the chair mat but now I am not getting daily calls about the desk chair damaging the new carpet so I assume it is working just fine.