How Can Placemats Help Protect Your Table?

Decorative tabletop protection

Placemats are essential kitchen accessories for every home. The primary function of this item is to protect the table surface from potential drink and food accident. It also protects the table from excessive temperatures. In the end, they are also a beautiful decorative item that should fit in with your interior design scheme. They can be made of various types of materials. If you run a restaurant, placemats need to be very hardwearing due to the amount of usage they will receive each day. For these demanding scenarios a set of placemats with a melamine surface is recommended as they are more resistant to scratches than standard placemats.

Types of material used for placemats

One of the more popular materials is woven vinyl or increasingly these days, silicone, which both come in a wide variety of colours and with some round shaped designs as well. The biggest advantage of these two materials is that they are heat resistant, flexible and long-lasting. The floppy nature of silicone behaves similarly to vinyl and has the additional advantage of not slipping, even on the shiniest of tabletops. The more traditional placemats are made of pulped wood and are cork backed with an artwork print sealed into the top surface. This type of table mat allows for more intricate designs in multiple colour schemes in trendy, unique or classic patterns. A wide variety are available in the UK from leading manufacturers such as Pimpernel and Plymouth Pottery.

These tablemats can be used many times after wiping clean and allowing them to dry before putting them back in the cupboard. None of the placemats available today can be placed in a dishwasher and they should be always be wiped clean with a damp cloth, this ensures they continue to look great and achieve a high level of durability. You can also opt for a set of placemats made of slate, which are very strong as well as stunning and modern. The hard slate surface keeps hot plates away from your dining table and these placemats and coasters have a soft felt backing to stop the slate from scratching your furniture.

Benefits of Using Placemats

The main advantage of tablemats and coasters is thermal insulation is they provide. This is particularly important when you have a wooden table which is found in most homes. Whether simple or elegant, varnished or plain, it is very important to take proper care of these solid tables. This means that you will need keep the sources of high temperatures, such as dinner plates or pans, well away from the table, which is why we use placemats. Tables are not only susceptible to damage due to high temperatures, but also the base of some dinner plates and mugs can be rough and irregularly shaped. This type of finish is very likely to scratch the surface of any table.

Whatever happens, we're sure you don't want to be left with stubborn stains and marks that sometimes can't be removed no matter how hard you try. That's why placemats are a great option, as they will keep your table looking fresh and stain free. No matter which material of placemats you choose, an attractive design will help decorate and bring to life any kitchen or dining room. Making them the perfect accessory for dinners with friends or day-to-day casual dining with the family.

How to Choose the Right Placemats?

In addition to the selection of materials, there are variations in the size of place mats. Depending on your personal preference, you can opt for a square, rectangular or round shape. Typically, most modern placemats are rectangular shaped and for UK placemats the size is around 30cm x 23cm, with a larger option in the 40cm x 30cm size. This larger type of place mat would hold the cutlery alongside the dinner plate, or can be used as a table centre and is the preferred size in Europe and the USA.

You will find a wide range of place mats on the market, which means that the decision will not be easy, especially as the best placemats option is often not so obvious. In this case, you will need to consider the various materials, designs and their potential use before making a final decision. Either way you can be confident that Placemats.co.uk supply only quality tableware and have a 30 day returns policy should you not be completely happy with your purchase.