A desk mat that is too small leaves your mouse running off the edge. One that is too big hangs over the front of the desk or curls up against the monitor stand. Because every Kiyo Arts mat is made to order and can't be exchanged for a different size, it pays to measure first. This guide covers the three sizes we make, what fits on each, and how to check your own desk in a couple of minutes.
The three sizes
| Size (inches) | In centimetres | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
| 14.4 × 12.1 | 37 × 31 cm | A mouse, with room to move |
| 23.6 × 13.8 | 60 × 35 cm | A compact keyboard and a mouse |
| 31.5 × 15.5 | 80 × 39 cm | A full-size keyboard and a mouse |
All three have a smooth polyester surface and a natural rubber base that grips the desk. At the time of writing they run from about $21 to about $40.
Start with your keyboard
The keyboard decides more than the desk does. Measure yours, or use these typical widths:
- 60% or 65% keyboard: about 11.5 to 12.5 inches wide.
- 75% keyboard: about 12.5 to 13 inches.
- Tenkeyless (TKL): about 14 to 14.5 inches.
- Full-size with number pad: about 17 to 18 inches.
Then add space for the mouse. Most people need 8 to 10 inches of mouse room for office work. If you play shooters on a low sensitivity setting and make wide arm sweeps, you may want 12 inches or more.
Small: 14.4 × 12.1 inches
This is a large mouse pad. It will not hold a keyboard. It suits a laptop user who wants a good surface for an external mouse, a very small desk, or a setup where the keyboard sits on a tray or directly on the wood. It is also the easiest size to take with you. At just over 12 inches deep, it gives more vertical mouse travel than most standard mouse pads.
Medium: 23.6 × 13.8 inches
This fits a compact keyboard and a mouse side by side. A 60% board at 12 inches leaves about 11.5 inches for the mouse, which is plenty. A tenkeyless board at 14.5 inches leaves about 9 inches, which is fine for everyday work and most games. A full-size keyboard at 18 inches leaves under 6 inches: too tight. If you have a number pad, skip this size.
The medium is the right pick for desks under 40 inches wide, where a larger mat would crowd out everything else.
Large: 31.5 × 15.5 inches
This is the full desk mat. A full-size keyboard at 18 inches leaves about 13.5 inches of mouse room. A tenkeyless board leaves 17 inches, enough for low-sensitivity gaming. It is also deep enough that your wrists rest on the mat instead of the desk edge.
You need a desk at least 36 inches wide and 20 inches deep for it to sit flat with space around it. On a standard 48 or 60 inch desk it sits comfortably in the middle. Because the artwork covers the whole mat, this size shows the most of the design: the keyboard hides the centre, and the picture fills the area around it.
How to measure your desk
- Width: measure the clear space from left to right where the mat will go, between any monitor arm clamps, speakers or drawers.
- Depth: measure from the front edge of the desk to the front of your monitor stand or the base of the monitor arm. That is the space the mat has to fit in. Many monitor stands take up 8 to 10 inches at the back of a desk.
- Compare: the mat should be at least an inch smaller than the clear space in both directions.
If you want to be sure, cut a sheet of newspaper or tape together printer paper to the mat's dimensions and lay it on the desk with your keyboard and mouse on top.
Which size for which setup
- Laptop with an external mouse: small.
- Compact keyboard, small desk: medium.
- Tenkeyless keyboard, office work: medium or large.
- Full-size keyboard: large.
- Low-sensitivity gaming: large.
- You want to see the artwork: large.
For tight spaces, see small desk setups.
Thickness and edges
A printed desk mat is thin enough that it does not change your typing height in any way you would notice, and the rubber base stops it sliding. If the mat arrives with a slight curl from being rolled in transit, lay it flat with a few books on the corners overnight.
Looking after it
Spot clean with warm water and a little dish soap. For a stubborn mark, use a soft-bristled brush. You don't need to soak the whole mat. Let it dry flat before you put the keyboard back. The full routine is in how to clean a desk mat.
Choosing the design
Once you know the size, the fun part is the artwork. Dark cosmic designs such as Hand of the Stars hide everyday marks well and suit a setup with RGB lighting. A neon city piece like Japanese City Punk FX.3 brings more energy, and a calm landscape such as Blue Mountain Fog suits a work desk. To match the mat to your lighting, see choosing a desk mat by colour scheme, and to match it to the wall, see pairing canvas wall art with your desk mat.
Browse all the designs in the desk mats collection.