Hello fellow readers and fixers! Now, sometimes we lose rubber feet that we commonly see on desktop PCs and laptops. We risk dislodging them as we move them around. And they may drop off altogether when that happens. But furniture pads are useful as feet for our computers, just as we use them for our furniture.
Furniture pads come in various shapes, sizes and colours. There are round and square pads that are great for small furniture. You can buy them as sheets or rolls that you can cut to size as needed. Heck, you can even use pads in colours that match your PC or laptop!
Felt-based pads are common place, but there’s also non-slip pads that have a layer of rubber underneath. There’s pads made of cork for people who like a more natural look. You can even try castor cups to keep your machine raised from surfaces!
But why furniture pads?
On desktop PCs, furniture pads are useful for protecting the cases from scratches and scuffs. Felt-based pads are great for HTPCs, since they usually live in alcoves within TV cabinets. They allow PCs to slide more easily, making it easier to move them aside and clean the area around them. Also, you can adapt them to suit the shape and design of your case, and ensure even weight distribution.
Non-slip pads are good choices for people who don’t move their computers around often. This makes them ideal for placing PCs on top of (or inside) office desks. They’re handy for small peripherals as well, since they also usually stay in one place.
Are furniture pads useful for laptops, too?
Of course! Furniture pads are also useful for laptops. Particularly, non-slip pads work better here, as these help prevent slips from accidental knocks. You can try felt pads as feet, as they don’t leave marks on surfaces when you move PCs and laptops. However, they make laptops slide more easily, leaving them prone to knocks and slips. And an expensive laptop that falls off a table or desk and breaks, is the last thing you want!
You can opt for thicker pads as a passive way to keep your laptop running cooler. They provide extra clearance, which allows the fans to draw in more cool air. In turn, this reduces the risk of the CPU and other parts overheating. Thus, they’re especially worth trying on laptops that get hot easily, such as gaming laptops.
And so, you don’t need to accept using a wonky PC or laptop with a missing foot. Furniture pads are a good way to replace a rubber foot that came loose and fell off on transit. So remember; just keep calm and carry on fixing!