so, how long do you think is not long enough? different mats have different (lives) and it depends on how much you use it- and how often you change to a new blade- whether or not you clean it, take care of it- the types of fabric you cut, and if you use it for things beyond a rotary cutter. I have one of the large 39" x 59" mats- in 10 years I have replaced it once- one of my local shops has the same one- they replace theirs every year. I have a mat cleaner- it is a small disc with a handle- from Nancy's Notions- with a very fine grit sanding stone- it cleans up and keeps it nice if I cut any fabrics that tend to stick to it- (like silks) also, you should not have to push hard on your cutter- if you find you have to apply pressure it's time for a new blade- if you change your blade as soon as you are not getting good cuts- notice you have to apply more pressure your mat will stay nice longer. I use mine A LOT! like every day- I feel I get my money's worth- even my small mats which I also use regularly hold up- my rotating mat gets used almost daily since I use it for applique a lot has held up - shows no sign of needing replacing in 5 years of use and counting