Primary Matting Categories & Mat Types
Mats are generally divided into four broad categories:
- Entrance Mats
- Interior Mats
- Industrial/Anti-Fatigue Mats
- Custom & Custom Logo
ENTRANCE MATS
Soil is everywhere! It is a part of the earth we live on and managing it is a vital part of our everyday existence.
Today's emphasis on Green Cleaning and the impact of the cleanliness of a building on health makes soil management even more important. Experts are recommending a minimum of 10-12 feet of quality matting products at entrances as part of a Green Cleaning program.
At the heart of soil management is the concept of prevention - prevention of contaminants from entering a building. 85% of all soil enters a building on the feet of building occupants. Of this, at least, 80% is dry soil and the rest is oily. The dry soil can range from large particles to powder-like dust. Over the years, many products have been developed and sold to help keep soil at the door and out of the building.
The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) has estimated that it costs 600 dollars to find and remove one pound of soil after it has been allowed to enter an average building. This cost is primarily labor. Since entrance mats stop and contain soil and water, it is obvious that removing soil from a mat can be less expensive than removing it from a building since the soil is concentrated in a localized area.
Entrance mats may also be scraper mats that provide the first line of defense against soil. Scraper mats should always be used with other entrance mats that will provide wiping properties to remove fine soil and water from feet.
Read more about the Four Things An Entrance Mat Should Do
INTERIOR MATS (Wiper Mats)
These mats perform many tasks.
In many cases, they are used as "dust control" or "finishing" mats when used in conjunction with a scraper entrance mat in a soil management program. They are usually made with a nylon textile surface that will provide good wiping characteristics.
- Nylon is typically used over olefin because of the high twist level of nylon fibers which allows the mat to more effectively remove soil and spring back up after cleaning.
- Olefin mats will crush out in as little as 30-days rendering the mat virtually useless.
Other uses of interior mats include spot, spill and soil control in high-use areas such as vending machines, coffee service areas, copy machines, registration areas, etc. It is important that mats used in these areas provide safe footing that minimizes trip and fall hazards as well as slip resistance. The best interior mats are made with a rubber backing that will resist slippage on any surface – carpet or hard surface.
There are also specialty interior mats designed to provide enhancements to the environment by controlling the growth of microorganisms that can be disease bearing as well as odor causing.
INDUSTRIAL MATS (Anti-Fatigue/Cushion)
Industrial mats usually fall into two broad use areas – Traction Control/Floor Protection mats and Anti-Fatigue mats.
Traction Control mats are engineered to provide safe footing with minimum movement in any environment. Typical applications include outside entrances, ramps and floor areas where contaminants such as oil, grease or water are common. For maximum safety, these mats should be designed for minimum slippage on any surface. In addition, the mat surface should be constructed with maximum traction properties. Another use of industrial mats is to protect the floor from contaminants such as food and liquids.
Anti-Fatigue mats are designed to provide a safe, productive surface for occupations that require long periods of standing. The best anti-fatigue mats are designed to comfortably support a person with a cushion that does not crush after months of use. To do this, an anti-fatigue mat should be resistant to environmental conditions that can contaminate and deteriorate the cushion in the mat.
Another benefit of higher performance industrial anti-fatigue mats is soil and debris trapping to help prevent or minimize cross contamination of soil from one department to another or to office environments.
CUSTOM LOGO MATS
Logo mats are available in constructions that allow them to be used as entrance mats or interior mats.
Logo entrance mats should be made with the same construction as non-logo entrance mats in that they should provide the soil and water stopping and storage or scraping properties inherent in the best entrance mats. One of the most common misapplications of matting products is the use of interior logo mats at the entrance to a facility.
Since interior mats do not provide the permanent bi-level construction required in an entrance mat, these mats can become saturated with soil and water and become a source for contaminants. The result is a mat that allows water to seep onto the floor around the mat causing unsightly and unsafe conditions. Interior logo mats are designed for dust and moisture control in conjunction with a planned matting program of scraper and entrance mats.