Flooring mats are necessary for indoor and outdoor use. They protect your floors and occupants by preventing slip, trip, and fall accidents. Additionally, they protect floors from liquids, corrosive chemicals, and abrasive soils. But which type of floor matting is suitable for your home or business? Our post answers this question profoundly. Keep reading to learn more and how our matting solutions can help you.
Types of Floor Matting and Their Uses
Floor mats come in different types based on their suitability. This section examines them to hint at how you can choose the right one for you.
1. Entry Mats
Entrance mats are your premises’ primary defense when controlling soil. They come in nylon, polypropylene, olefin, vinyl, and fabric blends. These mats have water dam borders for retaining moisture and keeping floors dry.
Additionally, they have rubber or vinyl backing that stops them from moving on hard and carpeted floors. Their rubber backing resists oils, grease, and other abrasive oils. Therefore, they’re ideal for indoor and outdoor use.
2. Wiper Mats
Wiper mats are made from tough fabrics such as olefin and microfiber. They absorb water and catch tiny dirt and dust particles. Additionally, they’ve vinyl or rubber backing to secure them to floors and prevent them from moving, saving users slip and fall hazards.
These mats are ideal for use with scraper mats. You should place them right inside entryways.
3. Scraper Mats
These rubber mats are heavy-duty with raised finger-like surfaces for scrapping moisture, dirt, and debris off shoes. They absorb some moisture, and their surfaces provide additional traction when wet to reduce fall risks.
Grease and oil don’t affect them; they protect against slipping accidents on hard floor surfaces. They have vinyl or rubber backing to resist slipping.
These mats are best bets for use in a premise’s outdoor entry. You should use them if your property has an air gap or vestibule.
4. Oil Absorbent Mats
These mats contain oil and grease to prevent slipping or falling. They’re made from cotton piles and rubber bases for trapping and preventing slippery oils and greases from tracking throughout the premises. They have rubber backings and borders for controlling oil and grease.
Oil-absorbent mats are suitable for buildings where oil or grease is available. They are ideal for warehouses or commercial garages that are vulnerable to gas or oil leaks. The mats are suitable for commercial kitchens.
5. Anti-Fatigue
The mats reduce the stress on your workers’ feet and legs when standing in the same position or location for a long time. They have a layered design and core for controlling compression. The mats compress when someone steps on them, stimulating feet muscles, lower back, and legs.
Additionally, their nature promotes better weight distribution and lessens the impact on legs and feet. This way, they increase worker productivity by minimizing body fatigue and promoting circulation.
The mats are ideal for people working in restaurant kitchens, labs, behind retail counters, and school canteens.
6. Drainage Mats
Drainage mats have slots and holes that let liquids easily pass through them. They pass water down to the floor, keeping the mats dry. This feature is necessary for spaces where employees require additional protection against slipping and falling. They are appropriate for commercial kitchens and food processing plants.
7. Waterhog Mats
These industry-standard mats are excellent for absorbing much water, preventing the water from tracking throughout the premises. They are suitable for people living in snow belts.
8. Chair Mats
Chair mats are appropriate for workers who use wheeled chairs. They prevent chair wheels from tearing up floors. Additionally, the matting enables your employees to work more efficiently.
9. Heated Mats
These mats are suitable for residential and commercial spaces in cold climate areas. They’re plugged into heat-generating outlets. Thus, snow and ice don’t form on the matting, allowing you to wipe your boots off of them even in freezing temperatures. Its other advantage is protecting users by reducing slip-and-fall risk on icy doorsteps.
10. Vinyl Loop Mats
Vinyl loop matting is perfect for locker rooms, spas, and pools because it’s soft and easy to walk on barefooted. Additionally, it’s excellent because it absorbs moisture and dirt, keeping moist floors hygienic and clean.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Floor Matting
Choosing the right matting for your commercial or domestic use shouldn’t be a big hassle if you have correct information. Here are the top factors to consider when selecting a floor mat.
- Color
Color is a factor to consider when selecting your mat. You can choose it based on a color that complements or is the same as your existing colors in the house. However, avoid selecting the exact color of your floor.
For instance, entrance mats need different colors from those on the rest of the floor. You want people to see them by distinguishing the mats from the rest of the floor.
- Location
Choose your mats based on your usage location—indoors or outdoors. Some mats are ideal for home use, while others suit commercial users.
- Traffic
Consider the amount and type of traffic the matting will receive before choosing it.
- Type of Dirt and Water
The type of dirt and water the mat will collect determines the matting you select.
- Floor Layout
Don’t forget to look at your floor’s or building’s layout to assess where your mat should go.
- Material
Matting material significantly informs your choice. Different materials are ideal for protecting your premise from dirt or moisture. Depending on what you want to guard against—dirt or moisture—your matting material makes a huge difference.
Let’s Help You Do Your Floor Today
Businesses and homeowners have many matting options from which they can choose to meet their needs. Our post discussed these various alternatives and their suitability to help you make the right choice.
How would you like us to help you with your flooring needs? Don’t hesitate to speak to Bayfield Flooring for all your flooring needs. Go ahead and contact us today for a free estimate and consultation.