Primary Mat Categories
Mats can be divided into three broad categories:
Entrance Mats
Interior Mats
Industrial/Anti-Fatigue Mats
Entrance Mats
These mats usually consist of an outside Scraper mat for
removal of heavy soil, inside transitional Scraper/Wiper mat to
remove medium to heavy soil and a Wiper mat to stop light soil
and moisture. Should space be limited and a three mat system
will not fit the entry area the best overall performance choice is
the Scraper/Wiper mat.
Soil is everywhere. It is a part of the earth we live on and
managing it is a vital part of our everyday existence. Even the
least sophisticated commercial facility requires some type of soil
management 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. A three mat
entry system consisting or an outside Scraper mat, transitional
Scraper/Wiper mat and an inside Wiper mat will provide the
best performance results.
Four things an entrance mat should do:
Stop soil and water at the door
Most, if not all mats claim to do this. The most effective mats
provide a combination of scraping and wiping to stop the
maximum amount of contaminants.
Store soil and water for removal
The most effective entrance mats are designed to provide a
place for soil and water to go to for storage. It is important
that the storage be designed for maximum storage and ease of
removal when the mat is cleaned. It is important that the mat
provide a way for the contaminants to be contained so that
water cannot spread to the surrounding floor creating a
slip/fall hazard. Water that flows off the sides of the mat is
referred to as seepage. Mats with flat borders allow water to
seep off the edges, thus increasing one’s exposure to slip and
fall. Excessive floor damage is also created by the water
seepage around the perimeter of the mat. Higher performance
mats provide a dam that will hold the water back from floor
surfaces and from reattaching to one’s shoes.
Minimize tracking of soil and water
This capability is best accomplished by a BI-level construction
that provides an upper surface for walking and a lower area
where soil and water are stored until removed by cleaning. The
amount of soil that a mat allows to be tracked back on to
patrons’ shoes is commonly referred to as the performance
threshold. The best mats on the market maintain this BI-level
construction thereby trapping large quantities of moisture and
dirt keeping not allowing it to reattach to peoples shoes and be
tracked further into the facility. Low performance mats such as
those with ribbed or square patterned face yarn alone will not
hold up under foot pressure, thus allowing more water and dirt
to reattach to shoes and be tracked into respective facilities.
Look for a permanent rubber membrane that will support the
face yarn throughout the mat’s productive life. High
performance mats have a permanent rubber reinforcing
membrane that will permanently support the textile face,
increasing product unity and extending useful product life.
Provide a safe surface
The mat should be slip-resistant to prevent slipping on the
floor when it is walked on. Also any water on the mat should be contained in a reservoir below the traffic surface to prevent slipping on flooring surface adjacent to the mat. Rubber backed mats provide a better slip resistance than vinyl-backed mats. Rubber-backed mats do not curl as do vinyl mats thus reducing trip and fall exposure. Some rubber-backed mats have cleated surfaces on the bottom that further enhances non-skid properties and allows moisture to dry from underneath the mat.
Interior Mats
These mats perform many tasks. In many cases, they are used
as “wiper” or “finishing” mats when used in conjunction with a
scraper, scraper/wiper entrance mat in a three mat 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.
Industrial Mats
Industrial mats usually fall into two broad use areas – Traction
Control/Floor Protection mats and Anti-Fatigue mats.
he mat should be slip-resistant to prevent slipping on the floor
when it is walked on. Also any water on the mat should be
contained in a reservoir below the traffic surface to prevent
slipping on flooring surface adjacent to the mat. Rubber-backed
mats provide a better slip resistance than vinyl-backed mats.
Rubber-backed mats do not curl as do vinyl mats thus reducing
trip and fall exposure. Some rubber-backed mats have cleated
surfaces on the bottom that further enhances non-skid properties
and allows moisture to dry from underneath the mat.
Interior Mats
These mats perform many tasks. In many cases, they are used
as “wiper” or “finishing” mats when used in conjunction with a
scraper, scraper/wiper entrance mat in a three mat 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.
Industrial Mats
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
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, interior mats and industrial Anti-fatigue
or Anti-Slip mats.
nd 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.
Industrial Mats
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
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, interior mats and industrial Anti-fatigue
or Anti-Slip 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.
Mats can be divided into three broad categories:
Entrance Mats
Interior Mats
Industrial/Anti-Fatigue Mats
Entrance Mats
These mats usually consist of an outside Scraper mat for
removal of heavy soil, inside transitional Scraper/Wiper mat to
remove medium to heavy soil and a Wiper mat to stop light soil
and moisture. Should space be limited and a three mat system
will not fit the entry area the best overall performance choice is
the Scraper/Wiper mat.
Soil is everywhere. It is a part of the earth we live on and
managing it is a vital part of our everyday existence. Even the
least sophisticated commercial facility requires some type of soil
management 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. A three mat
entry system consisting or an outside Scraper mat, transitional
Scraper/Wiper mat and an inside Wiper mat will provide the
best performance results.
Four things an entrance mat should do:
Stop soil and water at the door
Most, if not all mats claim to do this. The most effective mats
provide a combination of scraping and wiping to stop the
maximum amount of contaminants.
Store soil and water for removal
The most effective entrance mats are designed to provide a
place for soil and water to go to for storage. It is important
that the storage be designed for maximum storage and ease of
removal when the mat is cleaned. It is important that the mat
provide a way for the contaminants to be contained so that
water cannot spread to the surrounding floor creating a
slip/fall hazard. Water that flows off the sides of the mat is
referred to as seepage. Mats with flat borders allow water to
seep off the edges, thus increasing one’s exposure to slip and
fall. Excessive floor damage is also created by the water
seepage around the perimeter of the mat. Higher performance
mats provide a dam that will hold the water back from floor
surfaces and from reattaching to one’s shoes.
Minimize tracking of soil and water
This capability is best accomplished by a BI-level construction
that provides an upper surface for walking and a lower area
where soil and water are stored until removed by cleaning. The
amount of soil that a mat allows to be tracked back on to
patrons’ shoes is commonly referred to as the performance
threshold. The best mats on the market maintain this BI-level
construction thereby trapping large quantities of moisture and
dirt keeping not allowing it to reattach to peoples shoes and be
tracked further into the facility. Low performance mats such as
those with ribbed or square patterned face yarn alone will not
hold up under foot pressure, thus allowing more water and dirt
to reattach to shoes and be tracked into respective facilities.
Look for a permanent rubber membrane that will support the
face yarn throughout the mat’s productive life. High
performance mats have a permanent rubber reinforcing
membrane that will permanently support the textile face,
increasing product unity and extending useful product life.
Provide a safe surface
The mat should be slip-resistant to prevent slipping on the
floor when it is walked on. Also any water on the mat should be contained in a reservoir below the traffic surface to prevent slipping on flooring surface adjacent to the mat. Rubber backed mats provide a better slip resistance than vinyl-backed mats. Rubber-backed mats do not curl as do vinyl mats thus reducing trip and fall exposure. Some rubber-backed mats have cleated surfaces on the bottom that further enhances non-skid properties and allows moisture to dry from underneath the mat.
Interior Mats
These mats perform many tasks. In many cases, they are used
as “wiper” or “finishing” mats when used in conjunction with a
scraper, scraper/wiper entrance mat in a three mat 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.
Industrial Mats
Industrial mats usually fall into two broad use areas – Traction
Control/Floor Protection mats and Anti-Fatigue mats.
he mat should be slip-resistant to prevent slipping on the floor
when it is walked on. Also any water on the mat should be
contained in a reservoir below the traffic surface to prevent
slipping on flooring surface adjacent to the mat. Rubber-backed
mats provide a better slip resistance than vinyl-backed mats.
Rubber-backed mats do not curl as do vinyl mats thus reducing
trip and fall exposure. Some rubber-backed mats have cleated
surfaces on the bottom that further enhances non-skid properties
and allows moisture to dry from underneath the mat.
Interior Mats
These mats perform many tasks. In many cases, they are used
as “wiper” or “finishing” mats when used in conjunction with a
scraper, scraper/wiper entrance mat in a three mat 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.
Industrial Mats
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
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, interior mats and industrial Anti-fatigue
or Anti-Slip mats.
nd 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.
Industrial Mats
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
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, interior mats and industrial Anti-fatigue
or Anti-Slip 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.