Commercial Entrance Mats Buyer's Guide

Commercial entrance mats help you reduce maintenance costs, promote safety, and improve the appearance of your location.

One of the greatest challenges that commercial buildings, retail stores, and residential locations face is the amount of dirt and moisture that enters inside and gets tracked with foot traffic. In fact, industry studies have shown that an alarming amount of dirt, about 24 pounds, can be brought in by just 1000 people walking in and out over 20 work days.

Since it costs roughly $500 to remove just a pound of dirt from a building, it is wise to invest in a commercial entrance matting system, through indoor and outdoor mats, and if needed, a lobby mat or a recessed well scraper.

Commercial entrance mats are supposed to remove, trap, and hide dirt, while absorbing moisture while people walk into a building. It is important to make a good first impression, and nothing looks worst than a wet, dirty floor or a soiled, soaked mat. The problem is, there are so many generic mats on the market that just are not durable or effective enough to do the job. Often times, snow, rain, and mud, combined with heavy foot traffic can completely ruin a generic mat, leaving an ugly entrance and a large amount of dirt being tracked through the building.

Good quality scraper and wipers are essential for any location with a considerable amount of foot traffic and/or wet conditions. Here are some recommendations on the placement of commercial entrance mats:

1) Acquire an outdoor scraper mat that traps dirt. The 1st step in the defense against dirt and moisture is to lay an outdoor mat. Outdoor mats are usually composed of tough fibers, rubber fingers, or rubber treds that aggressively scrape dirt. The backing is usually anti-skid polyethylene, foam, or rubber that minimizes mat movement. Depending on how harsh the weather conditions are, a harsh weather-resistant mat may be needed. Here are the different performance levels of outdoor mats:

• Ultimate: Maximum dirt retention, extremely durable, for heavy traffic and harsh conditions.
• Best: Geat dirt retention, very durable, for medium to heavy traffic.
• Better: For medium traffic, decent durability.
• Good: For light to medium traffic, most economical.

2) Acquire a mat or recessed well scraper for the foyer or air-lock. In this transitional area between the exterior and interior, a high performance scraper is recommended. There are also scrapers available that are designed specifically for recessed wells. If the outdoor mat and the foyer/air-lock mat are placed strategically, majority of the dirt can be trapped and hidden before it reaches the interior.

3) Acquire an attractive indoor entrance mat. The primary job of the indoor mat is to wipe away any moisture that remains on shoes. It may also serve to be a scraper, if an outdoor mat and/or a foyer mat is not used. Many mats offer scraping and wiping properties, and are available in a variety of rich colors and designs. The mat can even be personalized with an image or logo. Here are the different performance levels of indoor entrance mats:

• Ultimate: Toughest scraping and wiping action. Exceptional durability in maximum traffic.
• Best: Tough scraping and wiping. Great durability in high traffic.
• Better: For medium to heavy traffic, scrapes and absorbs.
• Good: For light to medium traffic, most economical option.

Other Considerations: Two additional things to look for are crush resistance and mold/mildew resistance. Depending on the amount of moisture, and the type of traffic, these qualities may be needed. May mats in the Ultimate and Best performance levels offer crush resistance and/or mold-mildew resistance.

Cleaning / Maintenance: Ideally, the mats should have the ability to be easily rinsed out. Pourous mats that are unbacked or have foam backings are the easiest to lift and rinse. Outdoor rubber mats are also relatively easy to rinse. Wiper mats that absorb moisture are a bit more challenging to clean, needing a wet-vaccum or other carpet cleaning equipment. All in all, maintaining an entrance mat is far more convenient, and much less expensive than cleaning and maintaining the floors inside a building.

Advantages: Here are the main benefits of using a high quality entrance matting system:

• Cut Costs: Removing just one pound of dirt inside a building can exceed $500. Since 80% of the dirt comes through an entrance, placing a functional mat removes majority of the dirt and dramatically reduces maintenance costs.
  
• Protect floors: According to a 3M study, as much as 42% of the floor finish can be damaged after 1,500 people have walked near an entrance without entrance mats. A matting system that effectively scrapes dirt and absorbs moisture helps to protect the floors, allowing them to last longer.
  
• Improve Appearance: A color-coordinated, attractive mat sets a great first impression. Many mats can even be personalized with a logo or image, which helps communicate a brand or message while providing aesthetic value.

 Ensuring Quality: Here are some guidelines to follow when looking for a functional, long-lasting mat:

• Buy from a reputable company.
  
• Insist on brand name products.
  
• Evaluate your needs and choose an appropriately functional mat.
  
• Select colors/styles that compliment the location.
  
• Consider the warranty and money-back guarantee.

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