Entrance mats are an integral component of any facility’s safety and cleanliness program, serving to minimize tracking in dirt, rainwater and snow from entering and being tracked throughout.
To create Ultimate Mats , it’s essential that mats be of adequate size and placement. A general guideline would be a minimum width of 3 feet wide mats in all doorways or 6 feet wide for double doorways.
Size
An entrance mat of appropriate dimensions can protect floors from dirt and moisture while looking visually appealing in your entryway. An overly large or too small mat may appear chaotic and out-of-place at your entranceway; to find one suitable to your space it’s crucial that you select an ideal mat size.
Idealy, an entrance mat should take up at least 80% of your doorway width and cover both doors as well as any spaces between. If you have double doors, ensure it can cover them both completely.
Selecting the proper entrance mat size is key to its performance and can impact how visitors perceive your business or organization. Furthermore, custom entrance matting offers an easy way to increase brand recognition as it can feature logos or designs that catch visitors’ eyes.
Shape
An appropriately-sized entrance mat can make all the difference in keeping your entryway neat and welcoming. A mat that’s too small may become cumbersome or even unsightly, while one that’s too large will trap moisture and dirt at its entrypoint.
The ideal size for an entrance mat depends on your facility and anticipated foot traffic levels; generally speaking, larger mats are needed in areas with increased foot traffic.
If your area experiences frequent rainfall, selecting a door mat that traps moisture will help mitigate potential flooring damages caused by raindrops.
Your mat’s length will also play an integral part in how long it takes for people to clean off dirt and mud from their shoes, so ideally one with four-foot dimensions would allow each person to step twice on it for optimal cleaning results.
Material
Picking out an entrance mat material that meets all these criteria is critical for its effective operation. It must be durable, easy to maintain, and offer non-slip properties to avoid slips and falls.
Rubber entrance mats are an excellent choice, as they absorb and drain off moisture easily – an ideal material choice for both indoor and outdoor entranceways.
Coir fibers, which are naturally absorbent and tough, make a popular material choice for entrance mats. Coir mats remove dirt from shoes before being tracked into your facility, helping reduce dust and grime accumulation.
These mats are an increasingly popular choice among commercial facilities, as they’re both tough and effective at keeping dirt from tracking into your building. Plus, they can improve indoor air quality by absorbing contaminants such as odors.
Placement
When selecting and placing the appropriate entrance mat, there are a few key factors you should take into account when making your selection. One such consideration is traffic volume passing through your entryway.
Which type of mat do I need for my facility? This will depend on its activity levels – for a busy business, a larger entrance mat might be more suited than one intended to create an informal setting, while one suitable for an intimate facility might need less attention.
An entrance mat designed specifically to meet your facility’s needs will not only protect its floors, but will also decrease tripping hazards and dirt accumulation, encouraging people to remove their shoes before entering your building.
The American National Standards Institute/National Floor Safety Institute B101.6 Standard serves as an excellent reference when selecting, installing, inspecting and maintaining entrance matting for commercial facilities. It has become the standard of care to help minimize slips, trips and falls.