Ten facts to educate your clients about mats

High-performance matting can play a powerful role in keeping facilities clean, healthy, and safer than most facility managers realize. Here at Crown Matting Technologies, it’s our job to educate our clients on all the benefits of floor matting solutions.

First, it is important to illustrate the difference between high-performance matting and non-high performing mats—not all matting is manufactured equally for the same functionality. High-performance matting is both effective and long-lasting when paired with the appropriate application. This is compared to low-performing mats which are usually rented or purchased as a single solution to floor care.

When it comes to educating clients on high-performance matting it is important to know the 10 following things about mats:

1. LEED Certification

Mats can keep facilities green. For a facility to be considered for the U.S. Green Building Councils Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, it must have an effective high-performance matting system in place. Stopping dirt and debris at the door helps with air quality within a building and lowers the amount of energy needed to clean the dirt from the building.

2. Installation

When installing mats, it is recommended that they touch the entry door. This is also true when two or more mats are installed together, they too should touch each other. Installing mats in this way ensures that they keep soil and moisture outside and if two or more mats are installed the mats will work together as a system. This system helps to remove dirt and debris from shoe bottoms.

3. 3-Mat System

We recommend the 3-Mat system at every entry into a building. 1^st mat is a scraper commonly placed outside; 2^nd mat is a scraper/wiper placed directly inside the door; 3^rd mat is a wiper which is the facility's last defense. This 3-Mat system works together to help stop dirt at the door.

4. The Rule of 15

In the mat world, we refer to the “Rule of 15s.” Here at Crown Matting Technologies, we recommend 15-18 feet of matting. This includes 5-6 feet of each scraper, scraper/wiper, and a wiper installed at each entryway.

5. Design

High-performance mats are typically made with heavier material than that of a rental mat. This is because rental mats are designed to be rolled, folded, washed, and transported to different locations frequently.

6. Floor Audit

In order to help customers, decide on proper matting for their facility we perform a floor audit. An audit is designed to recommend where a mat should be installed and what type of mat to use. There is a wide variety of matting options depending on your application and work environment. To assist in a floor audit, our Mat Finder tool will assist in determining the right mat for the job

7. Maintenance

Proper mat maintenance is recommended to prolong the life of the mat. Use and Care instructions are included with every mat purchased. The best way to prolong the life of a carpet mat is to vacuum the mat on a regular basis removing dirt and debris from the fibers of the mat.

8. Mat Storage

When storing mats, it is a common misconception that mats should be rolled up to store. However, this practice is not recommended, rolling can weaken the backing of the mat and can result in curling, curling can lead to a trip hazard which can lead to other ramifications.

9. Branding

Logo or image mats are recommended to clients to increase brand awareness and to welcome staff and visitors into the building. Check out our newest logo mat the Spaghetti Image Mat.

10. Placement

We recommend the placement of mats in interior locations such as long hallways, elevators, tops, and bottoms of stairways, among other locations throughout the facility. Interior matting will add additional protection again dirt and debris that come from inside the building and prevent them from being spread elsewhere.

It is important to sell the solution when discussing proper matting options with clients. There are many areas when matting can be the solution to problems—wet floors, damaged floor finish, trip, slip and falls, branding—the list goes on. Contact your Crown Matting representative for more matting tips to share with your clients.