10 Tips on Installing & Selecting Floor Mats for Commercial Facilities

Here are ten tips for building owners and managers when installing and selecting floor mats for their facilities:

1.  All entrance ways should have a mat both inside and outside of each doorway.

2.  A typical door is 3’ wide. Every door should have a minimum of 3’ wide matting. For double doors a minimum of a 6’ wide mat is recommended.

3.  An efficient entrance way includes all three types of entry mats - scrapers, wiper/scrapers, and wipers. The three mats work together to help remove soils and moisture from shoe bottoms and keep facilities floors clean.

4. Rental mats should be avoided. They are often very light so they can easily fold. This means they can lose their placement, absorbency, and effectiveness. Often, their sizes are limited and too small for the area. A heavier high-performance mat will most likely hold its position, remain flat, have greater absorbency, and be the correct size.

5. In the mat world, we talk about the “Rule of 15’s.” This indicates that at least 15 feet of matting should be installed at entry doors—five feet each of scraper, wiper/scraper, and wiper mats; this keeps moisture and soil out and promotes safety.

6. Mats should be vacuumed daily and cleaned periodically with a carpet extractor.

7. Mats should be rolled carpet side out and laid flat, not standing on edge when not in use or being stored.

8. Choose ThermoGrip backed mats for smooth surface floors such as tile, wood, or ceramic to provide anti-slip protection and to keep mats flat and edging from curling.

9. Evaluate the level of foot traffic entering your building. Different mats are designed for various levels of traffic loads. Having the correct mat can save the flooring surface.

10. Make sure mats are installed at all coffee and food service areas, water fountains, and in cafeterias. The mats are placed there for safety reasons to help prevent slips and falls.

The Crown Matting Technologies blog is where cleaning professionals and building managers find expert, practical advice on the many features and benefits of high-quality, purchased floor mats and how they can help keep your facility cleaner, safer, healthier, and looking its best. For more information, contact us at 800-MAT-LINE (628-5463).