The size of the entrance mats that you select for your commercial space is important. The reasons why size is important may not be immediately obvious. So, let’s talk about it.
Stability.
Larger mats are more stable than smaller mats. You don’t want your mats to move around, and you can’t overlap them—it’s a safety hazard. So, when in doubt, go larger.
Larger mats remove more dirt and water than smaller mats.
We know that if a person takes two steps on a mat, about 50 percent of the water and dirt is removed from his or her shoes.
If a person has 12-15 running feet of mat, then over 90 percent of water and dirt is removed and stays on the mat. Your insurance agent may know something about these numbers because water on the mat is water that is not damaging your building.
Larger mats keep your premises cleaner.
If most of the dirt and water and debris stays on the entrance mat when people walk in, that dirt and water is not being tracked around your commercial space.
When the dirt and water stay on the mat, then it’s easy to wash a mat. It’s not so easy to wash hundreds of feet of floors.
Mats cut down on the time, energy, and cost of building maintenance.
Larger mats and longer runs of mats are safer.
Floors that are wet and dirty contribute to slip, trip, and fall accidents, almost all of which are preventable. If your floors are cleaner, then your space is safer.
Water trapped in a mat is water that is not making a floor slippery.
Now, these are general guidelines. The selection of mats and mat sizes should also be based on the dimensions of your doors, and how much and what kind of traffic you have.
One general suggestion is for an entrance mat to be about 80 percent of the width or the doorway. But that doesn’t say anything about how far into the building from the door the mat should be. Generally, the bigger your doors, and the heavier your foot traffic, then the wider and longer your mats should be.
And remember, it’s the business owner’s responsibility to put down appropriate matting which increases your overall floor safety.
For information about this, please contact us. Every business is different, and we like to find the best solution for your specific requirements.
Do you have other questions? It’s easy to contact us, and we’re happy to help you. You can always call us at (877) 333-1018 or email us at sales@eaglemat.com for more information or if you aren’t sure what you need.
