“What’s so important about an entrance mat?” you might ask, well put simply it’s the first and last thing a visitor sees when entering or exiting your building. It’s like a hand shake from your building, it says a lot about the building and often gives a first impression of what the visit is going to be like, (however subconsciously it may be).
But there is more to entrance matting than meets the eye, it’s not just there to look nice, it has important functions to perform, here are 5 important functions of entrance matting you should think about when you next evaluate the entrance mat in your building:
1. Safety
First and foremost, entrance matting is the first line of defence in preventing slips and trips in a building. An effective entrance mat will scrape, brush, capture and absorb dirt, debris and moisture, cleaning the soles of shoes before they reach the internal floor surface, stopping the spread of dirt and moisture at the door.
2. Interior floor surface protection
Tracked in dirt and moisture can cause scratches, scuffs and general damage to interior floor surfaces which are often a hefty investment for the building owner or manager. Entrance matting can stop the ingress of damaging debris, helping to keep the floor looking clean and fresh for longer.
3. Reduction in interior maintenance costs
Studies show that more than 80% of dirt and debris within a building is tracked in on the bottom of shoes. An effective entrance mat of roughly 6 metres in length can remove up to 75% of this dirt from the soles of shoes, helping to contain the dirt in one place, and reducing the amount of cleaning required elsewhere within the building
4. First impressions
As mentioned above, first impressions count, and a tidy entrance can do wonders for creating a welcoming environment for visitors. There are many different matting types from grid sections to textile matting. It’s important to remember while aesthetics are a consideration; function and performance far outweigh the aesthetic appeal of an entrance mat.
5. Improving Indoor air quality
In environmental programs such as LEED a building’s indoor air quality is assessed, you may not know but entrance matting systems can actually contribute to this part of LEED. By removing dust and other particulates at the door you are improving the indoor air quality of your building, making it cleaner and safer for all occupants.
It’s important to regularly clean and assess your entrance mat to make sure it is performing these functions to the best of its ability. Have you noticed more and more dirt and moisture being tracked into your building despite regular cleaning and maintenance? If you have, it might be time to replace the mat before it becomes a health and safety risk.
What next?
• Download our Entrance Matting brochure
• Check out our Guide to Effective Entrance Design
• Give us a call on 01296652800 or email sales@c-sgroup.co.uk and talk to us about your entrance matting needs
