Some building managers and cleaning professionals believe matting systems are essentially the same. While this may be true for many rental mats, when it comes to high-performance matting systems, there are many types of mats, and selecting the right mat for the right purpose can be complicated.
 
Adam Strizzi, vice president of sales and marketing for Crown Mats & Matting, lists some of the key questions managers and cleaning pros should ask to ensure they select the correct matting system for their facility:
 
What kind of traffic will the mat endure?
A building entry is considered "heavy traffic" if more than 1,500 people use the facility; moderate to heavy traffic would be 500 to 1,500 people; light to moderate traffic would be 125 to 500 building users.
 
What type of facility is it?
High-performance mats are designed for specific types of facilities: auto dealerships, grocery stores, healthcare facilities, etc. Each type is designed to enhance the look, health, appearance of the specific facility, the image it wants to present, as well as handle the foot traffic into the location.
 
Where will the mat be installed?
Very important. Mats should be viewed as a facility's "line of defense" helping to keep soil and contaminants from entering the location; scraper mats are installed directly outside the facility with wiper mats inside the location. These are different types of mats designed to play different roles in the line of defense.
 
Will the mat be used for branding or marketing purposes?
Many hotel facilities, for instance, select mats with their logo embedded into the mat. Known as logo mats, these are double-duty mats designed to promote a company's image as well as help prevent soil and moisture from traveling into the location.
 
Who will be standing on the mat?
Some mats are specifically designed to help reduce fatigue for workers that must stand for long periods of time; such mats would not be used as part of a facility's "line of defense." Instead, they are placed inside the location wherever workers stand for long periods of time.