Entrance Matting

Pile materials, and why solution dyed matters

The fibre decides how the mat looks after a year, not how it performs on day one.

• Solution dyed nylon has the colour added to the fibre while it is still liquid, so the colour runs all the way through. It does not fade in sunlight and does not bleach when the mat is cleaned. For an entrance that gets daylight or gets washed, this is the specification worth paying for.
• Polypropylene pile is the workhorse. It traps dirt and moisture well, costs less, and is the right choice for medium-traffic doors and internal corridors.
• Cotton is highly absorbent and thin, so it suits a door where thickness is a problem and where the mat can be laundered often.
• Rubber takes coarse dirt and standing water outdoors and in wet lobbies, where a textile mat would simply become a wet textile mat.

Backings and where the mat can go

A pile mat is only as good as what holds it still. A vinyl backing, heat-cured to the pile, gives a firm mat that stays flat and does not curl at the corners. An anti-slip backing adds grip on smooth hard floors, which is what stops the mat sliding when someone turns on it.

Check the backing against the floor rather than against the mat. A rubber-backed mat left on a newly sealed or vinyl floor can mark it, and that discolouration does not come out.

Height, bevels and trip risk

A mat put down to prevent slips can create a trip. Two things control that.

Overall height. A 7mm mat sits low enough to be walked and wheeled over without a noticeable step, and clears most doors without catching. Thicker mats hold more water and grit but need the door clearance checked first.

Bevelled edges. Ramped edges on all four sides give a graded transition from floor to mat, which matters most for wheeled traffic, trolleys and wheelchair users. A square-edged mat in a doorway is a hazard in its own right.

Reading slip and wear ratings

Mats here are rated on a level scale for slip resistance, wear and soil resistance. The levels are a comparison between products rather than a statutory threshold, so use them to rank options against the conditions at your door: level 3 slip resistance for a wet, busy entrance, level 2 where the floor is usually dry.

Rubber mats with raised studs underneath and an open honeycomb structure let water and grit drain through to the floor beneath instead of holding it at the surface. That keeps the walking surface dry but means the floor under the mat has to be swept, so allow for lifting it.

Logo mats

A custom printed logo mat does the same job as a plain one and puts the brand at the point every visitor looks. Specify it for the inside zone rather than the outdoor scraper, where the print would wear under grit.