WHAT IS "Rubber Mat"


Article - when you ask for Rubber Mat what do YOU mean?

Commercial and industrial mats are often referred to as “Rubber mats”

There is a wide variety of such mats that vary by appearance, function, application and placement. In some industrial and commercial matting, rubber has been replaced by vinyl. Vinyl is less expensive and most of the time is just as good if not better than rubber. One exception to this is when mats have to be rolled up quite often (2-3 times a week or more), or in extreme low temperatures. In these instances we suggest rubber over vinyl. There are numerous ways we can categorize “Rubber mats” but three major categories would be:

Commercial – Carpet "Look Alike"
Industrial mats – Anti-fatigue rubber compound, draining or mats for dry areas with spongy backing
Other – Mats that simply do not fit in either of the categories above.

Commercial Rubber-Backed Mats
Commercial mats
Commercial mats are usually used to minimize the amount of dirt getting into premises, absorb water, muffle the sound of foot traffic and add to the interior/exterior design element. Vinyl or rubber backing may have cleats to minimize mat movement on a carpet (not recommended on hard surface). Edges may be raised to prevent water from flowing off the mat. Sometimes the edges are made of the nylon fiber that the mat is made of in a matching color. Usually these mats are rectangular shaped but are also available with rounded or half circle ends. Some may be cut in different shapes but that has to be done by you or your maintenance staff since the manufacturer will not do that.

Industrial mats - Anti-fatigue rubber compound, draining or mats for dry areas with spongy backing
Industrial mats Anti-Fatigue mats
Anti-Fatigue wet, Anti-Fatigue dry environment and runners. Mats in this category take into consideration traction, worker comfort, drainage and resistance to chemicals and heat/sparks. Many custom sizes are available as well as full rolls and interlocking tiles. Some of these mats come in an extra Nitrile version (red color) and are grease proof. Each product that has been tested for exposure to common chemicals has a link on the page listing the resistance chart.

Specialty mats such as Snow melt, Switchboard, Clean mat, Recessed Gratings…
Heated mats
Mats in this category are of a more specialized nature taking into consideration needs other mats do not meet. For example the heated mats will actually melt falling snow relieving the need for shoveling on snowy days. Switchboard matting on the other hand addresses the need for flooring that can be used around sensitive electronics while also offering anti-fatigue benefits. Clean mats remove dust and other particulate contaminants from shoes entering facilities such as hospital emergency rooms and clean-rooms used in assembling delicate electronic equipment. Recessed grates address the need for heavy duty custom-made mats that can handle large amounts of debris, moisture and heavy traffic. One type of recessed mats offers the convenience of replacing worn-out strips one at a time as opposed to having to replace the entire mat.