What do you do when the mat you put down just refuses to stay put? As more people pass over the mat it gradually creeps away from where you placed it, so you continually need to replace it. Not only is this battle with your mats a very frustrating waste of your time, it is also a health and safety issue too. A moving mat can easily lead to slips and falls.
Fear not, we are often approached by people asking how they can overcome this issue. We give you 6 ways you can stop your mats from moving below.
The Problem
If your mat is moving or creeping on floors, you may find you have one or more of the following issues:
- Slips, trips and falls. 'Having the rug pulled from beneath you'
- Dirty or damaged floors which the mat was meant to protect
- Wasted time spent moving the mat to where it should be
- An untidy looking area with mats out of position
The Solutions
- Use double sided tape under the mat
We'll start off with the cheapest and, on the face of it, the easiest method. It is also more of a short term solution because as soon as you need to lift the mat, when cleaning for example, the tape will need to be replaced which just ends up causing you additional work.
Still, if you're happy to keep a roll of double sided tape handy, try to choose a wide tape so that it has more contact with the mat and floor and will therefore be more effective at stopping your mat from moving.
Sticky tape is inexpensive, but more of a short term solution
- Choose a mat with a non-slip rubber backing
You may want to replace your mat with one which has a rubber backing. Rubber has a natural stickiness to it, which means it is less likely to move in comparison to mats without a backing altogether, or mats with backings made out of PVC / Vinyl.
Ideally choose a rubber backed mat with a good weight to it. Some mats come with special backings suited to the type of floor they are intended to go on. For instance, mats for carpets may have a cleated gripper back which will 'hook' in to the carpet. Mats for hard floors, such as stone, laminate or tiles tend to have a flat back, which means that more surface area of the mat is in contact with the floor.
A rubber backing with gripper hooks for carpet
- Use a non-skid mat underlay
You can purchase special underlay with non-skid properties, which can be cut to size to fit between your mat and the floor. The underlay is normally designed for use on either hard floors or on carpets, but there are some out there which can do both.
This is a relatively inexpensive solution and quite often an effective one. Be sure to cut the underlay at least 5cm / 2 inches shorter than the total size of the mat. This will ensure that the edges of your mat aren't lifted, which can cause you further problems as people are more likely to trip over your mat.
- Use an adhesive
When double sided tape doesn't suffice, reach for the glue. A more permanent solution is sometimes the most practical solution. Make sure you use a glue that is suitable for your floor type and don't forget to check what the mat is made of. Some glue can react with vinyl or rubber and damage the mat. Also bear in mind that if you need to move the mat at some point in the future, you don’t want the adhesive to be too difficult to remove.
- Build a mat well / recess in the floor
This solution is also the most expensive and time consuming because it is going to require a builder or professional mat installer to do the job properly. It's highly effective though, building a frame into a recess in the floor is a sure fire way to ensure the mat stays put. It will also mean that the mat sits below the surface and at the same level as the surrounding floor, which means it is less likely for people to trip on the edges.
Mat placed into a specially built floor recess
- Place a fixed frame around the mat
When building a mat recess is out of the question, you may want to consider building a frame to encapsulate your mat instead. The frame sits on the floor surface and can be glued or screwed to the floor to hold it in place. If you're prepared to accept slight damage to your floor from screws or glue, this is a very effective solution which will stop your mat from moving.
Mat Frame on hard floor surface
Need more help?
We hope we have helped you find the solution to stop your mat from moving on the floor. We understand that you may want a bit more one to one advice on helping you choose based on your individual circumstances. You are welcome to call us on 0121 313 6748 during normal UK office hours and our team will endeavour to give you all the advice you need.
