Many establishments throughout the UK have metal entrance mat systems installed. You will often find them in places such as public buildings, hotels, retail stores, airports and stations for example. In many cases, the reason this type of matting is chosen is down to the architects who designed the building. They will instruct a contractor to install a metal entrance matting system, but there main reason for this will be based on the appearance of the mats. They look good when first installed, but little consideration would have been made as to the expense, or to the dirt and moisture stopping properties of these systems.
Here are a few things to consider before going ahead with a metal entrance matting system on your premises:
Repair and replace
If a section of your metal entrance matting system becomes damaged for any reason, often you will need to remove and replace the whole system in order to refurbish it. This can be an extremely costly job.
If you compare this to a Mat Tile System, for example, if any area of your matting becomes damaged or stained, for instance through cigarette burns, chewing gum, stones for example, it is simple to remove and replace individual tiles, saving you both time and money.
Waterhog Geometric Tile System which can be repaired/replaced
Performance
The performance of a metal entrance matting system will decrease over time. These systems tend to be installed in buildings that have a high amount of foot traffic coming in and out, putting the matting under a great deal of pressure. After a short period of time, the material between the metal slats will start to wear away, which will reduce the scraping and wiping performance of the mat. As the material wears away to beneath the level of the metal slats, foot traffic will have no contact with the material at all, rendering the matting system wholly ineffective.
A Waterhog Entrance System, in comparison, has rubber reinforced face nubs to prevent the pile from crushing. The matting will keep performing well for over 5 years, even in areas with high foot traffic.
Slip & Fall Hazard
As mentioned above, the material on the metal entrance matting system will start to wear away after a period of time, leaving behind the bare metal slats. It doesn't take an expert to realise that bare metal will not provide a slip-resistant surface in your entranceway. In fact, it may even contribute to a higher risk of slip and fall accidents than if you were to have no entrance matting in place at all!
Before considering investing in a metal entrance matting system, you need to bear the factors mentioned above in mind. You don’t want to end up paying to have a system installed, only to find out soon after that it won't do the job intended. It will cost you a lot of money that could have been spent on a more effective matting system that would likely have cost you much less in the first place.
Always ensure that you do your research when selecting an entrance matting system for your premises. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each option, some of which we’ve covered here. We understand that every premises has its own unique requirements, so if you need some help selecting the right entrance matting system, please feel free to give us a call on 0121 313 6748 during normal UK office hours.
