When you opt for a high-quality entrance mat with bespoke printing, there is a slightly increased chance it will get moved because of nefarious reasons, the humble mat becoming a must-have item for a nimble-fingered thief.
More likely though, an altogether more common issue is the mat moving just a few inches, just enough to be either annoying, or stop the mat performing its function.
An entrance mat moved away from the entrance is just a mat, and perhaps of little use. Even the world’s most absorbent mat won’t remove muck and dirt from shoes if people don’t actually walk across it.
So, you have got your high quality entrance mat. It boosts your brand, it speaks of quality, it is super absorbent, but it also seems to be slowly making its way towards the business next door. Or is it creeping a metre inside the entrance rather than snug in the doorway?
Worry not, there are easy ways to ensure your entrance mat stays both in position, and also perfectly flat.
Buy Wisely
The first step is to ensure you buy wisely, and this typically means entrusting a specialist mat manufacturer. If you instead pick up a bargain mat from the local DIY store there might not be so much you can do to avoid it moving or, more likely, curling up and refusing to lie flat (this potentially creating serious danger of slips and trips).
Entrance Mats made by specialists are built with their intended purpose in mind - indeed, you can contact us and tell us the details of your mat, and where it will reside plus the likely footfall and we will ensure it has the perfect backing to ensure it remains in place.
Buying poorly is likely to mean you spend far more time and effort trying to get the mat to stay still than would otherwise be the case.
Clean the floor first
The mat is designed to protect the floor, trapping the dirt and water that would otherwise be traipsed in, but that is not to say the mat can just be flung down onto a dirty floor.
Any moisture or debris, even a reasonable quantity of dust prevents the mat from gripping to the floor, instead it may be gripping to these moveable particles. If the thing underneath the mat is not secure, then it follows that the mat itself will not remain secure.
The impact of any dirt or water is certainly mitigated by the mat’s quality and the nature of its backing onto the floor. A high quality mat will not move as much as a cheaper, poorly made one.
However, when placing the mat down, ensure the floor is both clean and dry first.
The Backing Used
When purchasing a mat it is natural to focus on the side you see - especially when this may include bespoke printing and so is for marketing and brand awareness as much as keeping floors clean.
However, do not neglect the other side, the underneath which has to grip to the floor.
While most mats may be rubber backed, the devil is in the detail. You are likely to need a heavy duty backing and this using a quality rubber made with nitrile.
These premium versions also lie flat, this both increasing the surface area for the mat to grip the floor, but also ensuring it lays flat.
Match the Mat to the Floor
As leading mat manufacturers, we carry a wide range of entrance mats, this ensures there are options for every type of floor surface.
A mat that is perfect for carpet may not be so suited to being outside a property on the pavement. The tiled flooring of a shopping centre may require yet another type of mat, whilst the mat at a sport venue may be different too - for instance a high-quality outdoor solution.
Budget mats often claim to have a backing that is suitable for all floors, but this also means they are not designed specifically for any.
If you know your mat will stay in one place, on one type of floor, then speak to a specialist provider who can advise as to the very best option.