Commercial Entrance Mats for Business

The general rule is to provide enough mat for 10–15 walking steps on the mat surface, which equates to approximately 2–4 metres of matting depth. Width should match or exceed the width of the entrance door or the walking path through the entrance. Wider entrances where pedestrians walk in across a broad front need full-width matting rather than a single narrow mat in the centre.

In busy commercial entrances, vacuum or shake mats daily to remove loose soil before it is compressed into the pile. Deep clean by extraction or machine wash weekly in moderate-use entrances, more frequently in high-traffic or muddy conditions. A saturated or compacted mat that cannot hold any more soil simply transfers dirt to the interior floor. Many businesses use a mat rental and laundry service to ensure consistently clean mats without in-house laundering.

Scraper mats have rigid bristle or grid surfaces that mechanically remove heavy soiling, mud, grit, and debris, from shoe soles. Absorbent mats have pile surfaces that absorb moisture and finer dust. For best results in wet conditions, use a scraper mat at the external entrance and an absorbent mat at the internal entrance, the two-stage approach captures both heavy soil and residual moisture.

Rubber-backed entrance mats on polished or sensitive floors can cause discolouration if left in place for long periods without moving, rubber can react with certain floor finishes and leave marks. Use non-staining, plasticiser-free rubber-backed mats on sensitive floors, or use a mat well. Check the mat backing specification if your floor is polished stone, luxury vinyl tile, or wood.

A well-specified entrance mat with a non-slip backing on a dry floor presents a lower slip risk than a wet bare floor. The hazard arises when mats become saturated (water pools on the surface), when the mat migrates on the floor, or when mat edges curl. Choose mats with drainage capability for very wet entrances, ensure adequate size and non-slip backing, and inspect mat condition regularly.

Logo mats are entrance mats printed with a business name, logo, or message. They perform the same functional role as standard mats while presenting a branded first impression to visitors. For customer-facing businesses, retail, hospitality, corporate offices, logo mats reinforce brand identity at every entrance. They are produced to custom sizes and designs with typical minimum order quantities. The cost premium over standard mats is modest when amortised over a 3–5 year service life.

Entrance mat migration is caused by a combination of foot traffic momentum and insufficient grip between the mat backing and the floor. Solutions include: using a heavier mat (weight helps stability), selecting a mat with a more aggressive non-slip backing (ribbed rubber grips better than flat rubber), installing hook-and-loop fastening strips at the leading edge of the mat, or fitting a mat well so the mat is constrained by the recess walls.