Keeping your facility floors clean and dry starts with placing high-quality matting around your school. Did you know that just one square yard of high-performance matting can accumulate up to one pound of dirt every week and even twice that during inclement weather?
You heard that right... As few as 150 people entering a building can track in one pound of dirt in a 5-day workweek, costing over $30,000 annually to clean or remove. Up to 80% of dirt, dust, and grime in a building is tracked in from the outside on people’s shoes which can permanently damage tile flooring and carpet. Proper Matting plays an important role in schools by helping to keep school facilities clean and providing a safe and healthy learning environment for staff and students alike.
Many Types of Matting Exist, So Which is the Best?
Choosing the best type of mats for your school largely depends on the facility's layout and location, which can vary from school to school. The simplest way to determine which type of matting is best for your school is to break your school down into unique zones and consider the purpose that those areas serve, and what you will need to achieve with a matting choice in those areas.
School Entrance Matting
Facility Entrance Matting, when placed correctly, can catch up to 90% of dirt, dust, debris, and moisture. These also help reduce wear on hard surface floors and reduce soiling of carpets while effectively minimizing slip and falls by keeping the floors clean and dry. Some of our most sought out School Entryway Mats include →
1) Waterhog Masterpiece Mat (Lengths of 2ft - 20ft) - Waterhog Masterpiece Select Matting incorporates a unique shoe-scraping design that effectively keeps dirt and water away from your floors. This matting design holds up to 1-1/2 gallons of water per square yard making it a popular choice for school entranceways. The rubber edge of the mat is tapered to reduce trip hazards and hold the mat securely in position.
2) MicroLuxx Color Blend Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 12ft) - The MicroLuxx Color Blend Mats mat features Nylon-blended Fiber construction for increased scraping power and absorption capacity, with a rubber backing that provides a reliable stay-flat performance. The beveled edges are made to lay flat and its slip-resistant design allows for use at almost any entryway, making the MicroLuxx Color Blend Mats one of our best sellers.
3) ColorStar Impressions Logo Mats (Lengths of 3ft - 12ft) - A fantastic way to add aesthetic appeal and school pride to the entrance of any school. Colorstar Impressions Logo Matting is crafted of the highest quality materials, for long-lasting results. The high-quality rubber backing also resists curling or cracking, to greatly reduce school liability due to slip and fall hazards. The PET yarn face does an excellent job of removing dirt and debris from shoes. Logos are printed in fine detail, using state of the art digital printing technology. Choose from a variety of colors, sizes, and backings to fit your specific needs.
4) Waterhog HD Logo Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 20ft) - Waterhog performance that you expect with your school logo permanently applied! These durable Waterhog Entrance mats are customizable with your school logo or team mascot applied to the fabric of the mat with state-of-the-art digital printing. This matting holds an amazing 1-1/2 gallons of water per square yard and stays flat to reduce trip hazards. Low-profile at 3/8in. high also helps eliminate any trip hazard concerns.
5) Square Waterhog Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 20ft) - If you are looking for an entrance mat that offers outstanding performance coupled with an attractive, eye-catching look, then this is the mat for you. Super popular square pattern design is easy to clean, looks great, and functions incredibly well. This matting holds an amazing 1-1/2 gallons of water per square yard and stays flat.
6) Swirl Waterhog Plus Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 12ft) - The Waterhog Plus mats feature a unique bi-level design to trap dirt and moisture, making it the perfect solution for door entryways, indoors or out. The mat is constructed of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and backed with nitrile rubber. The Waterhog mats can hold up to 1-1/2 gallons of water per square yard. All mats feature two backing options, smooth for hard surfaces and cleated for carpet.
Outdoor Matting
Effective placement of Outdoor Matting at school entrances can drastically impact your facility's safety and cleanliness by scraping and stopping dirt, dust, debris, and water before it enters your building. Indoor Matting will last much longer when accompanied by high-performance and reliable Outdoor Matting. A few of our most popular Outdoor Scraper Mats for Schools include →
1) Super Scrape Rubber Hex Pattern Mats (Lengths of 2.5ft - 10ft) - Super Scraper Matting works well as an additional outdoor mat to effectively remove the majority of dirt and snow from the bottom of shoes, therefore keeping your indoor matting cleaner. This mat's large hex pattern design creates recessed areas for dirt, snow, and water to fall, leaving the top surface dry. These mats also feature a slip-resistant top surface design with durable edges.
2) Brush Scraper Mats (Lengths of 3ft - 16ft) - These Brush Scraper Mats are designed for both indoor and outdoor use. The Nylon-fiber surface of these mats does a fantastic job of scraping shoes and boots before dirt or debris can enter your building. These high-performance Mats are Certified Slip-resistant by the National Floor Safety Institute, and the 100% solution-dyed Nylon surface will not fade due to variable weather conditions.
3) Super Scrape Logo Mats (Lengths of 2.5ft - 10ft) - Scraper Mats are a must for any building entrance to help remove most of the dirt, snow, or water from shoes. As said before, your Indoor Matting will last much longer when accompanied by these economical and durable Outdoor Scraper Mats. These Super Scrape Mats provide you with the dirt-stopping power you need with the added ability to add your school's name and logo.
Extra Long Runner Mats
Extra-long Long Runner Mats can be great solutions to situations where a large flooring area must be covered at once. This type of large matting can provide schools with the added benefit of easier cleaning and maintenance due to eliminating multi-mat configurations. Some popular large-format Running Mats for Schools include →
1) Polyester Roll Matting (3ft x 100ft) - Polyester Roll Matting is the perfect solution to reduce slip and fall concerns. This Roll Matting is sold in lengths of 3 feet by 100 feet but allows the user the flexibility to cut the roll to properly fit any application. This Runner Matting is great for use at school cafeterias, hallways, or gymnasiums during events or inclement weather.
2) Waterhog Eco Elite Matting (Lengths of 3ft - 50ft) - Waterhog Eco Elite Matting provides you with quality constructed, reliable, and easy-to-clean designs in special cut sizes to fit your specific needs. This Matting is a popular solution for use in large areas such as school foyers, gyms, and cafeterias.
School Office and Library Matting
School Office and Library Matting can be extremely effective when placed correctly due to the amount of traffic from visitors, students, and staff these areas receive on any given school day. These designs specifically incorporate high-performance with pleasing aesthetic appeal. Some best selling School Office and Library Matting options include →
1) Grand Premier Mats (Lengths of 3ft - 18.2ft) - Grand Premier Mats feature an innovative rubber-reinforced face design with the same premium Polypropylene-fiber surface system. The Waterhog Grand Premier Mat makes for an attractive look that's easy to maintain.
2) Grand Premier Half Moon Mats (Lengths of 3ft - 4ft) - Grand Premier Half Moon Mats feature a unique, diamond-shaped face pattern that creates the ultimate visual appearance, making these mats a perfect choice for school library or office use. Grand Premier Half Moon Mats are offered in a variety of sizes, shapes, backings, and colors to fit your specific needs.
3) Waterhog HD Logo Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 20ft) - If you are looking for an office or library matting choice that offers outstanding performance coupled with an attractive eye-catching look, then these mats are for you. Waterhog HD Logo Mats feature an extremely popular square pattern design that is easy to clean, looks great, and functions incredibly well. Of course, you can customize these Mats with your school logo and name for a great way to show school pride.
School Cafeteria & Food Service Matting
High-quality Food Service Matting is essential to achieving efficient and safe school cafeteria operations. When hygiene and personal safety are of the utmost importance you need lunchroom matting that is comfortable, dependable, safe, and easy to clean. A few popular School Cafeteria Matting options include →
1) Anti-Slip Food Service Mats (Lengths 2ft - 9ft) - This Food Service Matting is anti-microbial treated to reduce mat odors and extend product life. The 100% Nitrite Rubber anti-fatigue matting construction is versatile, durable, ergonomic, and features drainage holes making it perfect for food service areas. Also available are the Anti-Slip Food Service Scrape Mats without drainage holes (Lengths 2ft - 9ft).
2) Comfort Anti-Fatigue Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 10ft) -The Complete Comfort Anti-Fatigue Mat is constructed of 100% closed-cell Nitrile-foam Rubber making it the ultimate anti-fatigue mat. These Comfort Mats are half the weight of normal food service matting which makes maintenance and cleaning much easier. These Food Service Mats are anti-microbial treated to reduce mat odors and extend matting life.
Matting for Restrooms & Drinking Fountains
School Restroom Matting and Mats for Drinking Fountains can have a substantial impact on the safety of these areas within a school by helping to reduce the risk of slips and falls in areas where water overflow is an issue. Some popular choices of Matting for Restrooms and Drinking Fountains include →
1) Diamond Waterhog Mats (Lengths of 2ft - 20ft) - These Waterhog Mats with Diamond Pattern hold an amazing 1-1/2 gallons of water per square yard and stay flat. These low-profile mats are 3/8" in height to reduce any trip hazard concerns. Choose from a tapered rubber edge or tapered fabric edge to match the matting surface material and color.
2) Disposable Urinal Mat (Case of 6) - This Disposable Deodorizing Restroom Urinal Mat uses a microfiber core to quickly absorb unwanted moisture and overflow, to reduce slip hazards and floor maintenance.
3) Toilet Disposable Mat (Case of 6) - This Deodorizing Restroom Floor Mat also uses a microfiber core to quickly absorb unwanted moisture and splashing overflow, to reduce slip hazards and bathroom floor maintenance. The unit is made with a flexible PVC material that grips to almost any clean, dry surface. When the disposable bathroom mat is soiled, simply roll it up and dispose of it in any trash receptacle.
How Many Mats and What Size Should I Get?
When purchasing matting for your school, it’s important to know not just how many mats are needed, but also what sizes are needed, especially for entranceways and more complex areas within the building.
The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends a minimum of 10 to 15 feet of matting before a person walks onto a carpeted or hard floor surface. Using 20 feet of matting can effectively capture, hold, and store up to 90% of soil and moisture.
Here are a Few Tips to Consider When Placing Mats
⇒ Follow the 3-Mat System:
1) Use an Outdoor Scraper Mat to scrape off large debris and moisture before it enters your school.
2) Then use an Indoor Wiper Mat or Scraper Mat for further removal and capture of debris and moisture.
3) Followed by a Wiper Mat or Finishing Mat, acting as the final line of defense.
⇒ Install Matting on clean, dry surfaces and do not overlap individual Mats.
⇒ Place your Mats directly next to each other, gaps or spaces between mats defeat the purpose of collecting dirt and moisture and create a trip hazard.
⇒ Your Mats should have a proper backing to secure them to the floor.
Investing in Quality School Matting Pays Dividends Down the Line
Matting is an important investment in the safety and cleanliness of your school building, so it’s necessary to properly clean and care for this investment. Be sure to regularly check your mats for rippling, curling, or torn edges and remove or replace if this is found.
Keep the floors beneath matting clean and dry to protect its backing and prevent mold and mildew from forming. Vacuum your mats frequently and clean the bottom of your matting on a regular basis. Avoid rolling or folding mats for storage as this can damage or weaken the backing of the mat.
Let School Fix® Help!
Many school matting solutions can be implemented in your facility matting plan, but if you’re on a tight budget and need school mats that are affordable and dependable, look no further - there’s a School Fix® product to fit your needs! We hope you found this guide helpful. To read more about our products or about solutions to common school maintenance concerns, please visit the School Fix® Blog.
