If you only invest in one preventive flooring upgrade, make it entrance matting. Most floor damage starts at the door: sand, grit, and moisture get tracked in and then spread across every corridor and room.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for property managers, office admins, and business owners who want to reduce cleaning costs and extend floor lifespan.
Tools and planning items you'll need
- Basic site measurements (door width and traffic flow).
- Traffic estimate (low, medium, high).
- Climate context (rain exposure, dust load).
- Internal cleaning plan and maintenance responsibility.
Step-by-step: choosing the right matting system
- Map your entry path. Include all doors people actually use.
- Use a 3-zone approach where possible.
- Outside scraper mat (removes coarse dirt).
- Inside absorbent mat (captures moisture).
- Optional transition mat for heavy-traffic buildings.
- Size for at least 4 to 6 footsteps. More contact equals more soil removal.
- Choose material by environment. Coir and nylon for scraping/absorption, rubber-backed systems for stability.
- Secure edges and levels. Poor fit causes trip hazards and early edge failure.
- Build cleaning into operations. Matting only works if it is maintained.
Pro tip
In high-rain months, increase mat vacuuming and extraction frequency. Saturated mats stop capturing moisture and can re-deposit dirt.
Common mistakes and troubleshooting
- Mat too small: Dirt bypasses the system.
- Only indoor matting: Outside scraping stage is missing.
- No cleaning plan: Mat becomes a dirt source.
- Loose edges: Safety risk and rapid wear.
If nearby flooring still soils quickly, re-check coverage length and cleaning frequency before replacing the floor finish.
Suggested maintenance schedule
- Daily: Vacuum high-traffic matting.
- Weekly: Lift and clean underneath; inspect edges.
- Monthly: Deep clean/extract absorbent mats.
- Quarterly: Review wear and replace flattened sections.
This schedule typically lowers full-floor cleaning demand and improves appearance throughout the building.
When to call a professional
Call a flooring specialist when:
- You need recessed mat wells or custom profiles.
- Matting shifts, curls, or creates trip points.
- You want one system across multiple entrances.
A properly specified matting system can extend the life of downstream flooring by years.