The false economy of buying cheap, low quality mats

There are thousands of mats on the market, in a variety of different shapes, sizes, colours and materials. You can pay anything from as little as £5 up to well over £500 on a single mat. Surely your best bet is to go for the cheapest option going, right? Wrong. What you really need to think about is the value for money. Ask yourself the following questions before you go ahead and purchase a cheap, low quality mat: Which material is the mat made from? A lot of cheap door and entrance mats that you can purchase in local hardware stores and supermarkets, quite often have a PVC or Vinyl backing. Mats that have this type of backing are prone to cracking and curling, which in itself can cause a trip hazard. Mats that are rubber backed come at a higher price, but are fantastically durable, giving them a long life span. Most rubber backed matting is slip resistant, meaning your mat will be less likely to move around on the floor and will prevent slip and fall accidents. Better still, nitrile rubber is resistant to chemicals and grease, so should be used in applications where this is a requirement, otherwise the mat can quickly degrade and become ineffective. You will also find a lot of cheap coir door mats on the market. Coir is made from natural coconut fibres and is prone to shedding. This will not only leave your surrounding floor looking very untidy, the mat will start to look worn very quickly and will not perform as effectively. It is a false economy to purchase mats with a face that is made from a non-durable material. When purchasing an entrance mat, choose one with either a polypropylene or nylon face, which are well-known for being super durable. You should also have a look at the pile weight of a mat as an indicator of quality – the heavier the pile, the more durable the mat and the better it will perform over time. Is the mat going to do the job in hand? Think about the reason for purchasing a mat. Is it to reduce cleaning costs? Prevent slip and fall accidents? Increase the productivity of your workers? You need to make sure you invest enough money into a mat that will actually be able to do the job you are asking of it. Think about it, there is no point in saving money by purchasing a cheap, vinyl backed mat if the purpose of the mat is to increase health and safety and prevent slips and falls. You would be much better off investing in a rubber backed mat that has slip resistant properties. Otherwise, you are effectively just wasting your money. Similarly, if you want to purchase an anti-fatigue mat to improve the productivity of your workers, you must ensure that it has efficient, long standing cushioning for it to remain effective. The most efficient type of cushioning in wet environments for instance is closed cell rubber, which will last much longer than an open sponge cushioning which will be more liable to become saturated and even rot over time. How often will you need to replace the mat? Instead of worrying about the initial investment when purchasing a mat, think about how long the mat is likely to last you. You have a choice; you can either purchase a substandard mat, with a small initial outlay, which may only last you a couple of months maximum. Or, you could pay out a bit more now, on a mat that could last you over five years. If you do the math, you will save more money in the long run by investing in a high quality, durable mat, rather than forking out on a new substandard mat every few months. That is the false economy of buying substandard mats. If you would like more information on this topic, please call our friendly advisors during normal office hours on 0121 351 4444. Alternatively we are happy to visit your premises in the UK and conduct a free ‘Mat Audit’, whereby we will suggest mats suitable for you application and tailored to your individual needs. Simply click the button beneath to request this or to find out more.