contractor success One Size Doesn’t Fit All When selecting entrance matting, sometimes it’s better to think “outside” the box. By: Mike Sharlow W Whether it is a hospital, airport, convention center or shopping mall, one thing many large facilities have in common is they often do not have enough matting or prop-erly sized matting in place to effectively stop and hold soil and moisture. Common matting is only typically avail-able in 3-, 4-or 6-inch width and is often not the best choice when trying to protect larger areas. Therefore, roll goods can often be the ideal choice for these large commercial facilities that receive lots of foot traffic. Roll Goods Versus Mats Roll goods are nothing more than over-sized mats designed to protect large entrance areas and have the ability to remove more soil and moisture than small-er standard-size mats. Roll goods are typically available in 6-foot widths and can be seamed together, creating a mat up to 12-feet wide and 50-feet long. Other roll good products available will allow customers to cover areas up to 18-feet wide by 100-feet long. Roll goods can be placed on the floor like traditional mats and can include logos or they can be permanently installed around columns or revolving doors, creat-ing functionality and aesthetics. The main problem with large facilitiesʼ entrances is that people seldom walk straight ahead and always take the shortest path to their destination, says Gary Rubin, president of PCA Industrial and Paper Supplies Inc., located in Philadelphia. When Rubin visits a facility, the first thing he does is observe the traffic coming into the building. “This gives me a better idea for my rec-ommendations and allows me to suggest alternatives,” Rubin adds. To effectively capture 85-95 percent of soil and moisture at the door, The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recom-mends a minimum of 8-10 footsteps on a Entryways should feature an adequate amount of matting to maintain a safe building. 44 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • October 2009
CMM – Archives Oct 2009: 44
