Varietal Front Door Mats Serve Unique Functions in Specific Spots!
There are many types of front door mats: rubber mats, coir scraper mats, coir-rubber combination mats, carpet mats, and many more. It can be daunting to decide which mat is ideal for your application. Each mat has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to understand how the entrance mats for homes will function on your doorstep.
Let’s begin differentiating the unique types of front door mats:
- Rubber: Found in the majority of our door mats, rubber is a functionally versatile material with a naturally high coefficient of friction. Even when wet, rubber maintains its tack and is an excellent slip-resistant surface. This durable and water-resistant material is also shock-absorbent and comfortable underfoot. Full rubber mats are the easiest to clean and only need a vigorous spray of water to be good as new.
- Coir scraper: This bristly material is derived from the husks of coconuts and utilized in boot scrapers and entrance mats for homes. Coir is prickly and fairly stiff which makes it a great material that can scrub moisture, dirt, and other foreign matter off the soles of boots and shoes. The coconut fibers are water-resistant and resilient to even the most trying outdoor conditions. Coir scrapers are appropriately named; coir-wrapped metal rods are woven through a metal frame resulting in a tough and rigid scraping surface.
- Coir-rubber: Capitalizing on the features of rubber and coir, the combination mats offer safety and scraping abilities. The rubber component of this welcome door mat is essential to keep the mat in place, while the coir component captures moisture, dirt, and other debris within the fibers. The scraping ability isn’t as effective as the coir scraper, but it does provide a degree of scraping that full rubber mats do not.
- Carpet: Carpet mats are constructed with a vinyl or rubber frame. Then, a synthetic fiber sheet is molded onto the frame. Similar to coir-rubber combination mats, carpet mats offer scraping abilities and do not skid, even in moist or wet conditions. In contrast to the previously-mentioned entrance mats for homes, carpet mats do not have drainage holes but instead keep liquids on the surface, making it ideal for indoor applications. Carpet is generally the welcome door mat you traverse when you enter a public or commercial building and are generally used to reduce moisture brought indoors. Carpet mats also do not have the life that rubber or coir exhibit. The absorbent qualities of carpet make it a far more appropriate matting choice for indoors during wet winters than rubber or coir.
All front door mats offer floor protection and a degree of safety to any residential or commercial entryway. The materials are designed to endure constant foot traffic and the abuse of outdoor conditions. Considering this, you have to evaluate what you specifically need at your door entrance: intensive scraping ability or something easy to clean? Asking such questions can maximize the functionality of your door mat so it won’t be something that only looks nice!
