A Guide to Exterior Entrance Mats

Exterior entrance mats are the first line of defense in protecting the lobby or foyer of a commercial facility. These rugged mats typically feature a weather-resistant construction designed to dislodge dirt and debris, provide reliable traction for pedestrians, and absorb moisture to prevent slips and falls. Deploying the right mat at the exterior entrance of your facility can help maximize safety for personnel and keep the interior of your building looking clean.

To help you find the exterior entrance mat that is right for your commercial or industrial facility, here is a look at some of the exterior entrance mats available from NoTrax, as well as an outline of their ideal application.  

Exterior Entrance Mats and the Rule of 15

The basic idea behind the rule of 15 is that entrance mats work best when combined with other mats possessing complementary features in a series that extends to at least 15 feet of coverage. This means that in addition to selecting a high-quality entrance mat for the exterior of a commercial or industrial facility, users should combine interior entrance mats with offsetting features—absorbing, drying, etc.—to maximize an exterior mat’s efficacy.

Light-traffic entrance mats from NoTrax are usually low-profile mats that offer debris scraping and moisture absorption. Mats like the Moisture & Debris Entrance Mat Diamond CTE™ 151 and the Moisture & Scraper Entrance Mat Waffle CTE 152  are light-traffic entrance mats that feature a raised-rubber carpet to edge border designed to trap moisture and debris as well as minimize tripping hazards.

These low-profile entrance mats are ideal for areas with narrow door clearance. In addition, light-traffic exterior mats often incorporate a crumb-rubber backing that is designed to grip the underlying surface to minimize shifting and sliding.

Medium-traffic exterior mats are rated for increased foot traffic and more intense weather conditions. Mats such as the Low Profile Water Trap DoorMat Guzzler™ 166  and the Debris Scraper Entrance Mat Opus™ CTE™ 169  feature a high-low debris scraping design that aggressively scrapes the bottoms of shoes to dislodge dirt and debris.

Medium-traffic entrance mats often incorporate 26-ounces of tufted yarn per square yard to maximize moisture retention. In addition, the molded rubber cleats used on the underside of many medium-traffic mats help ensure minimal movement.

Heavy-traffic exterior entrance mats are built for the most intense weather conditions and high levels of foot traffic. The Non-Absorbent Scraper Entrance Mat Prelude™ 231 utilizes coarse loop-twisted fibers to scrape debris and dirt from the bottoms of shoes. These fibers also feature a crush-resistant design that ensures utility even after prolonged use.

The Outdoor Spaghetti Entry Mat Wayfarer® 266 is another heavy-traffic entrance mat available from NoTrax. This mat features an open unbacked design that allows moisture and dirt to pass through the mat and drain over time, making the mat resistant to the formation of mildew.

Cold-resistant exterior entrance mats are ideal for cold weather environments. These mats are designed to offer debris scraping and moisture absorption even in freezing temperatures. In addition, our Scraper Outdoor Rubber Brush™ Mat 345 and the Rubber Scraper Entrance Mat Soil Guard™ 340 feature a rugged rubber construction that makes them ideal for frigid conditions.  

NoTrax is the industry leader in workplace matting for commercial, industrial, and public facilities. Our products are used in locations all over the world to protect guests and personnel. Look at our selection of exterior entrance mats and find the matting solution that is right for your facility.