Coir Matting – The Pros and Cons
- Mats4U Blogger
- Blog
- 20 Nov 2015
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Coir matting, also known as coconut matting, has been a subject of debate for the matting industry for quite some time, so it’s time to set the record straight. Here we discuss the pros and cons, to help you make an informed decision about whether it is right for you and your premises.
The Pros of Coir Matting
Cost
One of the biggest pros of coir matting is that it has a very low price point. You can probably pick up a coir door mat for as little as a couple of quid at your local supermarket or homeware store. For custom sizes and for industrial and commercial premises you can also buy coir matting on the roll, with the price depending on the depth and quality of the coir.
Appearance
Coir has a natural look which makes it an attractive choice for entrance matting. It can also be dyed in a number of different colours.
Scraping and Wiping Properties
Due to the texture of coir matting, it has good scraping and wiping properties, as long as the mat is in good condition. The coconut fibres scrape and wipe dirt and water from the bottom of footwear and hold onto it to prevent your floors from becoming a slip hazard.
Coir matting is available in a variety of different qualities, which will influence how long it will continue to perform effectively. For example, at Mats4U we sell a commercial grade of Dutch Coir, which has a twisted pile to help prevent it from crushing and packing over time.
Good for Mat Wells or Recesses
Coir matting can be cut to pretty much any size or shape and laid side by side; making it a good choice for use in mat wells or recesses. Coir is also available in a number of depths. You can select your coir depth depending on the depth of your mat well, to ensure that is fits flush with the flooring surface to prevent trips.
The Cons of Coir Matting
The Disability Discrimination Act
According to The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005) and part M of the Building Regulations, it is unlawful for a business to treat a disabled customer, visitor or member of staff less favourably. This means that a business has to follow these regulations when it comes to furnishing, designing and building their premises.
Coir matting has a deep pile which can make wheelchair passage difficult. The pile of coir matting impedes the movement of the wheels and makes it difficult to turn.
Coir matting will also make passage difficult for other wheeled traffic such as trolleys and pushchairs.
Fire Safety
Coir matting is more flammable than other forms of matting and therefore from a fire safety point of view is not the best type of matting to have in place in your entrances. This should be a strong consideration for premises and establishments which are at a higher risk risk of a fire, at a restaurant for example.
Wearing & Shedding
One of the first issues you’ll encounter with coir matting is how quickly the fibres will shed. Almost as soon as you take your new coir matting out of the packaging, it will be shedding fibres over your carpets and floors, creating a cleaning task of its own.
Coir matting also wears and crushes very quickly, which will make the mat ineffective at removing dirt and water. Therefore, although initially coir has good scraping and wiping properties, you will find yourself replacing it very regularly to keep it performing as an effective entrance mat.
To ensure your matting performs for as long as possible, purchase the highest grade of coir that your budget will allow, or consider going for an entrance mat made of something other than coir.
Due to the depth of the pile, coir matting is extremely difficult to clean – your trusty vacuum cleaner won’t stand a chance, especially when it comes to trying to clean up any chewing gum embedded into the pile!
The inability to clean coir matting quickly leaves your once natural, clean looking entrance mat looking dirty and pretty unsightly.
What should you do now?
If you are still convinced that coir matting is right for you, at Mats4U we have commercial-grade Dutch coir which is available to purchase here: http://www.mats4u.co.uk/supacoir-heavy-duty-coir-roll-matting.html
Alternatively, there is a huge range of entrance matting that is easy to clean and will scrape and wipe feet effectively for five years plus. View our range of entrance matting here.
If you would like some more help, please give us a call on 0121 313 6748 or use our live chat facility during normal UK office hours.