Floorline Matting

What Floorline does before a wet floor sends someone down

Around a pool, behind a bar, or across a changing-room floor, the wet patch you don't notice is the one that trips someone. It's easy to assume textured tile or a quick mop has it covered. But water spreads into a thin film on a flat surface, right where feet land, and a surface that grips dry can turn slick the instant it's wet — in shoes or bare feet.

Floorline is built to clear that film. Its open-grid, embossed surface lets water and spills drain straight through to the floor below, so the part you stand on stays above the puddle. The etched top gives shoes and bare skin a firm grip. That combination is what makes it a true non-slip wet-area mat rather than one that only behaves when it's dry.

A slick leisure or wet floor isn't a small problem. Hygiene and floor-care authorities like ISSA point to wet, soiled floors as a leading source of both slip injuries and sanitation issues, and a pool deck, bar, or changing room keeps those floors wet all day. A mat that drains the water away, grips underfoot, and rinses clean is doing real safety and hygiene work.

Why a thin, single-tier PVC build, and why this one

Floorline is made from a single tier of flexible, non-porous PVC in an open-grid form. That single-tier build is the heart of what sets it apart: at 1/4 inch thick and about 0.76 pounds per square foot, it's the lightest, thinnest mat of its kind we carry — genuinely easy to carry, move, and lift for cleaning, and soft enough underfoot that standing on it all shift is easy on the legs.

Thin doesn't mean it gives up grip. It carries the highest slip and drainage certifications of its family — R11 and V10 under DIN 51130, Classification C on the DIN 51097 barefoot ramp test, and a 1.0 dry / 0.8 wet reading on ASTM F1677. So it's rated for both shoes and bare feet, with water clearing through the grid the whole time. It's also built with anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties that protect bare feet against the fungus changing rooms tend to grow.

It holds up in tough, wet conditions too. The non-porous PVC resists most acids, alkalines, and oils, stands up to UV, and works from below freezing to 140°F, so an outdoor deck and an indoor shower are both fair game. It carries a EN13501-1 Cfl-s1 fire classification, absorbs sound, and is 100% recyclable with no SVHC substances.

Where it belongs — and what it isn't

Floorline earns its place anywhere water and feet meet. That's the pool deck and poolside walkway, shower floors, changing and locker rooms, and recreation centers — and just as much the wet floors of hospitality, like bar flooring, commercial kitchens, and the areas behind a counter where spills and breakages are constant. Because it's certified for shoes and bare feet alike, one mat covers a lot of ground.

It helps to be clear about what this mat is not. It's a walk-on surface mat, not a flotation device, and not the liner sheet that goes under an above-ground pool. If you're after a mat to put under a pool or a float for the water, this isn't that product. Floorline works on top of the floor, under your feet — on concrete, tile, decking, or a finished pool surround.

One honest note for outdoor use: the PVC resists sun, but the red color isn't colorfast in constant direct sunlight, so a red mat in full sun will fade over time. For exposed outdoor decks the darker color is the safer pick; in shaded or indoor spaces, either holds up fine.

Three Things to Check Before You Spec It

Floorline is easy to order well once you've settled three things.

First, match it to the duty. This is the light, thin, soft end of wet-area matting — ideal where comfort underfoot, easy handling, and reliable grip matter, like a bar floor, a changing room, or a poolside walkway. For the most punishing, heavy-rolling-load floors, a thicker, heavier mat may suit better. Be honest about how hard the floor gets worked before you choose.

Second, measure the whole wet path. The walk from the pool to the showers, the full length behind a bar, the changing-room floor — size the mat to cover wherever feet are actually wet, because a dry-foot gap is exactly where the next slip happens. It comes in 2- and 3-foot-wide rolls and cuts to fit on site, so odd shapes and obstacles aren't a problem.

Third, plan for sun and heat outdoors. Choose the darker color for spots in constant direct sun. And like any thermoplastic, the PVC can shrink slightly — up to about 2%, faster in heat — so on a hot, exposed deck, leave a little room at fixed edges rather than butting it tight wall to wall.

Why Mats Inc.

We've been matching mats to real floors since 1964, and wet leisure and hospitality floors are where the wrong choice shows up fastest — in slips, in sore feet, and in mats too awkward to lift and clean. We'll help you size Floorline to your actual wet path, choose between widths, and pick the right color for sun or shade. It's part of our wider lineup of pool and wet-area matting, and every order is backed by our 1-year limited warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's Floorline made of, and how does it grip and drain?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's made from a single tier of non-porous, flexible PVC in an open-grid form with an embossed top. Two things make it work on a wet floor. First, the open grid lets water and spills drain straight through to the floor below, so you're standing on the mat instead of on a film of water. Second, the embossed surface gives shoes and bare feet edges to grip. The PVC is non-porous so it won't soak up moisture, and it's built with anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties to resist the fungus and bacteria wet floors breed.

How slip-resistant is it, for shoes and bare feet?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's rated for both, which is part of what makes it versatile. It carries R11 and V10 drainage under DIN 51130 for shod traffic, Classification C on the DIN 51097 barefoot ramp test, and a 1.0 dry / 0.8 wet reading on ASTM F1677 — among the strongest figures in its family. Grip comes from an etched surface, so traction is best across the lines of the pattern. In practice that means the same mat works under a lifeguard's shoes and a swimmer's bare feet without compromise.

What sizes does it come in, and can I cover a large area?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It comes in 33-foot rolls in 2- and 3-foot widths, and you cut it to fit on site — no special tools or prep visit needed. For a longer run, like a poolside walkway or the length behind a bar, you simply lay and trim to the distance you need. Because it contours to uneven surfaces, it follows a real floor rather than needing a perfectly flat one. For widths beyond the standard rolls, ask us and we'll work out the best layout.

Where does Floorline work best?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing

Anywhere water and feet meet, indoors or out. It's a natural around pool decks and poolside walkways, in showers, changing and locker rooms, and recreation centers. It's also a favorite in hospitality — bar floors, the area behind a counter, and commercial kitchens — where spills and the odd breakage are constant and staff are on their feet for hours. Because it's certified for both shoes and bare feet, one mat handles a lot of different spaces.

What does it look like, and what colors can I get?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing

It has a clean, low-profile grid look that reads as tidy and purposeful rather than bulky — being thin, it sits close to the floor and doesn't dominate a space. It comes in black and red. Black is the easy, neutral choice that hides grit and debris around a pool or behind a bar, while red can mark off a zone or add a little warmth. Just keep the red out of constant direct sun, where it can fade over time.

My space is an odd shape and I'll be moving the mat to clean — is that easy?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing

Both are easy, and they're where this mat shines. Because it cuts to fit on site and contours to uneven surfaces, you can shape a run around drains, corners, and fixtures instead of forcing the space to match a fixed mat. And being the lightest, thinnest mat of its kind, it's simple to roll or lift by hand for cleaning — rinse it, let the floor underneath dry, and lay it back down. Send us your layout and we'll help you plan it.

Written by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing, Mats Inc.