WaterPro

What WaterPro does before a wet pool deck becomes a fall

A wet pool deck or locker-room floor looks harmless — until someone walks across it barefoot and the water under their feet does the deciding. It's easy to trust textured tile or a quick mop. The trouble is that water sits in a thin film on a flat surface, exactly where bare feet land, and tile that grips when dry can turn slick the moment it's wet.

WaterPro is built to take that film out of the equation. Its open-weave surface lets water drain straight through to the floor below, so the part you stand on stays above the puddle instead of in it. The molded grid gives bare feet and wet shoes real traction. That's the difference between a true non-slip pool mat and a mat that only feels safe when it's dry.

On a barefoot wet floor, a slip isn't a minor thing. The National Floor Safety Institute links wet, hard floors to a large share of slip-and-fall injuries, and pools, showers, and locker rooms keep those floors wet all day. A mat that drains the water away and holds grip underfoot is doing safety work every hour it's down.

Why an open-weave vinyl build, and why this one

WaterPro is made from soft, flexible vinyl shaped by injection molding into an open-weave grid. The soft vinyl is the part bare feet notice first — it's comfortable to stand and walk on, not hard and cold like tile. Just as important, the vinyl is blended with fungicidal compounds that resist athlete's foot fungus and mildew, which is exactly the problem damp locker rooms and shower floors tend to grow.

The open-weave pattern does double duty. Water and grit fall through the surface and collect below, so the top stays cleaner and drier underfoot, and there's nowhere for a slick film to pool. Because the mat is low-profile, it sits close to the floor — comfortable for bare feet and easy to walk on without a tripping lip at the edge.

The vinyl stays flexible, which makes it easy to live with: it has no bent memory, doesn't rattle underfoot, needs no pan beneath it, and lifts out for a quick hose-down or clean. It's also ADA compliant, can contribute toward LEED credits, and is made in the USA — details that matter when a mat has to satisfy a spec as well as a swimmer.

Where it belongs — and what it isn't

WaterPro earns its place anywhere bare feet meet a wet floor. That's the classic pool deck and pool surround, but also aquatic centers, spas, saunas, hot-tub surrounds, shower and changing areas, and locker rooms. It even suits sand-heavy spots like beach resorts, where the open weave lets sand drop through instead of grinding underfoot. Wherever water and people share the floor, the job is the same: drain it, grip it.

It helps to say what this mat is not. It's a walk-on surface mat, not a flotation device, and not the liner-protector sheet that goes underneath 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. WaterPro works on top of the deck, under your feet — on concrete, tile, or a finished pool surround.

How it goes down depends on the space. It can lie loose with a finished vinyl ramp edge, drop into a recessed area for a flush, seamless look, or sit in a surface-mounted frame where you want a defined border. The same mat suits a tucked-in shower entry or a wall-to-wall locker-room floor.

Three Things to Check Before You Spec It

WaterPro is forgiving to order, but three things decide whether it fits your space the first time.

First, pick your installation style. A loose-lay mat with a ramped edge is the simplest — it drops in and can move for cleaning. A recessed install sits flush for a seamless, trip-free finish where the floor is prepped for it. A surface-mounted frame gives you a clean, defined border on an existing floor. Match the method to how finished the space needs to look.

Second, measure the whole wet path, not just the obvious spot. The walk from the pool to the locker room, the full shower floor, the area around a hot tub — size the mat to cover where feet are actually wet, since a dry-foot gap is where the next slip happens. Because it cuts to size on site and custom sizes are unlimited, odd shapes aren't a problem.

Third, choose the color with the room in mind. WaterPro comes in blue, black, gray, and green, with custom colors available. Blue and green read fresh and aquatic around a pool; gray and black hide grit and read more neutral in a locker room or spa. The color is a chance to fit the mat to the space rather than fight it.

Why Mats Inc.

We've been matching mats to real floors since 1964, and barefoot wet areas are where a wrong choice gets noticed fastest — by feet, by inspectors, and by anyone who slips. We'll help you choose an install style, size WaterPro to your actual wet path, and pick a color that suits the room. 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 WaterPro made of, and how does it keep its grip when it's wet?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's made from soft, flexible vinyl that's injection-molded into an open-weave grid. Two things make it grip when wet. First, the open weave lets water drain straight through to the floor below, so you're standing on the mat instead of on a film of water. Second, the molded grid pattern gives bare feet and wet shoes real edges to hold onto. The vinyl is also blended with a fungicidal compound, so the same surface that grips also resists the athlete's foot fungus and mildew that damp floors tend to grow.

Will it hold up in a chlorinated, constantly wet pool area — and stay sanitary?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

That's the environment it's built for. The vinyl is made to live in constant moisture without breaking down, and because it's low-profile and loose-lay, you can lift it to hose it off and let the floor underneath dry — no trapped water, no pan to empty. The fungicidal compound works against the fungus and mildew that thrive in warm, wet, barefoot spaces, which is what keeps a locker room or shower from turning into a health problem. Routine cleaning is quick: rinse it, and it's ready.

Can I get it cut to fit my exact pool deck or shower?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Yes — that's one of its strengths. WaterPro cuts to width and length right on site, so it can follow the real shape of your deck, wrap around a corner, or fit a narrow shower entry without forcing your space to match a stock size. Custom sizes are unlimited, so whether you need a small mat at a shower threshold or a wall-to-wall run across a locker room, it can be made to the footprint you actually have.

Where does WaterPro work besides right at the pool?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing

Plenty of places beyond the pool's edge. It's at home in aquatic centers, spas and saunas, hot-tub surrounds, shower and changing areas, and locker rooms — anywhere people are barefoot and the floor stays wet. It even suits sand-prone spots like beach resorts, where the open weave lets sand fall through instead of grinding underfoot. If a space combines water, bare feet, and foot traffic, it's a candidate.

What colors does it come in, and which works best around a pool?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing

It comes in four standard colors — blue, black, gray, and green — and you can order custom colors on top of that. Around a pool, blue and green feel natural and fresh, picking up the water and the outdoor setting. In a locker room, spa, or shower, gray and black read more neutral and do a better job hiding the grit and debris these floors collect between cleanings. The color isn't just looks; it's a way to make the mat feel like it belongs in the room.

Can I match it to my facility's look or get a custom color?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, VP of Marketing

Yes. Beyond the four standard colors, custom colors are available, so you can bring the mat closer to a facility's palette instead of settling for whatever's on the shelf. Combined with unlimited custom sizing, that means a resort, club, or aquatic center can specify a mat that fits both the space and the look it's going for. If you have a specific color or finish in mind, send it over and we'll tell you what's possible.

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