All Recessed Entry Matting & Grates

The Perfec Clean 3/8" Rollup Mats — Aluminum Hinge is a recessed walk-off mat engineered for the busiest commercial entrances. The aluminum tread-rail surface scrapes dirt off incoming shoes and channels water and snow down into the well below, so the threshold stays presentable while the debris stays out of sight. What sets it apart is the structured aluminum hinge — it rolls up cleanly for cleaning and lays back flat without requiring any particular technique from the maintenance team.

The construction is built for volume. Tread rails are 6063-T52 aluminum, spaced 2 inches on center and connected by a size-retentive aluminum hinge with slotted holes for maximum drainage. The system carries a 400-pound-per-wheel rolling load rating, so luggage carts, hand trucks, and wheeled equipment cross it without deflecting the rails. It's made in America and meets Buy American Act requirements — which matters when the specification runs through government or institutional procurement.

It installs two ways. Recessed, it seats into a well between 3/8 and 7/16 inch deep and finishes flush with the surrounding floor — the clean, continuous look a recessed mat in a tiled floor is specified for. Surface-mounted, it needs a beveled perimeter frame so the raised edge doesn't become a tripping hazard at the threshold. Send the measured well depth, or tell us you're mounting on the surface, and we'll spec the right frame to match.

This is the workhorse end of the recessed grate systems range — the right call for high-traffic commercial floor grates at corporate lobbies, hospitality entries, transportation hubs, and institutional front doors. Aluminum finish, tread insert type, and insert colors are all configurable, so the entrance reads as an intentional design element rather than a utility mat. The aluminum structure runs for decades; the tread inserts are the wear component and get replaced when they show it, without pulling the whole system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this be recessed or surface-mounted, and what depth does the well need?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Both. For a recessed installation, the well should be 3/8 to 7/16 inch deep — the mat seats into it and finishes flush with the surrounding floor. For a surface-mounted installation, you add a beveled perimeter frame so the raised edge doesn't create a tripping hazard at the threshold. If the well is already built, send the measured depth and we'll confirm the fit; if it's still in the design stage, plan it to the 3/8-to-7/16-inch range.

How much traffic and rolling load can it handle?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's rated for 400 pounds per wheel, which covers luggage carts, hand trucks, wheelchairs, and most wheeled service equipment without the rails deflecting or the hinge loosening. The 6063-T52 aluminum tread rails are built to take continuous foot and wheeled traffic at the heaviest commercial entrances. The aluminum structure itself lasts for decades; what wears is the tread insert, which is designed to be replaced on its own without removing the rail system.

What finish and insert options are available?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

You can specify the aluminum finish, the tread insert type, and the insert colors — that's where the entrance gets its character. Neutral inserts in matching tones read quiet and refined; higher-contrast or color-blocked inserts make the threshold a deliberate design feature; scraping-style inserts lean functional for heavy-debris entries. Send your color palette or brand standards and we'll lay out the insert combinations that fit the space.

Does an aluminum grate look industrial, or can it suit a high-end entrance?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It can read very refined. The visible aluminum rails between textile insert bands give the threshold an architectural, intentional look that fits corporate lobbies, hospitality grand entries, and museum or institutional thresholds where the entrance is part of the design. The insert choice drives the final impression more than the metal does — quiet tones for restraint, contrast for a modern statement. It only reads industrial if you spec it that way.

By Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO, Mats Inc.

A recessed rubber-hinged mat sits flush in a well at your entrance and does two jobs at once: it scrapes grit and water off shoes into the recess below, and its soft vinyl hinges cushion each step so foot traffic lands quietly. It's the lighter, quieter version of a recessed entrance grate, made for entries that see steady but not punishing traffic.

What a recessed rubber-hinged mat does before grit reaches your floor

A recessed walk-off mat seats in a well cut into the floor at the door, so people cross it as they come in. The tread scrapes dirt and pulls moisture off shoes, and the open construction lets both fall into the recess below instead of spreading across your floor. What sets this one apart is the soft hinge between the rails, which takes the hard click out of footsteps.

Getting that capture right at the door matters. ISSA field data shows it takes about six to eight footsteps to remove most of the soil on a shoe, so a mat long enough to cover those steps keeps grit and water in the well rather than on your finished floor. Size it too short and the dirt simply walks past it.

Why soft vinyl hinges, and why this one

The mat is built from aluminum tread rails, but instead of linking them with metal hinges, this version joins them with flexible vinyl. That soft hinge flexes underfoot and absorbs the noise of foot traffic, so the mat is quieter to walk across than an all-metal grate. It's also lightweight, which makes it easy to roll back for cleaning the recess underneath.

The trade-off is traffic. The vinyl-hinged build is made for light-to-medium pedestrian entrances, not the busiest doors in a building. In return you get a mat that's quieter underfoot and gentler in spaces where a clattering metal grate would feel out of place.

The 3/8" profile keeps the mat low, so it suits a shallow recess. You still choose the tread that rides on the rails — bare serrated aluminum, a nylon carpet insert, Diamond Peak vinyl, or a polypropylene brush — depending on how much scraping the entrance needs and how you want it to look.

Where it belongs, and what it is not

This mat fits entrances that stay busy but civilized — office lobbies, hotels, clinics and healthcare waiting areas, boutiques, and other spaces where quiet matters and the traffic is light to medium. It's part of our lineup of recessed grate systems, set flush so there's no lip at the door.

It is not the mat for your busiest, grittiest doors — that's where an all-metal hinged grate earns its place. And it is not a soft drying mat or a logo mat. It handles the first scrape-and-drain step at a quieter entrance; pair it with an absorbent mat a few steps inside to finish drying shoes.

Three things to check before you spec it

First, match it to your traffic. This is a light-to-medium-duty mat, so the most common mistake is putting it in the hardest-working door in the building. In a high-traffic entrance it will wear faster than it should; in the office, hotel, or clinic doorway it's built for, it holds up and keeps things quiet.

Second, check the recess depth and frame. Seated flush in a properly cut well, the mat sits level with the floor and there's no trip lip. If you can't cut a recess, a surface-applied frame with a ramped edge sets the mat on top of the existing floor instead.

Third, pick the insert for the entrance. Brush knocks off coarser grit, carpet holds fine moisture and reads softer underfoot, vinyl gives a wipeable surface, and bare aluminum scrapes hardest. The same frame takes any of them, so you're matching the tread to the door, not changing the mat.

Why Mats Inc.

We've specified entrance flooring since 1964, and the rubber-hinged mat is a good example of why the spec matters — pick it for the right door and it's quiet, easy to maintain, and long-lived; drop it into a high-traffic entrance and it's the wrong tool. We help you match the mat, the recess depth, and the insert to your actual entrance, then ship it made to your opening. Mats Inc. specifies the system; your installer sets it into the prepared recess.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a rubber-hinged mat different from an all-metal one?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Both use aluminum tread rails, but this one links those rails with soft vinyl hinges instead of metal ones. The vinyl flexes as you step, which absorbs the noise of foot traffic and gives a little underfoot, so the mat is quieter and softer than an all-aluminum grate. It's also lighter, so it's easy to roll up when you want to clean the recess underneath.

The metal-hinged version trades that quiet for the ability to take heavier traffic. Which one is right comes down to how busy the door is.

How long will it last, and what wears it out?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The biggest factor is whether it's matched to its traffic. This is a light-to-medium-duty mat, so used in the entrance it's built for, the aluminum rails don't rust and it holds up for years. Put it in a high-traffic door and the hinges and tread wear faster than they should.

After that, maintenance decides the rest — rolling the mat up to clear grit out of the recess keeps it working and looking right far longer.

Can it be installed without cutting a recess into the floor?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Yes. The cleanest install seats the mat flush in a recessed well, so it's level with the floor and there's no lip to catch a toe. When recessing isn't an option — a slab you don't want to cut, or a fast retrofit — a surface-applied frame with a ramped edge mounts the mat on top of the floor instead. Recessed is the better look where you can do it; surface-applied gets you the same mat where you can't.

What insert and color options does it come with?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

The tread comes in four styles — bare serrated aluminum, nylon carpet, Diamond Peak vinyl, and polypropylene brush — and most offer a range of colors, from charcoal and black through warmer browns, with anodized finishes on the aluminum.

Because color looks different on a screen than in person, we send a sample card before you order, which helps when you're matching the mat to a floor or a brand palette.

Can it be made to fit an odd-shaped or oversized entry?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes — the mat is made to your opening rather than pulled from a few stock sizes, so a wide vestibule or an entry that isn't a tidy rectangle can still get a mat that runs the full walking path. Send the recess dimensions, or the opening if you're surface-mounting, and we build the mat and frame to suit. Settling the fit at the order stage is what keeps it sitting flush and covering every step into the door.

Is it quiet enough for an office or hotel lobby, and how do I know it's the right pick?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

That's exactly the entrance it's made for. The soft vinyl hinges take the sharp click out of footsteps, so it suits places where a noisy metal grate would feel jarring — quiet lobbies, hotels, healthcare waiting areas, upscale retail.

The thing to confirm is traffic volume. If the door is light to medium, this mat is the right call; if it's one of the busiest in the building, step up to the heavier all-metal grate instead.

By Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing, Mats Inc.

A recessed roll-up grate is the heavy-duty option for a busy entrance: a deep, open grate that scrapes grit and drains water into a pit below, holds up under rolling loads like carts and luggage trolleys, and still stays quiet underfoot thanks to rubber hinges between the rails. It rolls up in one piece so the pit underneath is easy to clean out.

What a recessed roll-up grate does before dirt and wheels reach your floor

A recessed walk-off grate sits flush in a pit cut into the floor at the entrance, so everyone crosses it on the way in. The open rails scrape grit and let water drop into the pit below, keeping both off your finished floor. Because this grate is built deep, the pit holds a lot more debris before it needs clearing.

That capacity matters most when the weather turns. ISSA field data shows about twelve times more dirt comes into a building during wet weather, so a deeper pit that holds more grit and melt between cleanings keeps a heavy entrance working instead of overflowing onto the floor.

Why a 3/4" rubber-hinged grate, and why this one

This grate is built thicker and deeper than a standard recessed mat — a 3/4" profile that gives it the strength to take rolling loads. The rubber hinges between the aluminum rails do two things at once: they soften the noise of foot traffic, and they hold the grate together under wheels rated to 1,000 pounds per wheel.

That combination is the point. Usually you pick between a quiet mat and one that can take a beating; here the rubber hinge gives you both, which is why it suits entrances with carts, luggage trolleys, or wheelchairs rolling across all day.

You also choose the tread, and you can mix them. Run grit-scraping treads like brush or bare aluminum where shoes hit first, then moisture-holding carpet behind them, so one grate both knocks off debris and soaks up the water it loosens.

Where it belongs, and what it is not

This is the grate for the hardest-working doors — busy retail and grocery entrances, hotel and convention lobbies, hospital and transit entrances, anywhere foot traffic mixes with wheeled traffic and weather. It belongs to our range of recessed grate systems, dropped into a pit so the surface finishes flush with the floor around it.

It is not a light-duty or surface-laid mat — it needs a recessed pit, and it's more grate than you need for a quiet, low-traffic side door. And it's not the soft mat that finishes drying shoes; it does the heavy scrape-and-drain at the threshold. Pair it with an interior absorbent mat a few steps in.

Three things to check before you spec it

First, confirm the pit depth. This grate is deeper than a standard recessed mat, so the pit has to be cut to suit it. On a new pour that's easy to plan; on an existing slab, check that you can cut a pit deep enough before you commit to this grate over a thinner one.

Second, size it to the rolling loads. The grate holds its shape under wheels up to 1,000 pounds each, which covers most carts, luggage trolleys, and mobility equipment. If your entrance sees heavier rolling loads than that, tell us, and we'll confirm it's the right grate before you order.

Third, plan the tread mix. Because you can alternate treads, decide where the scraping happens and where the moisture gets held. A common setup runs aggressive brush or bare aluminum at the leading edge and carpet behind it, so the grate both cleans and dries across its length.

Why Mats Inc.

We've specified entrance flooring since 1964, and a heavy-duty roll-up grate is one of the products where getting the spec right up front saves the most grief — the pit depth, the frame, the rolling-load rating, and the tread mix all have to suit the door before anything is cut into the floor. We help you settle those, then ship the grate made to your opening. Mats Inc. specifies the system; your installer sets it into the prepared pit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a roll-up grate handle heavy rolling loads and still stay quiet?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The grate is made of aluminum rails linked by rubber hinges. The rubber does double duty — it flexes to absorb the noise of footsteps, and it holds the rails together under wheels, so the grate keeps its shape under rolling loads up to 1,000 pounds per wheel.

When it's time to clean, the whole grate rolls up so you can clear the pit underneath, then lays back down.

How much weight can it take, and what wears it out?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's rated to hold its integrity under rolling loads of 1,000 pounds per wheel, which covers most carts, luggage trolleys, and mobility equipment that cross a commercial entrance. The aluminum rails don't rust, so weather isn't the enemy — letting grit build up in the pit is.

Roll the grate up on a regular schedule, clear the pit, and a heavy-duty grate like this stays in service for the long haul.

Can it be surface-mounted, or does it need a pit?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

This one needs a recessed pit. It's a deep, heavy-duty grate, so it's designed to drop into a pit cut into the floor rather than sit on top with a ramp. That deeper pit is part of what makes it work — it holds more debris between cleanings. If you can't cut a pit deep enough, a thinner recessed mat is the better route, and we can point you to one.

What insert and color options does it come with?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

The tread comes in four types — bare serrated aluminum, nylon carpet, Diamond Peak vinyl, and polypropylene brush — each with a range of colors, plus anodized finishes on the aluminum. What's a little different with this grate is that you can combine treads in one unit, so the look can shift across its length.

We send a sample card before you order so the colors you pick match the floor or your brand.

Can it be built to fit a wide or unusual entrance?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes — the grate is made to your opening rather than sold in a few fixed sizes, so a wide vestibule or a long entry corridor can get a grate that runs the full path. Send us the pit dimensions and we'll build the grate and frame to match. With a heavy-traffic door especially, you want the grate covering the whole width so no one steps around it onto the bare floor.

Is a heavy grate like this too industrial-looking for a nice lobby?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It doesn't have to be. The same grate that takes 1,000-pound rolling loads can be finished to suit a polished space — a carpet insert in a tone that picks up the floor softens it, while anodized aluminum reads clean and architectural. Plenty of upscale hotel and retail entrances use a heavy-duty grate precisely because it's quiet underfoot and holds up to constant traffic without looking worn.

By Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO, Mats Inc.

The 1-5/8" rigid grate is the heaviest-built recessed entrance grate we carry — aluminum sections locked and welded into one solid surface, set into a deep pit that scrapes grit and drains water well below the floor. It's the grate you spec for the busiest entrances, where you want maximum strength underfoot and a pit deep enough to hold a season's worth of dirt between cleanings.

What a rigid recessed grate does before grit and water reach your floor

A recessed walk-off grate sits flush in a pit at the entrance, so everyone crosses it coming in. The open surface scrapes dirt off shoes and lets rain, snowmelt, and grit fall into the pit below instead of tracking across your floor. This grate is built deep, so that pit holds a large amount of debris before anyone needs to clear it.

At a busy door, that keeps more than the floor clean. A flush grate that drains water away leaves less standing moisture at the threshold, which is where slips happen. NFSI ties a meaningful share of slip-and-fall claims to building entrances, so pulling water off shoes and into the pit is a safety measure as much as a cleaning one.

Why a rigid welded grate, and why this one

Where the roll-up versions flex, this grate is rigid. The aluminum sections are locked and welded together into a solid structure built for maximum strength, which is what suits it to the heaviest, most constant traffic. There's no hinge to flex underfoot — it's a firm, stable surface.

It still comes apart when you need it to. Each section undocks on its own, so a crew can lift out a panel to clear the pit underneath or to handle the grate during maintenance, then lock it back in. You get the strength of a welded grate without it being a single immovable slab.

At 1-5/8", it's the deepest profile in the line, and the depth is the feature. A deep pit gives rain, snow, dirt, and debris room to collect at a high-traffic entrance, so the grate keeps working longer between cleanings instead of filling up and pushing grit back onto the floor.

As with the rest of the line, you choose the tread — bare serrated aluminum, nylon carpet, Diamond Peak vinyl, or a polypropylene brush — to match how much scraping the entrance needs and the look you want.

Where it belongs, and what it is not

This is the grate for the highest-traffic, most permanent entrances — major retail and grocery doors, transit hubs, convention and hospital entrances, anywhere a steady crowd and the weather come through all day. It's one of our recessed grate systems, set into a deep pit so the surface finishes flush with the floor around it.

It is not a surface-laid or light-duty mat — it needs a deep recessed pit, so it's a poor fit for a slab you can't cut into or a quiet, low-traffic door. And it's not the soft mat that dries shoes; it does the heavy scrape-and-drain at the threshold. Pair it with an absorbent interior mat a few steps inside.

Three things to check before you spec it

First, confirm the pit depth. This is the deepest grate in the line, so it needs a pit cut to suit it. On a new pour that's straightforward to design in; on an existing slab, make sure you can cut a pit deep enough before choosing this grate over a thinner one.

Second, plan how it gets cleaned. A deep pit holds a lot, but it still has to be cleared. The sections undock so a crew can lift them out and clean the pit, so think about access and who handles maintenance on a wide or heavy grate before you finalize the size.

Third, pick the tread for the entrance. Brush knocks off coarse grit, carpet holds fine moisture and reads softer, vinyl gives a wipeable surface, and bare aluminum scrapes hardest. The grate takes any of them, so you match the tread to the door without changing the grate.

Why Mats Inc.

We've specified entrance flooring since 1964, and a rigid recessed grate is a long-term commitment to the floor — once the pit is cut and the grate is set, it's there for years, so the spec has to be right the first time. We help you size the pit, choose the frame and tread, and plan for maintenance before anything gets cut, then ship the grate built to your opening. Mats Inc. specifies the system; your installer sets it into the prepared pit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this a rigid grate instead of a roll-up?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The difference is in how the sections are joined. A roll-up grate uses hinges so it can curl up for cleaning; this one locks and welds its aluminum sections together into a solid, rigid surface built for maximum strength, with no flex underfoot.

When you need to get into the pit, the sections undock individually, so a crew can lift them out, clean underneath, and lock them back in place.

How tough is it, and what shortens its life?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The welded aluminum construction is built for maximum strength, which is why it's the grate for the busiest, most permanent entrances. Aluminum doesn't rust, so the structure isn't fighting the weather.

What actually shortens a grate's useful life is neglect — a deep pit that never gets cleared fills with grit, and once it's full it stops capturing dirt and starts pushing it back onto the floor. Keep the pit cleaned out and a rigid grate lasts a very long time.

Does it need a recessed pit, or can it sit on top of the floor?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It needs a recessed pit. This is the deepest grate in the line, designed to drop into a pit cut into the floor rather than sit on top with a ramp — and that depth is the whole point, because it gives dirt and water room to collect at a busy door. If you can't cut a deep enough pit, a thinner recessed mat is the better fit, and we can steer you to one.

What insert and color options does it come with?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

The tread comes in four types — bare serrated aluminum, nylon carpet, Diamond Peak vinyl, and polypropylene brush — each in a range of colors, with anodized finishes available on the aluminum. So even though it's a heavy structural grate, you have real say over how it looks.

Because screen colors aren't exact, we send a sample card before you order so the tread matches your floor or your brand.

Can it be made to fit a wide or unusually shaped entrance?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes. The grate is built in sections to your opening rather than sold in a few stock sizes, so a wide vestibule or a long entry run can be covered fully — the sections lock together across the span. Send us the pit dimensions and we'll build the grate and frame to fit. On a busy door you want it spanning the whole width so traffic can't step around it onto the bare floor.

Will it still look good in a high-traffic lobby a few years in?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

That's where a heavy grate earns its keep. A flush, rigid grate doesn't curl, ripple, or shift the way a lighter mat can once thousands of people have crossed it, so it tends to keep a clean, intentional look over time.

The tread does the visible aging — carpet shows wear sooner than brush or aluminum — so on the most punishing doors, a harder-wearing tread keeps the entrance looking sharp longer.

By Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO, Mats Inc.

Super Berber Matting is a dense berber entrance mat that does the two hardest jobs at a busy door at once: it scrapes grit off shoes and soaks up the moisture they carry. The needle-punch berber surface is solution-dyed in up to 40 colors, and a custom logo can be inlaid right into it — so it cleans the entrance and carries the brand in the same mat.

What Super Berber Does Before Dirt and Water Reach the Floor

At a busy entrance, dirt and water arrive on shoes — ISSA research shows the door is where most of a building's dirt comes in. Left to cross the threshold, that grit grinds at the floor and wet shoes leave a lobby slick. The dense berber pile catches both: it scrapes solids loose and holds moisture in the fiber, while the all-weather rubber backing keeps the mat planted, so the dirt and water stay on the mat, not the floor.

Why Solution-Dyed Berber, and Why This One

The mat is built from 100% solution-dyed polypropylene berber, needle-punched into a dense half-inch pile that weighs about 52 ounces per square yard. Solution-dyed means the color is locked into the fiber rather than printed on top, so it does not bleach or wear pale. The polypropylene is UV- and abrasion-resistant, which is what lets the mat hold its look under heavy traffic and sun.

Of the two jobs an entrance mat does, this one leans toward wiping — the deep pile is built to pull moisture and fine dirt off shoes and keep it there, with strong scraping behind it. An all-weather rubber backing grips the floor and stands up to wet conditions, so the mat works at an interior lobby or a covered outdoor entrance alike.

Where It Belongs, and What It Is Not

Super Berber fits heavy-traffic entrances where appearance counts as much as cleaning — office buildings, shops, lobbies, schools, airports, and sport concourses. It works indoors or at a covered outdoor entrance, and it sits in our range of moisture-control entrance matting as the absorbent option that traps water in the pile rather than channeling it away.

What it is not is a drainage grid or a heavy-mud scraper. It holds the moisture it collects, so where standing water has to drain off, an open grid mat is the better tool — and where shoes arrive caked in mud, a coarse scraper out front will spare the pile. Super Berber is the mat that finishes the job: wiping shoes clean and dry once the worst is knocked off.

Three Things to Check Before You Spec It

First, decide what the door mostly throws at it. If the entrance is about moisture and a clean, finished look, Super Berber is built for exactly that. If shoes arrive heavy with mud or grit, set a coarse scraper ahead of it so the berber handles the wiping rather than clogging with debris it was not meant to take alone.

Second, size it and pick the edge. It comes in standard mats up to four by fourteen feet, in rolls, or custom-cut to your dimensions — up to thirteen feet two inches wide and inlaid runs to a hundred feet. Borders can be heat-sealed, square-cut, or beveled, and custom shapes are on the table if the entrance calls for one.

Third, plan the logo and colors early. The logo is needle-punched into the pile from a palette of up to 40 colors, so it needs camera-ready artwork before a quote. One thing to know up front: this construction does not do exact PMS brand-color matching — you choose from the 40 — so check that your colors are covered before you commit.

Why Mats Inc.

We have specified entrance matting since 1964, and a logo mat only works if the artwork, the colors, and the size are right before it is made. We take your logo, match it to the available colors, confirm the size and border, and lay out the inlay — so the mat that arrives cleans the entrance and reads as your brand, not a near-miss. Send your artwork and we will start there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Super Berber Matting made of?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It is built from 100% solution-dyed polypropylene berber, needle-punched into a dense half-inch pile of about 52 ounces per square yard, over an all-weather rubber backing. Solution-dyed means the color runs through each fiber instead of sitting on the surface, so it resists fading and bleaching. The polypropylene is UV- and abrasion-resistant, which is what lets the mat keep its look under heavy traffic, indoors or at a covered outdoor entrance.

How much traffic can it take, and how well does it handle water?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It is rated for heavy traffic, and wiping is its strong suit — the deep berber pile is built to pull moisture and fine dirt off shoes and hold it down in the fiber, away from the floor. The solution-dyed, UV- and abrasion-resistant construction keeps it from looking worn or faded as the traffic adds up. Like any pile mat, it performs best when it is vacuumed regularly and washed when it needs it, so the trapped soil does not pack down into the pile.

Is it a scraper or a wiper, and where should I place it?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It does both, but it leans wiper — it is at its best absorbing moisture and fine grit rather than knocking off heavy mud. Place it where it covers the full walking path so shoes take several steps on it. If the entrance sees heavy mud or sand, put a coarse scraper mat outside the door first and let Super Berber do the wiping inside; that two-stage setup keeps the pile from clogging and keeps the floor beyond it clean and dry.

Can you inlay our logo, and how sharp will it look?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes — the logo is needle-punched right into the berber pile, not printed on top, so it wears in with the mat instead of scuffing off. It is one of the largest custom logo mats made, which gives a logo room to read cleanly at the door, and custom shapes are possible if you want the mat itself to follow a form. We do need camera-ready artwork before quoting, so the inlay is laid out accurately from the start.

What colors can we get, and can you match our exact brand color?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

There are up to 40 colors to build the base and the logo from, which covers most brand palettes. The one honest limit to flag: this construction does not offer exact PMS brand-color matching — you choose from the 40 standard colors rather than a custom-mixed shade. Because the colors are solution-dyed into the fiber, whatever you pick holds up without fading. Send your brand colors and we will confirm the closest matches before anything is made.

Will it still look professional after a season of heavy use?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

That is what the solution-dyed berber is for. With the color locked into the fiber and the polypropylene resisting UV and abrasion, the mat holds its appearance far better than a surface-printed mat, which tends to go pale and tired at a busy door. The berber texture reads clean and upscale rather than utilitarian, so it suits a lobby or storefront where the entrance is part of the first impression.

By Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing, Mats Inc.

A Spaghetti Mat is an open, coiled-vinyl scraper — the looped surface looks like a tangle of spaghetti, and that tangle is what pulls mud and grit off shoes at the door. It is a light-traffic outdoor scraper that drains and dries fast, made to keep debris outside the building instead of tracked across the floor inside.

What a Spaghetti Mat Does Before the Dirt Gets Inside

An outdoor entrance is where most of a building's dirt arrives. A scraper mat's job is to take that dirt off shoes before it crosses the threshold — and that matters, because ISSA field data shows about twelve times more dirt enters a building during wet weather. The coiled loops scrape from every direction and let the loosened grit and water fall through to the surface below, so it stays off the floor inside.

Why Coiled Vinyl, and Why This One

The mat is built from looped PVC — vinyl coiled into an open, springy surface about three-eighths of an inch thick. The loops run in no single direction, so they scrape a shoe no matter which way someone steps. The vinyl resists mildew and fading, and the open structure dries quickly instead of staying soggy after rain.

It comes two ways. A backed version has a foam backing that helps it sit still on a hard floor; an unbacked version skips the backing so water runs straight through, which suits a recessed well or any spot where drainage matters. Both are slip-resistant, and either can be finished with an applied vinyl edge.

Where It Belongs, and Where It Doesn't

A Spaghetti Mat fits lighter-traffic entrances — office buildings, small retail stores, banks, post offices, churches, and motels — and it is at its best outdoors, where draining and scraping count more than a finished look. It works in a surface spot or dropped into a recessed well, and it sits in our range of exterior entrance mats for the door that needs a workhorse scraper.

What it is not is a heavy-traffic mat or a drying mat. It is rated for light to medium use, so a high-volume entrance will wear it faster than it should — step up to a heavier scraper there. And it scrapes far better than it wipes, so it will not dry wet shoes on its own. Pair it with an absorbent mat inside for that.

Three Things to Check Before You Spec It

First, be honest about the traffic. The Spaghetti Mat is a light-to-medium-traffic scraper, and that is where it earns its keep. At a busy main entrance with constant footfall, a heavier-built scraper will hold up longer, so save this one for secondary doors, service entries, and lower-volume buildings.

Second, choose backed or unbacked, and size it. Pick the backed version to keep the mat planted on a hard floor, or the unbacked version where water needs to drain straight through, such as a recessed well. Standard sizes are three by five and four by six feet, with rolls up to four feet wide cut to length.

Third, plan what pairs with it. Because it scrapes but does not absorb, set an absorbent mat just inside the door so the Spaghetti Mat knocks off the mud and water outside and the second mat dries what is left. That two-stage setup is what keeps the floor inside clean and dry.

Why Mats Inc.

We have specified entrance matting since 1964, and the right scraper depends on the door it guards. We will help you weigh backed against unbacked, match the size to the opening, and decide whether a light-traffic scraper is the right call or the entrance needs something heavier. Tell us the traffic and the setting, and we will spec it to fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Spaghetti Mat made of?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It is built from looped PVC — vinyl coiled into an open, springy surface about three-eighths of an inch thick. The loops run in no single direction, so the mat scrapes a shoe whichever way someone steps onto it. It comes in a backed version, with a foam backing that helps it stay put on a hard floor, and an unbacked version that lets water run straight through. The vinyl resists mildew and fading, so it holds up to weather outdoors.

How much traffic can it handle, and how long will it last?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It is a light-to-medium-traffic scraper, so it is happiest at secondary doors, smaller retail spaces, offices, and similar buildings rather than a high-volume main entrance. The backed version weighs about 0.69 pounds per square foot and the unbacked about 0.53, enough to stay in place without being a chore to lift and clean. Because the vinyl resists mildew and fading, it keeps its look outdoors. In a busier doorway, plan to step up to a heavier scraper that will last longer under constant footfall.

Does it drain, and should I get the backed or unbacked version?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Both scrape well; the difference is what happens to the water. The unbacked version is open underneath, so water and grit fall straight through — that is the one for a recessed well or any spot where drainage matters. The backed version has a foam backing that keeps it planted on a hard, flat floor where you do not want it sliding. If the mat is going outdoors where rain needs somewhere to go, unbacked is usually the call; on a dry interior floor, backed.

What colors does it come in, and will it look right out front?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It comes in brown, gray, and black in the backed version, and brown or gray unbacked. The look is honest and utilitarian — a practical scraper rather than a decorative mat — so it suits service entries, side doors, and lower-key building fronts. For a polished main entrance where the mat is part of the first impression, a more finished entrance mat usually fits the look better, with the Spaghetti Mat doing the rough work elsewhere.

Can I get it in a custom size?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes, within its width. Standard mats come in three-by-five and four-by-six feet, and it is also sold in rolls up to four feet wide that we cut to the length you need — so a long or non-standard run is straightforward as long as it stays within that four-foot width. If you want the cut edges finished, just tell us which sides, and we will add an applied vinyl edge there.

Can you add our logo to it?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Not this mat — the Spaghetti Mat is a plain functional scraper, with no logo or custom-color option. Its job is taking dirt and water off shoes, not carrying a brand. If you want your logo at the door, that belongs on a logo construction made for it, which we can point you to. Many buyers use both: a logo mat where people see it, and a scraper like this one where the real cleaning happens.

By Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO, Mats Inc.

A recessed mat well only works if its edges are clean and square — and that's the job of the recess frame. It's an extruded aluminum border set into the floor around the well, giving the recess a finished, durable edge that holds the mat flush and keeps the surrounding floor from chipping under traffic. It comes pre-cut and ready to drop in, so the well is ready when the mat arrives.

What a recess frame does before the well edge breaks down

A recessed mat well is a shallow pit cut into the floor that a walk-off mat or grate drops into so it sits flush. Without a finished border, the edge of that well is just raw concrete or cut tile — and a raw edge at a doorway chips, crumbles, and turns ragged fast under foot traffic.

The recess frame is the fix. It lines the perimeter of the well with a solid aluminum edge, so the mat seats cleanly against it, the floor finish outside it stays protected, and the threshold keeps a crisp, level line instead of a broken one. It's the difference between a recessed mat well that looks built-in and one that looks cut-in.

Why extruded aluminum, and why this frame

The frame is made from heavy-gauge 6063 T-5 extruded aluminum — an alloy and temper chosen for structural edges that take abuse without bending or corroding. That matters at a doorway, where the frame edge gets stepped on, rolled over, and scraped every day, and where rust would show.

It arrives pre-cut at the factory and ready to assemble on site, supplied with aluminum corner pins and steel anchor keys that lock it into the floor. Because it's cut to your dimensions ahead of time, you skip field measuring and the construction delays that come with it — you can order the mat in advance and drop it in once the frame is set.

Corners can come square for an open-end recess or mitered for a clean closed border, factory-cut or finished on the job. A single frame runs up to 17 feet, and for anything longer, straight connecting pins join sections into one continuous edge.

Where it belongs, and what it is not

A recess frame belongs anywhere you're setting a mat or grate into the floor rather than laying it on top — building lobbies, vestibules, and corridors where a flush, built-in entrance is the goal. It's the finishing edge for our recessed grate systems and recessed mats alike, sized to receive common mat and tile thicknesses.

It is not the walking surface itself — it's the border that holds and frames that surface. And it's not a surface-mount product; it's for recessed installations, where the well is cut into the floor and the frame defines its edge. If you're laying a mat on top of an existing floor, you want a surface-applied mat with its own ramped edge instead.

Three things to check before you spec it

First, order by the finished inside size. The size you give is the inside measurement of the frame — the finished opening where the mat fits — not the rough hole in the floor. Getting this right is what makes the mat drop in cleanly, so confirm it against the mat's finished dimensions before you order.

Second, match it to the mat thickness and floor build-up. The frame is set with a cement screed about 7/16" below the floor line so the mat finishes flush, and it installs in one of several positions to suit the floor outside it. Know the mat or tile thickness and the surrounding floor before you set the frame.

Third, plan the corners and the length. Decide whether you need square ends for an open recess or mitered corners for a closed border, and remember a single frame tops out at 17 feet. For a wider entrance, connecting pins join sections — but that's worth planning before the order, not after.

Why Mats Inc.

We've specified entrance flooring since 1964, and the frame is the part people forget until the edge of a recessed well starts breaking up. Getting it right means matching the frame to the mat, the thickness, and the floor it sits in, then having it pre-cut so the install goes in clean. We help you size and position it correctly and ship it ready to set. Mats Inc. specifies the system; your installer sets the frame and screeds the base.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a recess mat frame, and what's it made of?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's the aluminum border that lines the edge of a recessed mat well — the well being the shallow pit a walk-off mat or grate sits down into. This one is made from heavy-gauge 6063 T-5 extruded aluminum, and it ships pre-cut with aluminum corner pins and steel anchor keys that lock it into the floor.

Set into the perimeter of the well, it gives the recess a clean, finished edge and holds the mat flush with the surrounding floor.

Why use a metal frame instead of just a concrete recess?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

A bare concrete or cut-tile edge at a doorway doesn't hold up. Every step, cart wheel, and dragged item works at that edge until it chips and crumbles, and a ragged recess edge becomes both an eyesore and a trip hazard.

The aluminum frame takes that abuse instead of the floor — it keeps the edge square and intact for years, protects the flooring outside the well, and gives the mat a solid border to seat against.

How is the frame installed?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The frame sets into the perimeter of the recessed well. A cement base is screeded into the interior about 7/16 inch below the floor line — using the frame edge as the guide — so the mat finishes flush once it drops in. Steel anchor keys lock the frame to the floor, and it's installed in one of several positions to suit the surrounding floor build-up.

Because it's pre-cut, the install is mostly assembly and setting, not measuring and cutting on site.

Does it have to look like bare metal?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Not necessarily. The standard frame is mill-finish aluminum, which reads clean and neutral against most floors, and a medium bronze finish is available when you want the edge to warm up or settle into a darker floor.

Since the frame is the visible line around your entrance mat, it's worth picking the finish with the surrounding floor in mind rather than defaulting to bare aluminum.

What size do I order, and can it fit a long or unusual entrance?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

You order by the finished inside size — the opening where the mat fits — so it's best to settle the mat's finished dimensions first and order the frame to match. A single frame runs up to 17 feet; for a wider entrance, sections join with connecting pins into one continuous edge.

Corners can be square for an open recess or mitered for a closed border, so an entry that isn't a simple rectangle can still get a clean frame.

How do I make sure the frame and mat actually fit together?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

The cleanest approach is to spec the frame and the mat as a pair, sized to the same finished dimensions, so the mat drops into the frame without gaps or trimming. Because the frame is pre-cut to order, you can have it on site and set ahead of time, then drop the mat in when it arrives.

Tell us the mat you're using and we'll size the frame to receive it — that's what makes a recessed entrance look built-in rather than improvised.

By Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO, Mats Inc.

Custom Coco Mats are made from real coconut fiber — coir — for entrances where a warm, natural-material look matters as much as keeping the floor clean. The coarse fiber scrapes grit and traps dirt at the door, while the organic texture gives a threshold a premium feel that synthetic mats don't replicate. They sit among our indoor logo mats as the natural-fiber option, built specifically for recessed entrance wells.

Coir earns its place at the door through the fiber itself. The coarse natural strands scrape soil off shoes and hold it down in the pile, away from the walking surface. Most of the dirt inside a building arrives on foot traffic, per ISSA, and a dense coir face is built to catch it.

The coir is bonded to a vinyl backing and supplied as sheet and roll goods, so each mat is cut to the exact opening rather than forced to a stock size. It's a semipermanent installation for recessed wells: set into the recess with a releasable adhesive and sized so it sits flush with the surrounding floor. Give us the well dimensions and we cut it to fit; if you're specifying a new well, we can work from the opening you're planning.

Coir also carries a real sustainability story: it's a natural, renewable fiber — a byproduct of the coconut harvest — which is part of why it gets specified for green-minded and design-forward projects. A recessed coir entrance system can contribute toward LEED when it's specified as a maintained walk-off system and documented for the credits a project is pursuing. Because the exact contribution depends on the LEED version and the credits in play, send us the points you're targeting and we'll confirm how this fits.

This is an indoor mat. Coir is a natural fiber, so it belongs at interior and covered entrances — lobbies, vestibule wells, hospitality and institutional entries, and design-forward or sustainability-minded spaces. It isn't built for open exterior or wet exposure, where natural fiber breaks down; a synthetic scraper is the right call there.

It's custom-cut to your well, with bold logo and border options worked into the coir. Vacuum and clean it on a regular schedule, and replace it when the fiber thins or wears in the main path.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we put our logo on a coco mat?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes, within what the fiber does well. Coir takes bold, clean branding — a company name, a simple logo, a border or color block — worked into the natural mat. What it can't do is the fine detail, gradients, or photographic artwork that a printed carpet mat handles, because the fiber is coarse by nature. If your logo is bold and reads at a glance, coir gives it a distinctive, organic look; if it's intricate, we'd point you to a printed mat instead. Send us the artwork and we'll tell you honestly how it will translate.

Why choose natural coir over a synthetic entrance mat?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It's about the impression and the material story. Coir reads as warm and natural in a way a synthetic mat doesn't — it suits lobbies, hospitality entries, and spaces designed around natural materials, and it pairs with a genuine sustainability message because the fiber is natural and renewable. You're trading some of the all-weather toughness of a synthetic for a premium, organic look. For an indoor entrance where first impressions and values both matter, that's often the right trade.

Does it work in a recessed entrance well, and how is it installed?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

That's what it's built for. It comes as sheet and roll goods cut to your well, and it's sized to the recess depth so it sits flush in a standard recess. It's a semipermanent installation — set in with a releasable adhesive rather than loose-laid — so it stays put as a permanent part of the entrance. Give us the well dimensions and we'll cut it to fit; if you're specifying a new well, we can work from the opening size you're planning.

Can it help with LEED certification?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It can contribute, and it's worth setting expectations precisely. Coir is a natural, renewable material, and a recessed coir mat installed as a maintained walk-off entrance system is the kind of entryway system LEED has historically recognized — typically when it runs at least 10 feet in the main direction of travel and is cleaned on a regular schedule. The exact credit and point value depend on which LEED version your project is using, so tell us the rating system and the credits you're targeting, and we'll confirm in writing how this product fits before you spec it.

By Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO, Mats Inc.

Coco coir rolls bring a natural-fiber entrance to a recessed well: warm, brush-textured coconut coir bonded to a sealed vinyl base, cut from the roll to fit your recess. The coir brushes grit off shoes and the vinyl backing keeps dirt and moisture on the mat instead of letting it reach the floor below — all while giving the doorway the classic, welcoming look people associate with a well-kept entrance.

What coco coir does before grit reaches your floor

Coir is the stiff, brushy fiber from coconut husks — the original boot-scraping material. Set into a recessed well at the entrance, a coir mat brushes dirt and debris off shoes as people come in, holding grit and moisture on the mat so it doesn't track across the floor beyond the door. It does that while looking like natural fiber, not industrial matting.

What keeps it off your floor is the backing. Unlike a plain woven coco mat that lets water seep straight through, this one is built on a sealed vinyl base, so moisture and grit stay on top of the mat rather than reaching the floor underneath. Recessed coir matting sits down in the well, flush with the surrounding floor, doing that work without a trip lip or a utilitarian look.

Why natural coir, and why this one

Coir's appeal is the material itself. The coconut fiber is naturally stiff and brushy, so it captures grit well, and it carries a warm, golden, textured look that synthetic mats imitate but don't quite match. For an entrance where the first impression matters — a hotel, a boutique, a traditional lobby — that natural character is the whole point.

The coir is fusion-bonded into the vinyl base at a total height of about 5/8" — roughly 0.422" of that is the coir pile — which locks the fibers in so the mat can be cut to any shape without unraveling. That's what makes it work in a recessed well, and why an odd-shaped recess or a wide entry is straightforward: a large well is laid out from the roll to read as one clean mat.

It comes in rolls about 6'7" wide, cut to your opening, and can be made with or without an inlaid logo. Color isn't limited to the natural tone, either — beyond the classic golden coir, it's offered in grey, black, blue, green, brown, and red, so the mat can stay traditional or pick up a brand or interior palette.

Coir also carries a real sustainability story: it's a renewable byproduct of the coconut harvest, and as a semipermanent, maintained walk-off system at least ten feet long it can contribute toward LEED-NC — toward recycled-content and low-emitting-material credits, with a releasable adhesive rated at zero VOC. Because the exact contribution depends on the LEED version and the credits in play, tell us the points you're targeting and we'll confirm how it fits.

Where it belongs, and what it is not

Coir belongs at indoor and covered entrances — lobbies, vestibules, conference rooms, libraries, retail floors, and recessed wells at sheltered doors. It's a natural fit for offices, retail, schools, government buildings, and hospitality entries that want a warm, natural threshold. It's one of our recessed mat inserts, cut to drop into the well flush with the floor.

It's rated for indoor use, not for an exposed outdoor doorway, for two reasons. Coir is a natural fiber that fades and wears faster in direct sun and rain than a synthetic, and the dyed colors are vegetable-based, so they can transfer if the mat gets wet. For a fully exposed entrance, a weatherproof scraper or grate is the better tool, and we'll point you to one. Expect a little natural shedding from coir early on, too.

Three things to check before you spec it

First, keep it to indoor and covered spots. Coir is at its best inside — a lobby, a vestibule, a recessed indoor well. In an open doorway taking direct sun and rain, it'll fade and wear sooner, and the vegetable-dyed colors can run if they get soaked. Save coir for sheltered entries and use a weatherproof mat where the weather hits directly.

Second, measure the opening, especially a recess. The matting comes in rolls about 6'7" wide and is cut to your dimensions, so custom shapes are workable and the cut edges hold without unraveling. For a recess wider than a single piece, sections are laid out so the well reads as one mat. Send the well dimensions and we'll plan the cut.

Third, pick the color and look. The natural golden tone is what most people picture at a front door, while the dyed options read more finished or pick up a brand color, and a logo can be inlaid. Keep in mind the colors are vegetable-dyed, so choose with the indoor setting and the impression you want at the door in mind.

Why Mats Inc.

We've specified entrance flooring since 1964, and coir is one of those materials where the right call is as much about where it goes as what it is. We help you judge whether an entrance is sheltered enough for natural fiber, size the mat to your recess, and choose the color or logo to suit the doorway — then cut it to fit and ship it ready to set. If a spot is too exposed for coir, we'll tell you and point you to something weatherproof instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is coco coir, and how does it clean shoes?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Coir is the coarse natural fiber from coconut husks — the same stiff, brushy material people have used as a boot scraper for generations. Here it's fusion-bonded onto a sealed vinyl base at about 5/8" thick. As people walk across it, the coir fibers comb grit and debris off their shoes, and the vinyl backing keeps that dirt and any moisture on the mat instead of letting it seep through to the floor below.

How long does a coir mat last, and how do I keep it looking good?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Indoors and maintained, coir holds up well — the fibers are fusion-bonded into the vinyl base, so they don't shed loose or pull out the way a woven mat can. The thing that shortens its life is weather, which is why it's rated for indoor use.

Maintenance does the rest. A regular pass with a motor-driven brush and beater bar lifts the grit ground into the fiber and removes up to 80% of the surface dirt — that's what keeps both the look and the scraping working over time.

How is it installed in a recessed well?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

It's a semipermanent installation. The mat is cut to the size and shape of the well and set down into it with a releasable adhesive, so the top finishes flush with the surrounding floor — no lip at the threshold — and it can still be lifted for a deep cleaning or replacement. Set flush, it brushes shoes the same way it would sitting proud, but it reads as a built-in part of the entrance. Send us the well dimensions and we'll cut it to fit.

What colors does it come in?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Beyond the classic natural coir tone — the warm, golden look most people picture at a front door — it comes in grey, black, blue, green, brown, and red, so the mat can stay traditional or pick up a brand or interior color.

One thing to know: every color except the natural tone is vegetable-dyed, which is part of why it's an indoor product, since the dyes can transfer if the mat gets soaked. Because color shifts between a screen and the real fiber, ask for a sample before you commit.

Can it be cut to a custom size or odd-shaped recess, and can I add a logo?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Yes to both. It's supplied in rolls about 6'7" wide and cut to your opening, so custom sizes and shapes are straightforward — the cut edges hold without unraveling because the fibers are bonded into the base. For a recess wider than a single piece, sections are laid out so a large well reads as one clean mat. It can also be made with or without an inlaid logo, so a coir entrance can carry a name or mark while keeping its natural texture.

Does coir suit a modern space, or only traditional entrances?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

Coir reads natural and classic — the brushy texture and warm tone are what people associate with a welcoming, well-kept doorway, which is why it suits hospitality, retail, and traditional or warm entrances especially well. In a sleek, minimal modern lobby, a finished synthetic or a metal grate often fits the look better. But for an entrance you want to feel natural and inviting under cover, coir looks the part in a way engineered matting doesn't quite reach.

By Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing, Mats Inc.

Design Links is a modular walk-off matting system for high-traffic commercial entrances — the kind of doorway where one mat will not cover the span and the entrance is part of how the building presents itself. Its open-weave grid scrapes shoes on every step while alternating carpet strips dry them, and the panels are engineered to fit an entry of almost any size or shape.

What Design Links Does Before the Entrance Wears the Floor Inside

Most of a building's dirt and moisture arrives on shoes at the front door — ISSA research shows the entrance is where the bulk of it enters. Left unchecked, that grit grinds down interior flooring and wet shoes turn a lobby floor slick. Design Links stops both at the threshold: the grid scrapes the dirt off, the open weave drops it below the walking surface, and the carpet strips wick the water, so shoes leave the mat cleaner and drier than they arrived.

Why an Open-Weave Grid with Carpet Strips, and Why This One

The system is built from flexible, injection-molded PVC panels in an open-weave, grid-rib design. The raised ribs scrape shoe bottoms from every direction, and the gaps between them let dirt and water fall through to the well below, out of the traffic path. Set between the ribs are dense polypropylene carpet strips that pull moisture off shoes — the drying half of a scrape-and-dry surface.

It comes with permanent carpet strips or easily replaceable ones, plus a heavy-duty build for pallet-jack and heavy wheel traffic. The surface is genuinely slip-resistant, not just textured: under ASTM D2047 it measures a static coefficient of friction — a standard grip rating — of 0.79 dry and 1.04 wet, where anything above 0.5 counts as slip-resistant. So it grips harder wet than many floors do dry.

Where It Belongs, and Where It Doesn't

Design Links fits busy commercial entrances where appearance and performance both matter — medical buildings, schools, offices, banks, retail floors with shopping carts, and apartment lobbies. It is built for high foot, cart, and pallet-jack traffic, and it reads as a designed part of the entrance rather than a mat dropped on the floor. It sits in our range of exterior entrance matting for entries that need a full walk-off system.

What it is not is a quick single-door doormat. It is a configured system, engineered to a floor plan, so it is more than a low-traffic side entrance needs. It is also an entryway system at heart — the optional aluminum trim is all-weather, but plan it for the entrance threshold and vestibule, where a scrape-and-dry grid earns its place, rather than as an open-air mat out in the elements.

Three Things to Check Before You Spec It

First, decide how it sits in the floor. Recessed into a half-inch well, the mat finishes flush with the surrounding floor — no lip to trip on, which is what makes it ADA-friendly and the cleanest-looking option. Surface-mounted, it sits on top inside a ramped aluminum frame. Either way, the floor underneath needs to be hard and smooth.

Second, match the version to the traffic. Permanent carpet strips suit steady foot traffic and a fixed look; replaceable strips let you swap worn or restyled inserts without redoing the mat; and the heavy-duty build is the one for pallet jacks and heavy rolling loads. Be honest about what crosses the door, because that choice drives how long the surface lasts.

Third, measure the opening and pick the finishes. The panels are custom-engineered to your width, length, and door swing, so wide, long, or irregular entries are all workable. Then choose the base color, the carpet-strip tone, and — if you are recessing it — the anodized trim finish, so the entrance reads the way you want it to.

Why Mats Inc.

We have specified entrance systems since 1964, and a walk-off system lives or dies on the layout. We take your opening, your door swing, and your traffic, then engineer the panel configuration and help you choose the version and finishes — so the grid covers the path without awkward gaps and the entrance protects the floor behind it. Send the measurements and we will lay it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Design Links install — can it go flush into the floor?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Two main ways. Recessed, it drops into a half-inch-deep well and finishes flush with the surrounding floor, so there is no raised edge — that is the ADA-friendly option and the one that looks built-in. Surface-mounted, it sits on top of the floor inside a ramped aluminum frame that eases the edges. In both cases the floor underneath should be hard and smooth, and the panels are custom-engineered and fit to the opening on-site.

Can Design Links handle carts and heavy traffic, and how slip-resistant is it?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Yes — it is built for heavy foot, cart, and pallet-jack traffic, with a heavy-duty version for the busiest rolling loads, so it holds up at retail, healthcare, and institutional entrances where lighter mats break down. On slip resistance it tests well above the bar: under ASTM D2047 it measures a static coefficient of friction of 0.79 dry and 1.04 wet, where anything over 0.5 is considered slip-resistant. As with any walk-off system, lifting the panels periodically to vacuum out the debris collected beneath them is what keeps it performing and extends its life. It carries our standard one-year warranty.

How does it scrape and dry at the same time?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The surface does two jobs. The raised PVC grid ribs scrape grit off shoe bottoms with every step, and because the grid is open, that loosened dirt and water fall through to the well below instead of riding back up onto the next shoe. Running between the ribs are dense polypropylene carpet strips that wick moisture off shoes. So one pass scrapes the solids loose and dries the wet, which is what keeps both off the floor inside.

What are the color and finish options?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

More than most entrance systems. The PVC base comes in black, gray, brown, and green, with custom base colors available for a specific palette. The carpet strips come in charcoal, gingerbread, and emerald. And if you are recessing the mat, the anodized aluminum trim is offered in clear, black, bronze, and gold. That range is the point — it lets the entrance read as a designed part of the space, which is usually why a building chooses this over a plain walk-off mat.

Can Design Links be made to fit an odd-shaped or oversized entry?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

That is exactly what the modular design is for. The panels are custom-engineered and cut to your width and length, and laid out around doors and floor-plan features, so wide double-door entries, long approaches, and irregular footprints are all workable. There is no standard size to force the space into. Send the area's measurements and shape, along with the door swing, and we will lay out a configuration that covers it cleanly, without partial pieces stranded at the edges.

Will it look upscale, or like a utility mat?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It is designed for upscale entrances, and it shows. The grid-and-carpet surface looks deliberate and finished, especially recessed flush with anodized trim framing it, so it presents as part of the architecture rather than a mat thrown down at the door. With the base color, carpet tone, and trim finish chosen to match the space, it carries the entrance instead of cluttering it — which is the reason buildings specify a system like this where appearance counts.

By Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing, Mats Inc.