Waterhog Diamond Mats

The Waterhog Diamond is the version of the mat you reach for when the entrance is on display. It does the same dirt-and-water work as the rest of the Waterhog entrance mat line, but with a diamond surface pattern and a heavier face that give it a more finished look at the door. It's the step up for lobbies and front entries where you want the mat to look as intentional as it performs.

What a Waterhog Diamond Mat Does Before Dirt Reaches Your Floor

The job of any entrance mat is to take the dirt and water off shoes before either reaches your floor. The Diamond does that with a bi-level surface: raised nubs scrape grit and moisture off the sole and drop it into the channels below shoe level, where it stays instead of tracking inside.

The diamond layout adds something the square pattern doesn't — it scrapes from every direction, so it catches feet approaching the door from any angle. The raised water-dam border then holds the moisture on the mat, up to 1.5 gallons per square yard, keeping the floor past it dry and safer underfoot.

Why the Heavier Diamond Construction Holds Up

The surface is a 30 oz/yd² solution-dyed PET fiber — a heavier face than the standard Waterhog line, which means more material doing the scraping and a denser, more substantial feel underfoot. Solution-dyed means the color runs through the fiber, so it resists staining and won't fade or rot, and the PET is made from at least 90% recycled plastic.

Reinforced rubber nubs keep that heavier pile from crushing flat, which is what protects both the look and the scrape over time. Underneath is a 78-mil SBR rubber backing — with 20% recycled rubber — in smooth or cleated form, with beveled edges for a safe step onto the mat and NFSI-certified high-traction underfoot.

Where It Belongs — and What It Isn't

The Diamond earns its place at entrances that are part of the first impression — hotel and office lobbies, retail entries, restaurants, and healthcare reception areas — and at wide doorways where people come in from several directions. Indoors or out, it pairs strong scraping with a look that reads more finished than a utilitarian mat.

What it isn't is the cheapest way to cover a back door. The heavier face and diamond pattern are an upgrade you choose for appearance and feel; if a service entrance just needs to catch grit and nobody's looking at it, the standard square Waterhog does that job without the step up. The Diamond is for when the entrance is meant to be seen.

Three Things to Check Before You Spec It

First, match the backing to the floor. Smooth backing is for hard floors like tile, stone, and sealed concrete; cleated backing is made to sit on carpet without shifting. The wrong one is how a mat creeps or ripples underfoot.

Second, plan the size around the walking path and the backing rules. It takes several steps to wipe shoes clean, so cover the real path, not just the threshold. Mats up to 40 feet come with either backing; longer runs come in smooth backing only, which matters for long lobby or corridor layouts.

Third, choose the border and color for the setting. The classic rubber border is the more rugged, weather-ready edge; the fashion fabric border gives a softer, more finished surround for indoor lobbies. Since the diamond look is the reason to choose this mat, pick a color that suits the space and hides everyday soil between cleanings.

Why Mats Inc.

The Diamond is the mat we point to when the entrance has to look good and still do the work — but it isn't the right answer for every door, and that's the part we help with. We'll tell you honestly when the heavier diamond face earns its place and when the standard square Waterhog would do the same job, then spec the size, backing, and border to fit. Every order is backed by our one-year limited warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the diamond pattern trap dirt and water?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The mat has a bi-level surface — raised nubs with recessed channels between them. The nubs scrape grit and moisture off your shoes, and it drops into the channels below shoe level, so it stays in the mat instead of getting tracked across the floor. The diamond layout adds multi-directional scraping: where a square pattern works best with traffic moving straight across, the diamond catches shoes approaching from any angle, which helps at busy or wide entrances. A raised water-dam border around the edge holds the moisture in — up to 1.5 gallons per square yard.

Is the heavier face actually more durable?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

The face is a 30-ounce solution-dyed PET fiber, heavier than the standard Waterhog line, so there's more material taking the abuse before it shows wear. The color is dyed through the fiber, so it resists staining and won't fade or rot, and reinforced rubber nubs keep the pile from crushing flat — the thing that usually makes a mat look tired. The 78-mil SBR backing resists curling and cracking through temperature changes. Kept clean and sized right, it holds up for years in a busy entrance, and Mats Inc. backs every order with a one-year limited warranty.

Can I use it outside, and which backing should I pick?

Answered by Dustin Thompson, Owner & CEO

Yes — it's an indoor/outdoor mat, so it works at exterior entries as well as indoor lobbies, and it isn't bothered by salt or ice melt. The backing is the choice that matters: smooth backing for hard floors like tile, stone, or sealed concrete, and cleated backing for carpet, where the cleats keep it from sliding. One thing to plan for on long runs — mats up to 40 feet come with either backing, but anything longer comes in smooth backing only. Tell us the floor and the length and we'll match it.

Why choose the diamond pattern over the standard square?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It comes down to the look. The classic Waterhog uses a square "waffle" pattern; the Diamond uses a diamond layout that reads as more finished and less utilitarian, which is why it's the usual pick for entrances people actually notice — lobbies, reception areas, hotel and retail entries. The performance is in the same family, so you're really choosing the diamond for its appearance and the heavier, more substantial feel it gives the doorway. If the look of the entrance matters, the diamond is the more polished choice.

What colors does it come in, and how do I choose?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

It comes in a range of colors with a choice of classic rubber or fashion fabric border, so you can tune it to the space. The practical advice is the same for any entrance mat: a mid-tone or darker color hides everyday soil between cleanings and keeps the mat looking intentional, while very light shades show dirt quickly in a high-traffic doorway. Since the diamond pattern is the reason to choose this mat, pick a color that lets the look land while staying realistic about traffic. We can confirm the current color options for the size you need.

When is the heavier 30-ounce Diamond worth it over a standard mat?

Answered by Jinna Hopson, Vice President of Marketing

When the entrance is on display and gets real traffic. The heavier face and diamond pattern are an upgrade you choose for appearance and a more substantial feel, so they make the most sense at front entries, lobbies, and wide doorways where the mat is part of the first impression and catches feet from several directions. For a back door or service entrance where nobody's looking and the job is just to grab grit, a standard square Waterhog does that with less fuss. We're happy to help you draw that line for each doorway.

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