Entrance matting may seem a straightforward part of a commercial flooring specification, but in practice, there's more to it.

An office entrance doesn't have the same demands as a supermarket, and a hotel lobby presents different challenges again. Footfall matters, of course, but so does moisture, dirt, trolley traffic, cleaning routines and the type of flooring immediately beyond the entrance.

So, rather than starting with a particular product, it makes sense to start with how the building will actually be used.

The EMCO DIPLOMAT, MARSCHALL and TWINGUARD ranges illustrate the different approaches available. Here's what separates them and where each type of entrance matting is likely to be appropriate.

Start with dirt, moisture and distance

The basic purpose of commercial entrance matting is to prevent dirt and moisture from being carried further into a building.

According to EMCO, in a worst-case scenario, a person can bring up to 12g of dirt into a building on their footwear. That might include grit, small stones, moisture and seasonal debris such as de-icing salt.

The length of the entrance matting matters because footwear needs sufficient contact with the surface to remove dirt and moisture.

Where space permits, EMCO recommends a 9-metre clean-off zone, equivalent to around 12 footfalls or three wheelchair revolutions. In locations such as retail entrances, where that distance isn't always practical, EMCO recommends a minimum of 3 metres.

It's worth considering this early in a project. A technically capable entrance mat can't do its job as effectively if the cleaning zone is simply too short.

EMCO DIPLOMAT - for normal to heavy footfall

DIPLOMAT is designed for buildings experiencing normal to heavy pedestrian traffic. That covers many of the places you'd expect: office buildings, hotels, residential developments, shops and public buildings.

The support profile is manufactured from EN AW 6060 T66 aluminium with 26.5% recycled content, with different inserts available depending on the type of dirt and moisture the entrance needs to handle.

Options include textile, rubber and brush-based inserts, with additional brush strips and scraper bars available where required.

The important point here isn't simply the choice of finish. Different inserts perform different jobs.

An external entrance might need to deal primarily with coarse dirt and grit, for example, while an internal entrance zone may need to concentrate more on fine dirt and moisture. In larger entrances, different types of matting can be used sequentially to remove dirt in stages.

For office entrance matting, DIPLOMAT's load-bearing capacity will generally suit normal employee and visitor traffic. For hotel entrance matting, however, it's worth looking beyond the number of guests and considering whether luggage trolleys regularly cross the entrance. That brings us to the next profile.

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EMCO MARSCHALL - when trolley loads enter the equation

The main difference between DIPLOMAT and MARSCHALL is the load they're designed to withstand.

While DIPLOMAT is intended for normal to heavy footfall, MARSCHALL is designed for heavy to extreme loads. This becomes relevant when the entrance is regularly crossed by shopping trolleys, luggage trolleys or transport trolleys.

Typical applications include supermarkets, shopping centres, airports, railway stations and hospitals. A supermarket is a useful example. It may experience very high pedestrian traffic, but that's only part of the picture. Shopping trolleys repeatedly place concentrated rolling loads onto the entrance matting, so the specification needs to account for both footfall and wheeled traffic.

The same principle applies elsewhere. A hotel may not experience the visitor numbers of a major office building, but frequent luggage trolley traffic could still influence the appropriate profile.

In simple terms, DIPLOMAT is primarily suited to pedestrian traffic, while MARSCHALL should be considered where heavier trolley loads are part of everyday use.

Both systems are also designed so that existing installations can be retrofitted if requirements change following refurbishment or a change in how the building is used.

EMCO TWINGUARD - understanding closed entrance matting

TWINGUARD approaches dirt collection differently.

DIPLOMAT and MARSCHALL can form part of an open entrance matting system, allowing dirt to fall through the profiles into the matwell beneath.

TWINGUARD uses a closed construction, so dirt remains on the surface instead.

Neither approach is inherently better. The question is how the entrance will be maintained.

With TWINGUARD, routine cleaning can be carried out without lifting the mat to access dirt underneath. That can be useful in commercial environments where regular access to the matwell would be inconvenient.

The system uses an integrated scraper edge to remove coarse and fine dirt and moisture. Its construction is also designed to reduce impact noise, which may be worth considering in quieter environments such as offices and hotel reception areas.

TWINGUARD is reversible, allowing both sides to be used, and is suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, high-traffic areas and rolling loads.

Don't specify commercial entrance matting on footfall alone

One of the easiest mistakes to make is to look at expected visitor numbers and stop there.

A more useful commercial entrance matting specification considers footfall, wheeled traffic, weather exposure, dirt type, moisture, matwell depth, accessibility and cleaning procedures together.

The surrounding flooring matters too. If an entrance leads directly onto timber, stone or another finish that can be affected by grit and moisture, the clean-off zone needs enough length and the appropriate inserts to remove as much contamination as possible beforehand.

For DIPLOMAT and MARSCHALL, profile heights of 12, 17 and 22mm are available. Where the construction allows, deeper profiles provide additional space for dirt collection and can offer greater stability.

Consider entrance geometry early. Commercial entrances aren't always rectangular, particularly where revolving doors, curved façades or angled thresholds are involved. Aluminium entrance matting can be manufactured to accommodate these more complex layouts.

DIPLOMAT, MARSCHALL or TWINGUARD?

The choice becomes easier once you understand the entrance conditions.

For offices, hotels and commercial buildings with normal to heavy pedestrian traffic, DIPLOMAT is generally the appropriate profile to consider.

Where shopping trolleys, luggage trolleys or transport trolleys create heavier rolling loads, MARSCHALL provides the higher load-bearing grade.

TWINGUARD is worth considering where a closed construction and surface-based cleaning method are preferable, particularly when maintenance or impact noise are important parts of the specification.

Ultimately, commercial entrance matting is about matching the system to the building rather than simply choosing a mat by appearance.

Understand what's coming through the door, how much traffic there will be, what kind of dirt and moisture needs to be managed and how the entrance will be cleaned. Once those questions are answered, choosing the appropriate entrance matting becomes considerably more straightforward.

We can provide practical help and advice, along with free entrance mat samples to help you perfect your project. Visit our showroom or contact us for project and product details.

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