Rubber industrial mats come in a variety of thicknesses and sizes. Generally, an industrial mat functions as a means of providing anti-fatigue comfort to workers, equipment floor protection for heavy machinery to rest on, and added padding against tough, metal equipment. For worker safety, industrial work mats with corrugated or textured surfaces are laid out as an anti-slip surface in wet areas for employees.
To discover the best kind of industrial floor covering for your needs, let’s go over the typical industrial mat thicknesses available and what their uses might be.
12 mm or 1/2-inch – Solid Surface Rubber Industrial Mats
These heavy-duty durable rubber industrial mats are typically used in highly abrasive environments such as commercial laundromats, weight rooms, warehouses, construction sites, or even zoos. As a tough and sturdy rubber industrial floor covering, these mats are designed to withstand the aggressive vibrations of industrial washers and dryers present in laundromats and high-scale hotel laundry rooms. Machines like these are made of hard metals and plastics that bear down heavily on the existing surface and can scratch roughly against said surface when in use. A 12 mm or 1/2-inch solid rubber industrial mat is generally made of tough rubber materials that do well to protect the existing surfaces from equipment damage. For assembly line work where there are extended periods of standing time, employees can profit from walking and standing on these 12 mm rubber industrial mats because of the anti-fatigue benefit it offers. This industrial mat thickness is excellent especially for weight rooms where dumbbells and deadlifting equipment are stored and used. When a weight lifter drops their weights, this solid thickness can endure the impact.
12 mm or 1/2-inch – Rubber Industrial Mats with Drainage Holes
As a 12 mm thick rubber surface, this industrial floor covering provides padding underfoot in much the same areas as their solid mat counterpart. These rubberized work mats with drainage holes can still serve as a protective surface for heavy machinery in warehouse areas or construction sites and the like. The added benefit of this particular kind of industrial mat is that they have perforations that allow for liquids to drain through the mat. This is especially ideal on equipment floors for warehouses, assembly lines, or in commercial kitchen applications where moisture and various liquids will need to drain. The thickness of this rubberized industrial mat also provides employees with some amount of comfort, which is helpful especially for jobs that require long periods of standing time. Many of these types of rubber industrial mats with drainage holes have easy interlocking edges for installation and gripping patterns underneath to help ensure these mats stay in place. Especially in wet work environments, it is important that the work mats stay put.
3/8-inch Solid Rubber Mats
With unmatched durability, 3/8-inch rubber industrial mats are suitable for application beneath heavy equipment that may not necessarily be vibrating or moving too much. In indoor or outdoor fitness settings, this type of industrial mat acts as sufficient padding for any type of workout, whether on a machine or not. This thickness is also commonly found as flooring in heavily traversed walkways. Many of these work mats have interlocking edges that make them easy to install in long hallways or large open spaces. This thickness is not able to stand up to as much abuse as the 12 mm thickness, but it can still viably serve as a protective equipment floor surfacing material. In addition to interlocking mats, there are also 3/8-inch rubber industrial mats that are used as doormats at industrial and commercial business entrances and exists. These specific mats usually have corrugations or textured surfaces that give business patrons and employees a place to wipe their feet and keep the area clean.
3 mm or 1/8-inch – Solid Rubber Flooring
Rubber industrial mats of 3 mm thickness are usually corrugated runners or textured rolled matting that work well in high foot traffic areas. They are perfect for both indoor and outdoor applications, and as equipment floor matting in warehouse walkways and wet areas. Though fairly thin in comparison to the 12 mm work mats, the 3 mm rubber industrial mats can provide some amount of vibration control beneath lighter weight industrial equipment. This can still provide an industrial equipment floor with adequate padding and sound reduction from machine vibrations. 3 mm rubber industrial mats or runners are the perfect surfacing material for warehouses, work areas, and especially wet areas. As runners are typically corrugated and have various textured patterns and protrusions, they can provide guests and employees with a high level of traction and grip, which is ideal in highly traversed areas.
Many 3 mm runners have wide ribbed corrugations that provide strong scraping capabilities, making this industrial floor covering the perfect mat to use at the entrances of industrial and commercial buildings. As a runner or mat made of rubber, this 3 mm industrial floor covering is light and versatile enough to be moved just about anywhere, from underneath lightweight warehouse equipment to along indoor and outdoor aisleways. It can endure prolonged exposure to wet weather conditions making them a reliable slip-resistant industrial mat surface.
Other 3 mm rubber industrial mats have diamond plate patterns that, while they may not be ideal for shoe scraping, they are excellent in providing ample traction and grip in industrial areas. This thickness and type of pattern can offer a safe walking and working surface and can be used as flooring for heavy equipment and machinery. 3 mm or 1/8-inch thick rubber industrial mats with diamond plate patterns are perfect for use in kennels for animals, weight lifting rooms, workshops, or warehouses.
Overall, many of these thicknesses can come as rolled matting, standalone mats, or interlocking tiles that are all fairly easy to install. Double-sided tape would usually suffice for temporary installations, but a strong adhesive such as polyurethane glue would be more suitable for permanent installations. In general, rubber industrial mats are made of durable rubber materials with a specialized hardness and thickness that will suit any of your specific warehouse or assembly line needs.
To aid in worker safety and comfort, there are 5/8-inch and 3/8-inch work mats that are specifically for standalone anti-fatigue purposes. Anti-fatigue mats that are used specifically as industrial floor covering for warehouse or assembly line workers usually have some kind of a textured surface. This patterned surface provides some measure of slip-resistance for employees in addition to the padded, anti-fatigue cushioning. Rubber industrial mats are, all in all, ideal for providing floor protection from the abrasiveness of heavy work equipment, and they offer workers foot traction and anti-fatigue benefits throughout the workday. The thicker the mat, the more floor protection it can offer, and determining your specific needs helps in choosing which type of industrial floor covering to invest in.
