Commercial floor mats can stop up to 90% of dirt from being tracked onto your floors, saving you as much as $1,200 per pound of soil removed from your facility.
With that knowledge, you can see why floor mats are an integral part of maintaining and protecting your commercial floors. However, you may not be sure whether you should rent or buy commercial floor mats.
Depending on the size and specific needs of your facility, entry matting can be expensive. You may be wondering if you’ll be able to break even on your mat purchase before they’re worn out. There are many factors to consider when trying to decide when buying or renting is best for you.
In this article, we will discuss the four main factors that you should consider when deciding whether owning or renting entry mats is best for you.
Should I Buy Or Rent Commercial Mats?
There are two main ways to source commercial floor mats for your building.
Floor mats can either be purchased from a distributor, or the mats can be rented from a commercial floor mat rental service.
Whether you choose to buy or rent, depends on four main factors:
- Cost
- Functionality
- Quality
- Maintenance
1. Cost
The first, and probably most important factor you should consider when deciding if you want to buy or rent your commercial floor mats is the cost.
The cost of commercial floor mats depends on many factors like:
- Size
The larger a commercial floor mat is, the more expensive it will be to purchase or rent the mats for your facility.
The size of the floor mats you choose will affect the safety and appearance of your facility. A larger mat, or runner, will look more appealing in your commercial facility and reduce the risk of slip and falls for your guests.
- Quality
Mats that are of higher quality will generally be more expensive.
- Quantity
If you need multiple floor mats to cover the area in your facility, you will ultimately spend more on your matting.
- Material
While most mats are made out of 100% rubber components, you can also request mats that have crush-resistant fibers, which will be more expensive.
- Customization
Custom floor mats can be used to increase branding in your building. If you’re interested in custom floor mats, you’ll probably pay more for your facility’s matting.
How Much Does It Cost To Buy Entry Mats?
When purchasing floor mats, you will be responsible for the entire cost of the matting at the time of purchase or as discussed by the seller. Some manufacturers or sellers may offer a payment plan, while some may not.
The most common floor mat size is 3×5. One 3×5 mat will cost around $75 depending on the supplier you purchase them from.
If you need six 3×5 mats to cover your entire entryway, you will pay about $450 a year to purchase your commercial floor mats.
With proper care and maintenance, your commercial floor mats can last anywhere from 5 to 8 years. As a result, your investment lasts much longer.
How Much Does It Cost To Rent Entry Mats?
Renting floor mats for your facility will require ongoing payments that cover the use and routine replacement of the mats.
Rental mats are usually priced per square foot per week.
If you have a large area that needs matting, your weekly or monthly rental prices may be higher than if you had purchased your mats. In that case, it would be more cost-effective to buy your floor mats so you can cover and protect your floors without the extra rental costs.
The average cost for rental mats is $0.30 per square foot per week. If your facility needs six commercial floor mats that are sized 3’x5’, that will cost your facility about $5.00 per mat per week.
That means, for a year, your facility will spend approximately $1,560 on renting floor mats.
If you had purchased your floor mats, your annual costs would have only been $450 for the six mats. Renting commercial floor mats will cost your facility $1,110 more compared to if you had purchased them.
2. Functionality
With your budget in mind, next, you’ll probably want to think about the appearance of your mats.
Commercial floor mats can be customized to include branded colors, text, and logos.
Functionality of Purchased Commercial Floor Mats
Purchasing commercial floor mats offers your facility a larger selection of different sized and colored mats.
For buildings that are creating a specific design in their facility, the ability to choose the specific appearance of your matting will give you the freedom to customize the look of your floors.
Purchased floor mats can be purchased in larger sizes and can cover more space on your floors.
Functionality of Rental Commercial Floor Mats
Rental mats usually have restrictions that the commercial floor mats you can purchase for your facility do not have.
The drawback of renting mats is that while some rental companies will let you customize mats, many will not. This means you might be restricted in what mats you’re able to choose from. You may end up with matting that doesn’t have custom branding.
Most mat rental companies do not offer custom-fit matting solutions so you would have to rent multiple mats to sufficiently cover or fit a larger area.
Choosing the wrong size matting can lead to safety concerns, like trip hazards, and cause damage to your floors, like dull and scratched floors.
To get the best-sized mats to protect the floors in your facility, buying the commercial floor mats will be a better way to achieve your desired appearance.
3. Performance
Whether you decide to rent or buy your commercial floor mats, you’ll want to consider the way your mats perform in your facility.
Mats can be made of materials that enhance the function of your floor mats. While most mats are made of rubber, you can also choose vinyl floor mats that are longer lasting and may boost the appearance of your facility.
Performance of Purchased Commercial Floor Mats
When purchasing floor mats, you’ll have the option to choose commercial floor mats for your facility that will last longer and best meet your needs.
There are different types of matting that are available for purchase, but they may not be available for rent.
Depending on your facility’s needs, there are likely mats that are more effective at keeping your floors cleaner than others.
For example, mats that have reinforced patterns can “scrape” more dirt and moisture from shoes before your guests reach your commercial floors.
There are also mats made from different materials, like polypropylene, that can be used to reduce the chance of slips and falls in your facility. You can even purchase mats that have safety edges, which prevent them from rolling and causing trip hazards in your building.
Performance of Rental Commercial Floor Mats
The quality of rental matting isn’t always guaranteed. You may prefer a mat that is more suitable for wet weather, but if your mat rental company doesn’t have that mat in stock, you’ll have to choose the next best thing.
There’s also a risk that when renting mats, you’ll receive a mat that isn’t in the best condition.
Since mats can last for several years, you can be given a mat that has been in rotation for a while. Even though the mat might still function well, you may have a worn mat that affects the appearance of your facility.
4. Maintenance
Whether you’re buying or renting your commercial floor mats, your janitorial staff will have to perform daily cleaning and maintenance for your mats.
The amount of maintenance your floor mats will need depends on whether you choose to buy or rent your mats. If your mats need more maintenance, you will experience higher labor costs for your floor maintenance program.
Purchased Commercial Floor Mat Maintenance
Floor mats that you purchase will require additional maintenance to keep them looking and functioning their best.
In addition to daily cleaning, your cleaning team will also need to deep clean mats when they need additional care.
The advantage of having mats that are fully cleaned and maintained by your team is that you’ll know exactly what products are used to clean your mats.
You’ll also be able to tell your staff the best way to maintain your floor mats to ensure they’re cleaned to your standards.
Rental Commercial Mat Maintenance
Mats that are rented will only need to be maintained until your rental service providers replace your mat.
While rental mats need to be maintained throughout the day, your staff won’t need to perform deep cleaning or restorative care.
Commercial mat rental service providers can drop off new mats every week, every other week, or every month, depending on your facility’s specific needs.
The longer the period between rental mat maintenance, the more soil that will become built up on your mats. This means that your staff will need to clean more between each mat pick up.
Any additional maintenance will be handled when your mats are picked up, so deep cleaning your commercial mats is out of your cleaning staff’s hands.
Final Thoughts
Based on your facility’s budget, available labor, and the desired look of your facility, you’ll have to decide between buying and renting your commercial floor mats.
By considering the four factors we’ve outlined in this article, you’ll be able to make the best decision for your business.
Imperial Dade locations have a wide variety of commercial floor mats that can help you protect your floors from dirt and damage.
We offer payment plans that will allow your business to purchase commercial floor mats over time for affordable payments. You can get custom-sized and branded mats for all of your commercial matting needs.
If you’re located in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, or Canada contact a specialist for help deciding if buying commercial mats is the best option for your facility. Our specialist can perform an assessment of your facility’s floor care program to help you make the best decision.