Different types of floor mats & their uses

Floor mats are an essential part of every home. Rugs are the traditional go-to for floor protection but mats are making a market comeback as they offer homeowners a perfect blend of simplicity, aesthetic, and functionality.

Customers can easily be overwhelmed by all the matting options on the market. Choosing the perfect mat for your needs can be an uphill task if you're not fully informed on the indifferent types of floor mats and how they're best used around the home.

If you're in this boat, rest easy as we'll cover everything you need to know about floor mats and their uses. You can also check out shopping reviews at ReviewsBird from other customers' opinions to help you make a decision.

What's in this blog?

This blog is a buying guide that will cover everything you need to know about floor mats to help you buy the right type for your home

- Types of floor mats

- Uses of floor mats

- Where are they used in the home

- What should you look for in a floor mat

Types of Floor Mats

Message Mats

Message mats are probably the most common type of floor mats around the home. They are usually used at doors with writings on them like "welcome" or "no shoes" to pass a clear message to visitors.

Welcome mats are an essential accessory for the home, particularly for thief aesthetic value. Message mats can be made of any rubber or any material that can be cleaned easily with a floor mat cleaner. They can also be placed at the entrance of your home or the doors of rooms within the home.

Uses of message mats

• Beautifies the home

Message mats are a stylish addition to any patio or doorstep. You can use them to match the aesthetic of your entrance and add some beauty to your doorstep. Message mats can also be used indoors to beautify various parts of the home.

• Dirt control

Message mats also serve the purpose of dirt control. Around 90% of the dirt in homes is tracked in from the outside; to keep your home clean, it is important to leave dirt at the door, and "welcome" message mats at the entrance often help with this. Buying a mat made of sturdy material gives visitors a place to wipe dirt off their shoes before entering the home.

Interlocking Floor Mats

Interlocking floor mats are trendy mainly for their floor protection benefits. They are made of sturdy materials like vinyl and rubber that are water and dirt-resistant.

Interlocking floor mats come in various thickness options to suit different needs around the home. They are easy to install, durable, and low-maintenance making them ideal for long-term use.

Uses of interlocking floor mats

• Floor protection

Floor protection is the main use of interlocking mats. Their interlocking patterns make it difficult for dirt, germs, or water to penetrate them into the floors making them the perfect floor protection mats. They also prevent dents on the floor in the case of a heavy object falling and protect your floors from sharp-edged objects.

• Accident prevention

Interlocking mats on the thicker side are useful for absorbing heavy impact. They are often used in sports such as Judo and martial arts and are also used as gym floor mats because the thick material guards you against direct contact with the floor. This is useful around the home because they prevent falling objects from crashing against the floor. This makes them perfect baby floor mats and also suitable to keep in rooms with fragile objects. They also work as sound proof floor mats.

Heated Floor Mats

Keeping your home at a conducive temperature all year round is important. Traditionally, fireplaces were used to serve this purpose, then thermostats were introduced into the market. Now, heated floor mats are the trendy way for homeowners to heat their homes during cold nights and the winter season.

Once a heated floor mat is installed, it acts as a heating system for your room. It can easily be installed under various types of floor surfaces and can be used in various rooms around the home.

Uses of heated floor mats

• Temperature control

Just like thermostats, heated mats help keep your home warm. They come with regulators to help you control how hot you want your floors to be and provide a safe heating system without the risk of burn or fire.

• Keeps your floors dry

Heated floor mats help protect your floors by keeping them dry and clean. Wet floors are prone to the growth of mildew and fungi and could also be a cause for slip accidents. Heating your floors dries up any moisture and prolongs the life of your floors. They are also used to melt snow in driveways and carparks.

Kitchen Floor Mats

There are many reasons why you may want to invest in a kitchen floor mat. The right mat can add a lot of aesthetic and functional value to your kitchen but kitchen mats are arguably the toughest to choose because getting the right one is imperative.

Kitchen floor mats come in various types depending on what you need them for. Some mats are made to help beautify your kitchen, some are made for anti-fatigue purposes and there are mats designed to help protect your floors from stains.

Uses of kitchen floor mats

• Floor protection

Kitchen hazards are common; they could be from pets, kids, or spillage while cooking. If your kitchen floors are unprotected, it could easily lead to tough stains and potentially permanent damage to your floors. Hence, it is important to consider substance over style when choosing a floor mat for your kitchen. While your mats should have aesthetic value, they should also be stain and water-resistant. Super absorbent floor mats are perfect for this.

• Beautifies the kitchen

You don't want your floor mat to stand out from the general kitchen decor. A good blend is best, so it complements the kitchen aesthetic without competing with the design. For example, if your cabinet and tables are brightly colored, a neutral color like a grey floor mat is perfect. Also, if your kitchen has a dark aesthetic such as brown or black, a black floor mat, or or or a black floor mat can complement your design well.

What Should You Consider When Buying a Floor Mat?

Reason for buying

When choosing a floor mat, it's important to ask yourself why you need one before choosing the mat for you. If you need a mat for dirt control, then an interlocking mat would be perfect. If you need a mat to protect your feet from cold floors then a heated mat would be ideal; a hot tub floor mat can protect your floors from standing water while you bathe etc. Knowing the purpose the mat will serve helps your decision-making process.

Installation process

After determining its use, you should then think about the specific site of installation. For instance, if you need a massage mat for your entrance, you need to consider the size of the mat to ensure you get a perfect fit. Buying a large floor mat bigger than the space you need a mat for can lead to inconveniences, as well as buying an undersized mat. Depending on your site of installation, you can choose from the many options available.

Aesthetic value

While your mat needs to provide functional value, it also needs to match your home design. Mats can quickly become eyesores if they don't fit in with the overall aesthetic of the room; your mat should be complimentary instead of standing out from the overall design. Getting the right mat can help beautify your home whether it's on the porch, kitchen, or living room.