Workshop Mats

More information about Workshop Mats

Whether you are a hobbyist, producing small components in your own garage, or managing a large manufacturing facility with hundreds of workers, Workshop Mats can improve the safety and productivity of your workshop.

At First Mats, we stock many styles of workshop floor mats, each with its own features and benefits, at competitive prices. Choosing the best one may seem like a difficult task, so this article provides you with all the important information about workshop mats to help you decide which ones to use.

Buy your workshop floor mat online with fast delivery across the UK, or contact us for help and advice.

What are Workshop Mats?

Briefly put, a workshop mat is a term to describe any type of matting designed to be in a workshop environment. This can be anywhere from a hobbyist’s own woodworking area to automotive garages, welding bays and large-scale manufacturing plants.

The diversity between workshops and the type of work conducted within them means that many workshops will have at least two or more different types of workshop matting, each designed for a specific purpose.

What are the Advantages of using Workshop Mats?

Industrial workshop mats help to protect both floors and workers by providing a tough but comfortable surface for them to stand on. The mats help to absorb impacts from heavy tools and equipment and prevent the spread of machining oils and swarf to other parts of the building. Many workshop mats also have excellent anti-fatigue properties, guaranteeing that employees get the best possible working environment while also complying with necessary health & safety rules and regulations.

The main features and functionalities of industrial workshop mats include:

Trapping Machine Oils and Swarf – Swarf such as metal fillings, wood shavings and other particles can cause major health and hygiene risks if left unattended. For these environments, we stock workshop mats with an array of compact holes, indents or small wells to collect and trap any swarf when working.

Slip Resistance – Anti-Slip Mats prevent or greatly reduce the risk of workers slipping, tripping or falling within the surrounding area. These slip-resistant mats are usually made from rubber, which helps keep the mat fixed on the floor.

Wear Resistance - In factories, garages and workshops with high volumes of foot and operational vehicle traffic, it is imperative that the workshop mats are durable to sustain the pressure, weight and materials they come in contact which throughout the day.

Oil Resistance – Oil Resistance is especially important in factories, manufacturing plants, and garages that handle any fuel or oily-based products.

Industrial floor mats made with an NBR (nitrile rubber) outer coating resist deterioration due to the synthetic rubber’s amazing resistance qualities - used in many automotive seals and gaskets or other items subject to contact with oils and other industrial fluids.

Fire Resistance – For welders, fire resistance is critical due to hot sparks, liquids and other substances that fall on the floor. All our mats with fire resistance have all passed a Flame Retardancy Certificate - a series of tests conducted by a third-party invigilator testing how well a sample of the mat performs in hot and flammable environments.

Types of Industrial Workshop Mats

Anti-slip Workshop Mats

Slip resistance is not only the main feature for some mats but also a mandatory requirement for professionals dealing with oil and fuel-based products throughout their work.

Anti-slip workshop mats will usually include weighted bevels and air-tight backing optimised for smooth floor surfaces such as concrete, wood and metal.

Anti-slip mats are predominantly made from varying grades of rubber - natural rubber, nitrile and PVC plastic. Rubber is the primary material because of its excellent traction on multiple conditions and surfaces.

Anti-fatigue Workshop Mats

Anti-Fatigue Mats reduce the symptoms of fatigue caused by standing for long periods of time. Studies have proven that using Anti-Fatigue Mats in the workplace will make employees more comfortable, increase productivity, reduce work-related injuries, boost morale, and are very popular within production plants, factories and distribution centres.

Workbench Cutting Mats

Many workshops need mats that will protect their workbenches, and Self-Healing Cutting Mats are ideal for this purpose. Whilst there are many types available, we recommend our Heavy-Duty Workbench Cutting Mats for use in workshops.

Swarf mats

Swarf mats help maintain health and safety by helping to collect and isolate small pieces of debris, or “swarf”, produced by machining or other industrial processes. This type of matting is popular in workshops where metals and wood are machined into products.

Welding Mats

Welding Mats are, as the name suggests, fire-resistant mats specifically designed for welding, metal cutting, brazing or grinding environments and include anti-fatigue, anti-slip and wear-resistance properties.

How Might the Material Affect the Mat?

Please see the table below providing a brief overview of the properties and examples of how the material changes how the mat is comprised.

Why choose First Mats for your Workshop Mats?

First Mats provide a comprehensive range of high-quality, industry-standard workshop mats suitable for any workshop environment. To browse the full range of workshop mats, please click here to view our contact details and contact us if you need to find out more or need help deciding on the right mat for your workplace. Free samples are available on request.

See our Industrial Mats range for more industrial matting options.

First Mats Choice

• Rubber Workshop Swarf Catch Mat

  ["Swarf Trapping Surface","13mm Thickness","For Universal Usage"]

  1 to 2 working days
  £29.90 Excl. VAT
• AtEase Pebble Standard Anti-Fatigue Mat Roll

  ["Pebble Textured Surface","9.4mm Thickness","For Light Industrial Use"]

  2 to 3 working days
  £0.36 Excl. VAT
• Rubber Bubble-Top Anti-Fatigue Mat

  ["Bubble Textured Surface","14mm Thickness","For Heavy Industrial Use"]

  2 to 3 working days
  £49.20 Excl. VAT