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sail_away

Floor Mat

10 years ago

I am cross-posting here and on the Flooring forum. We will be moving into new build soon and I need to come up with a good solution for a floor mat. We have a long hallway/foyer leading to great room, kitchen, dining room area. It is about 4' wide. Ideally, I would like something that is maybe 6' or more long so that if several people come in at once they can progress along that rug/mat and wipe their feet without others having to wait on the porch to get in. I would like to find something that is aesthetically pleasing, as it will be the first impression of the house when entering. However, functionality is the key requirement, of course.

Our flooring is "water-resistant" Equinox laminate by TAS. It needs to be protected. Also, I am concerned about the depth of the mat or rug that we put there---need to make sure it doesn't obstruct opening and closing the door. Yet I'd like it to be close to the door so that the first step into the house is on the mat.

Any suggestions?

Comments (10)

  • 10 years ago

    I'm a big fan of Waterhog mats, and they do make runners too. I only have one of these (at my front entrance) but eventually want to replace all of the other feet-wiping mats in the house with the same type.

    They are basic and unobtrusive, but I think they're definitely a cut above the type of mat you might find at a big box store.

    Waterhog Runners at LL Bean

    sail_away thanked User
  • 10 years ago

    Maddie, I believe that, in many ways, laminate is easy care. However, like all flooring there are some things you have to be aware of. Laminate can definitely be damaged by water remaining in contact with it. I think the lower quality can be damaged if the water isn't immediately dried off the floor, others can withstand water for a short time, while water resistant laminate claims that it can withstand a longer period of time before damage occurs. I say "claims" because it is fairly new and untested. We went ahead with the water resistant to try to make it as worry-free as possible.

    Ida, Thanks for the information about Waterhog mats. Does your door clear the mat okay? Is it on hardwood or laminate? The following is one of the links I found advising against using rubber backed rugs on laminate flooring.

    LINK: Rubber Backed Mats on Laminate Floors

    I've also read links that say rubber backed rugs are not intrinsically harmful to a laminate floor but can be harmful if the rubber tends to stick to the floor. Then other sites (e.g., Armstrong Floor Blog) state that the only rug that should not be used are those with abrasive backings and recommend rubber backing, among other acceptable soft backings for rugs.

    Google can be so helpful, but also so contradictory.

  • 10 years ago

    sail_away, my door clears the Waterhog with no problem at all. The floor is hardwood. I don't know about rubber-backed mats on laminate though - sorry!

    sail_away thanked User
  • 10 years ago

    I have 2 LL Bean water hog rugs on wood floors. They don't slide or stick to the floors. They do collect wet and dirt. The only thing I will say is one is tan - very easy to vac. The other large one is charcoal, shows everything & more difficult to vac. They last for years.

    sail_away thanked eandhl2
  • 10 years ago

    I also have Waterhog mats. They are terrific. I am going to get another for our sliding door downstairs. It is always a contest between me and the mongrel horde!

    sail_away thanked cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
  • 10 years ago

    These waterhog mats look awesome. I need a couple.

    sail_away thanked amber willi ams
  • 10 years ago

    Ida, I'm becoming convinced the Waterhog is what I need to get. Thanks for your input.

    eandhl2, Thanks for the information about colors. Right now I have saved information about a mid-brown (looks fairly light) and charcoal Waterhog mat. I really like the look of the charcoal, but was concerned about how much would show on it. Nevertheless, I was leaning that way because it looked so nice. You have helped me to avoid that mistake. Do you vacuum with your hard floor attachment? Also, can they be taken outside and washed off with the hose and put back in when they are dry?

    Cyn427, Is yours also on hardwood?

    Amber, Me too.

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    I think it's a great choice, sail_away! My experience with Waterhog is that the little indentations trap everything and really hold pieces of dirt, grass, etc. in place. Well, that's what we want in a floor mat, right? It is sometimes hard to get every last thing out of those indentations with regular vacuuming, but I just take the vacuum hose and use it separately to do "spot sucking up" of what's stuck and that works well.

    sail_away thanked User
  • 10 years ago

    Ida, We have put in a central vac (Hide A Hose), so vacuuming that way would be pretty simple.

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