Types of Anti Fatigue Floor Mat

The majority of these types of mat are made of rubber or closed cell foam and are produced in fixed sizes. As you would expect of an industrial product, initially, color ranges were limited. However, in recent years, as this type of flooring has become more popular, carpet covered varieties and other brightly colored and interlocking anti fatigue floor mats have become available.

These recent developments have allowed for a product that can be safe and hygienic as well as one that can blend in with existing decor without being obtrusive and additionally accommodate any chosen standing or desk area – of large or small imprint. Adding comfort and safety for a low price!

Industrial anti fatigue floor mats are currently the largest section of this market overall. Many types of tool operator position tend to be semi-fixed in location and so a small area of matting can provide maximum benefits in a cost efficient manner.

Similarly, in many bar area, kitchen and cooking jobs movement occurs in a limited space. This limited floor area makes for an ideal situation to install kitchen anti fatigue mats.

Benefits of Anti Fatigue Floor Mats

The main benefit of this type of flooring is in the reduction of employee strain and fatigue as well as increased comfort and support. By allowing easier movement they contribute to increased blood flow to the lower legs and also help reduce back problems – especially if the office or work environment requires an employees to stand for a long period. Some have asserted that decreases in insurance premiums and employee absenteeism have occurred after the fitting of these types of safety mat, but the evidence for this appears to be anecdotal.

Safety floor matting of this type can significantly reduce other types of accidents as well as reducing the risk of slipping and falls. Installation of kitchen anti-fatigue floor mats can significantly reduce the number of items broken in a cooking area by cushioning their fall – especially if the mat is thick or uses a gelpro, cumuluspro or similar surface. The flooring allows a dropped item to bounce, rather than break. The reduction in breakages saves money directly, but also reduces down time spent on clean up of glass and other debris.

In Conclusion

Anti fatigue flooring can definitely improve employee health and safety and may contribute a positive return on investment over a longer period too. If your work environment carries significant risk of slipping or breakage it can be a fantastic investment both from a safety and financial point of view. Pick a thick mat for the best support and comfort, but a thin mat for ease of movement if standing behind an office desk or similar, especially if castor seating is occasionally used.

Background Safety Material: osha.gov

Anti Fatigue Floor Mats - Folding Chairs and Table

When setting out to clean grout on tile floors there are some items that will be required and some that may make the job easier if the floor is especially dirty.

Required Cleaning Items

• Broom, brush, mop or vacuum
• Spray Bottle
• Vinegar (white is best, but any is OK)
• Baking Soda
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Scrubbing Brush and an old Toothbrush for small areas

Heavy Duty Cleaning (Optional Items)

• Bleach
• Proprietary Grout Cleaners
• Steam Cleaning Machine

Preparation and Cleaning if Grout has Light Staining

1.       Clean the floor of any obvious loose debris and clutter. Flooring in high traffic areas will require closer attention. Once the floor is clear of all obvious obstructions, brush or vacuum the floor to removed any small items such as dust or grit.

2.       Once the floor is clear of loose dust and dirt, mop the floor with a household floor cleaner and allow to dry.

3.       Assess the dry floor for the extent of the staining and any damage to the grout. If the grout is extensively stained or damaged then it may be more straightforward to re-grout the floor.

4.       Assuming that the staining is manageable and the grout is reasonably intact mix a 1:1 solution of warm water and vinegar in the spray bottle.

5.       Dust the grout with a light covering of baking powder, then apply the water and vinegar solution from the bottle.  This will cause the baking powder to fizz.

6.       When the bubbling has stopped, scrub the grout with a scrubbing brush or tooth brush, depending on the size of the area to be cleaned.

7.       Once the grout has been cleaned mop the floor to removed any residue and reassess. If the grout is still stained then other methods can be used.

Cleaning Heavily Stained Grout on Floor Tiles

If after trying the first method you find that the grout is still stained then applying hydrogen peroxide instead of vinegar can be an effective solution. The technique remains the same overall, but hydrogen peroxide is a more effective cleaner than vinegar.

Similarly, baking soda can be mixed with a little water and applied as a paste directly to the grout. If scrubbed well and used alongside the hydrogen peroxide solution this can be a very effective and cheap cleaning method.

Using Bleach to Clean Floor Grout

Some individuals will tell you to use chlorine bleach instead of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.  This can be unwise and we don’t recommend it.  Be very careful if you do choose to do this as when bleach is mixed with an acid, such as vinegar, chlorine gas is released.  This gas forms hydrochloric acid when it mixes with water in the lungs and eyes and serious harm can result.  If you do choose to use bleach then always wear gloves and eye protection and follow manufacturer’s instructions to the letter.

Bleach should not be applied to colored grout as it can cause discoloration.

Proprietary Cleaning Solutions

If none of the above methods work then perhaps a proprietary grout cleaning product could help, but if using one make sure you take all recommended safety precautions and wear prescribed safety equipment.  Many industrial grout cleaners are acid based and can cause harm to stone or other natural surfaces on your tiles.  Always read the instructions!

Steam Cleaning Floor Grout

If your floor is heavily stained and the above methods have not worked then you might want to try steam cleaning.  Steam cleaners do not have to be purchased outright.  They can be rented for reasonable rates from a local tool hire store. If you are uncomfortable using a steam cleaner then specialist cleaning companies can be hired to clean the floor for you.

If All Else Fails

If none of these solutions have effectively cleaned the grout on your tiled floor then there is still an answer.  The best solution may be to regrout your tiled floor.  This sounds like a drastic step, but grouting a tiled floor is reasonably straightforward if approached with patience and a little knowledge. This subject will be the topic of a later article.

How to Clean Grout on Tile Floors - Folding Chairs and Table

Cork is a natural product that comes from the Cork Oak (Quercus Suber). Cork is an environmentally friendly, 100% sustainable product as the tree is not cut down in order to harvest the product.  Indeed in South West Europe where the majority of harvesting occurs it has helped to preserve the habitat of the Iberian Lynx. Cork floor tiles are manufactured from trees which are 10-15 years in age. The cork is only extracted every few years. This means that supply is steady, but limited in quantity. High quality cork is often used by the wine making industry and lesser grades are used in flooring products.

Pros of Cork Flooring

Good insulation properties, both for sound and temperature. Its insulation capabilities also make it warm to walk on if you are barefoot, which makes it ideal for bathrooms. Sound insulation be extremely useful if you live in an apartment and want to reduce the noise that neighbours experience as people or pets walk across the floor.

Cork is highly water repellent due to a substance in the cell structure called suberin. This makes cork flooring ideal for wet environments such as bathrooms. Suberin also inhibits mildew and fungal growth in areas that have constant high humidity.

Cork floors have an excellent feel under foot as they “give” in a natural fashion unlike hardwood or concrete floors. This means that sometimes cork is used as an underlay for another type of floor in order to give that floor more bounce or “lift.”

Cork as a natural product is also hypoallergenic, but manufacturer’s instructions should be followed to ensure that this remains the case.

Cons of Cork Flooring

Cork flooring is more expensive than other common types of flooring such as linoleum or carpet.

Cork floors are easily damaged by sharp objects or sustained heavy pressure.  For instance the heels of ladies shoes can gouge holes in the floors surface. Similarly the placement of heavy objects in the same place over a period of time may result in depressions forming and becoming permanent even after the object has been removed.

As it is a natural material cork tiles are only available in a limited number of patterns and colors. Also the base color is not stable in sunlight and is prone to bleaching in strong light, although for some this adds to the charm as the floor ages.

In order to retain its water repellent properties cork must be resealed every few years. This can be a time and labour intensive job. Heavy traffic or build up of dirt can cause the floor to degrade rapidly if it is not properly maintained.

This concludes this article on cork flooring pros and cons. We hope that it has served to inform you about some of the factors to consider before you go out to buy a cork floor.

Cork Flooring Pros and Cons - Folding Chairs and Table

Why Solid Oak Flooring is Best

Oak is one of the densest of the widely available hardwoods.  There are several types of wood that are more dense than oak, such as Ebony or Lignum Vitae (also known as Guayacan or Pockenholz in Europe), but they are hard to source commercially (protected by CITES and other agreements) or prohibitively expensive to use on a large scale flooring project.  As a balance between density and cost, oak flooring comes out best overall.

As an interesting science tidbit: Did you know that Lignum Vitae is so dense that it will sink in water?

The reason that density is important is that it is a partial indicator as to the durability of the wood. If your floor is never to be seen then of course softwood such as pine would do the job, but a floor will receive many scratches and scrapes over its lifetime and hardwood flooring will always fare better through these trials, as this picture illustrates.

The quality of laminate flooring can vary wildly.  Some laminates are quality products, but many are little more that a photograph of wood grain on sawdust that has been glued together under pressure. If a board such as this receives a deep scratch it will show its nature “under the skin” and quickly your floor will look extremely scruffy.  A solid oak board on the other hand will most likely take the same amount of force and show only minimal marking, even if the scratch is deep it is easily repaired.  The board can be sanded down and re-stained and polished to match the original installation with little difficulty.  It is this ability to be resurfaced that really makes solid oak floors a great investment.

Fashions change over time and unless your pockets are very deep paying to change your floor every few years will not be a realistic option.  For example, if you installed a dark stained oak floor and do not like it, or fashion has changed and you want to move with the times achieving this with a laminate floor means ripping it up and reinstalling a new floor.  If, on the other hand, you installed a solid oak floor then it is merely a matter of sanding off the top surface, restaining the boards and applying a new protective coat such as wax or varnish.  This causes much less disturbance in your home and is significantly cheaper to achieve.  What is more, you can do this many times, depending on how thick the boards were that you purchased.

Once you realise that a solid hardwood floor will last many years, look great for all of that time and can be sanded and re-stained to suit your styles and fashion choices it ceases to look like an expensive choice.  In fact, choosing real oak flooring can be a bargain.

Oak Flooring - Folding Chairs and Table