Quick answer: Choose the backing for the floor the mat will sit on, not the mat itself. M+A Matting, the maker of commercial WaterHog, offers a smooth backing for hard floors such as marble, tile and wood, and a cleated backing for carpeted floors. On our WaterHog product pages these are the Flat Back and Gripper Back options. Whichever you choose, lay the mat on a clean, dry floor, put it back only when both the mat and the floor are dry after cleaning, and check the edges lie flat every time it is moved.
Rawlins has supplied cleaning equipment, chemicals and matting to UK businesses since 1981. This guide is written for facilities managers, cleaning supervisors and anyone who lays and re-lays WaterHog mats in offices, hotels, schools and public buildings.
Gripper back vs flat back: what the maker says
All WaterHog mats have a rubber backing. M+A Matting's commercial catalogue describes two standard surfaces for that backing:
- Smooth backing, "for placement on smooth/hard floors (like marble, tile, or wood)".
- Universal cleated backing, "for placement on carpeted floors". The cleats are small studs on the underside that bed into the carpet pile.
The bordered WaterHog mats we sell, including Waterhog Classic with a rubber border, Waterhog Herringbone with a rubber border and Waterhog Diamond with a Fashion border, are offered with either a Flat Back or a Gripper Back. Across our matting range, flat back is the hard-floor option and gripper back is the carpet option.
The choice matters for safety as much as appearance. A backing that suits the floor helps the mat stay where it was laid, and a mat that stays put is less likely to ruck, creep into a walkway or lift at a corner.
Hard floors, LVT and timber
For stone, ceramic tile, polished concrete, vinyl and wood, start with the flat (smooth) back, which is what M+A recommends for hard floors. A few points to check before you lay it:
- Vinyl and LVT: WaterHog's FAQ says its mats are suitable for use on most vinyl floors. Because floor finishes vary, check your floor manufacturer's guidance on rubber-backed mats too.
- Timber and other sealed finishes: follow the flooring maker's care guidance, and never lay a mat over a floor that is still wet from mopping or scrubbing.
- Trapped moisture: M+A's troubleshooting guide explains that yellowing of a floor beneath a mat is normally caused by moisture that was already on the floor when the mat went down, because the mat stops it evaporating. It adds that on hard floors, cleated mats help reduce trapped moisture, and that where floors "sweat" beneath mats, a cleated backing will usually reduce or eliminate the problem.
So a flat back is the normal starting point on a hard floor, but if you repeatedly find damp or marking under a mat that was laid dry, talk to us about whether a gripper back would suit that floor better.
Carpeted lobbies and corridors
On carpet, use the gripper (cleated) back. The cleats grip the pile, which helps stop the mat walking across the carpet under foot traffic and trolleys. This is common at lift lobbies, the inner end of a reception and corridor junctions, where a WaterHog mat catches the last of the grit before it reaches carpeted areas.
M+A's troubleshooting guide is clear on one carpet-specific risk: mats should never be placed over wet carpet. Moisture trapped under the mat can cause yellowing or browning of the carpet that is very difficult or impossible to clean. If the carpet has just been extracted or spot-cleaned, let it dry before the mat goes back.
Laying and re-laying after cleaning
Most backing problems start on cleaning day. M+A's WaterHog care instructions say commercial WaterHog mats are not launderable in commercial washers; extract, clean or hose them off as needed, hang them to dry, and make sure they are dry before they go back into service. WaterHog's care guide adds: always make sure the mat and the floor are completely dry before placing the mat, and keep the mat away from bleach and petroleum-based products, which negatively affect the rubber backing.
A simple re-laying routine for the cleaning team:
- Clean the floor under the mat while it is up, then let it dry fully.
- Check the backing for grit, cracks, swelling or anything stuck to the cleats or smooth face. Brush off loose debris.
- Confirm the mat is dry on both faces, not just the surface.
- Lay it the right way up and the right way round, square to the door or walking line, in the same position as before.
- Walk the full length and check it does not slide, ruck or lift at any corner.
- Record it in your cleaning log: date, area, task and initials.
Our WaterHog care routine covers vacuuming, extraction and pressure washing in detail.
Edge and trip checks
HSE's slips and trips hazard-spotting checklist (CK4) lists mats with curled-up edges as a trip hazard at entrances, with the action to fix down mat edges or replace the mat if necessary. It also asks whether the floor between the threshold and the entrance matting is slippery when wet. Build both into your routine checks.
| Check | What good looks like | If not |
|---|---|---|
| Backing matches floor | Flat back on hard floor, gripper back on carpet | Note it and review the backing at the next order |
| Mat position | Square to the door or walking line, not creeping | Re-lay; if it keeps moving, review the backing |
| Edges and corners | Flat, with no curl or lift | Take out of use and fix down or replace, per HSE CK4 |
| Floor under the mat | Clean, dry, no marking | Lift, clean, dry fully and re-lay |
| Floor at the mat edge | Dry, not slippery | Dry it; review mat size and cleaning frequency |
| Contamination | No oil, grease or fuel on the mat | Remove and clean; move the mat away from the source |
On contamination, the product pages for our WaterHog range, such as the Waterhog Classic, state that the mats are not recommended for areas exposed to grease or petroleum products. Keep WaterHog on the clean side of kitchen doors, workshops and vehicle routes.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose a gripper back or a flat back WaterHog mat?
Choose for the floor. M+A recommends a smooth backing for hard floors such as marble, tile and wood, and a cleated backing for carpeted floors. On our WaterHog pages these are the Flat Back and Gripper Back options.
Are WaterHog mats suitable for vinyl and LVT floors?
WaterHog's FAQ says its mats are suitable for use on most vinyl floors. Check your floor manufacturer's guidance as well, and only lay the mat on a clean, dry floor.
Why is the floor marked or damp under our mat?
M+A says discolouration under a mat is normally caused by moisture already on the floor when the mat went down. Lay mats only on dry floors. On hard floors, M+A says a cleated backing helps reduce trapped moisture.
How do we stop an entrance mat curling at the edges?
Dry it flat after cleaning and re-lay it on a dry floor. If an edge stays curled, HSE's CK4 checklist says to fix the edge down or replace the mat.
Need help choosing the right backing?
Browse our WaterHog collection, where bordered mats are offered with a flat back or gripper back. For advice on matting for a specific floor or entrance, call us on 0121 351 4444, email werner@rawlins.co.uk or use our contact page.
