Ground Protection Mats

Options for Ground Protection Mats

When utility employees or landscaping professionals are working with heavy equipment on a commercial or residential property, they want to do as little damage to the existing ground as possible. However, they sometimes have no choice but to drive the vehicle or heavy equipment onto grass or muddy areas to reach the worksite. To prevent unwanted damage and ruts, Greatmats ground protection mats are a valuable tool to have on hand.

Our ground protection mat products support thousands of pounds of vehicle load without buckling or sinking into damp ground. They can cover many different surfaces, including grass, mud, sand, and gravel, while providing a sturdy roadway for the weight of equipment and vehicles. They’re reusable, which gives utility companies great value. Keeping clients happy goes hand in hand with reducing property damage during big projects, and our heavy-duty ground mats will keep the five-star customer reviews coming.

Ground Protection Mat Use Cases

Our clients use our mats in a variety of situations, ranging from delivering grass protection in a residential lawn to preventing ruts that collect rain at a construction site.

Ground Protection Mats for Construction Sites

A typical construction site needs to manage heavy vehicle traffic in areas where roads don’t exist. Clients, designers, and engineers may also need to walk through the site to check on progress. Keep their shoes clean and give them a safe space to walk with our outdoor walkway mats that won’t sink into muddy or disturbed ground.

Temporary Access Mats for Heavy Equipment

Reaching the worksite can be a challenge when roads are not yet built. When you use our plastic construction and heavy equipment mats, though, you can safely move heavy equipment to any location on the property without tearing up the ground. Pick up the portable mats and move them wherever they’re needed at any time.

Grass and Turf Protection Mats for Landscaping

Temporary road and driveway mats fit over the top of grass or existing landscaping to protect these areas from the tires or treads of construction equipment. These are not made for a permanent installation, but they work perfectly for giving workers temporary road access to hard-to-reach places in your lawn or across an acreage.

Event and Utility Access Mats

Workers need to stabilize the legs of a utility vehicle when they’re parked at a jobsite. Ground protection mats and outrigger pads both work well for utility company requirements. The outrigger pads offer a load rating capacity of up to 60,000 pounds.

Event mats are also available, usually in a 1-by-1-foot interlocking tile size, that let you create a temporary walkway and flooring to support chairs and tables. They also support small vehicles, like wheelchairs or golf carts, for an outdoor event or party.

Product Options for Ground Protection Mats

Depending on the type of work you are planning to do, our Greatmats team has the ideal product option to fit your needs.

Mats

Our ground protection mats can support loads up to 90 tons. They can measure up to 4-by-8 feet, making it easy to cover a large space as quickly as possible.

Mat Kits

When you want to save some money by buying in bulk, we offer ground protection mat kits that contain up to 12 mats in one order. Each mat measures 3-by-8 or 4-by-8 feet. They include a rack to simplify storage after using them.

Outrigger Pads

With our outrigger pads, you can support the outrigger arms on a crane, utility truck, or bucket truck, even when working on soft ground. The pads will not buckle under significant loads. They’re available in several sizes between 18-by-18 inches and 4-by-4 feet.

Traction Mats

Our recovery traction mats are designed to create traction in a location where a vehicle is stuck in soft ground or on packed snow. They function as tire traction boards and measure 20-by-48 inches. They’re lightweight and have hand holes to simplify installation.

Light Duty Tiles and Mats

For outdoor areas that need to support tables and chairs for an event, our portable outdoor tiles have a firm design that supports this kind of weight. These interlocking tiles only measure 1-by-1 foot, making it easy to transport them.

To cover a larger area faster, we offer heavy-duty and light-duty pedestrian mats that are ADA compliant and use an interlocking edge to maintain a secure layout. Each mat measures almost 4-by-4 feet.

GeoGrid

For a more permanent walkway or roadway solution over soft ground, our GeoGrid paving system consists of interlocking tiles with an open grid system. Fill the open grid with soil or gravel to hold the ground in place for pedestrian or light vehicle traffic.

Typical Ground Protection Mat Sizes

We offer ground protection mats in a variety of sizes. Larger mats cover more space faster and can accommodate wider tires and vehicles. Smaller mats are easier to move around and store after the work is done. Size options include:

• 2x4 feet
  
• 2x6
  
• 2x8
  
• 3x6
  
• 3x8
  
• 4x8

Ground Protection Mat Features and Benefits

Our clients and customers receive several different benefits when they deploy our ground protection mats and tiles, including:

• Prevent soil erosion
  
• Prevent soil ruts
  
• Can manage significant weight
  
• Interlocking designs for secure layouts
  
• Made for repeated uses
  
• Lightweight, yet won’t buckle under stress
  
• Protects concrete and asphalt
  
• Won’t absorb moisture
  
• Some mats have a raised traction pattern
  
• Make temporary roads or sidewalks
  
• Rinse mud and grass after use
  
• Vehicles won’t sink into the ground
  
• Place over sand at the beach
  
• Far more durable than plywood
  
• Many products are Made in the USA

Clients deploy these mats near golf courses, cemeteries, utility lines, construction sites, landscaping sites, sports fields, residential lawns, septic tank sites, and well-drilling sites. Companies like tree trimmers, landscaping professionals, utility workers, golf course designers, outdoor event planners, and construction companies all can use these mats in their daily routine.

Ground Protection Mats Q&A

What should you know about access mats?

Ground protection access mats are portable and allow you to create a roadway or sidewalk anywhere. They can go over soft ground and protect vehicles or people traveling over the top from sinking into the mud or wet grass. They also prevent wheel ruts. They’re durable, reusable, and long-lasting.

Do heavy trucks damage or crack driveways?

Heavy trucks can crack or damage driveways made of asphalt or concrete. Most driveway designs in residential areas are made to support passenger vehicles. Large commercial vehicles have far more weight that could cause cracks as they move or are parked in place. Ground protection mats support the weight and protect the driveway.

How do you create a temporary walkway?

To create a temporary walkway on your property, ground protection mats are the best option. They create a sturdy base that won’t buckle if there’s soft ground underneath.

How long can you leave lawn protection mats in place?

You can leave lawn protection mats in place for between a day and about a week, depending on the type of mat in use, without killing the grass. It’s recommended that you remove dark-colored mats after a day. Transparent (or clear) lawn protection mats can remain in place for about five days, as sunlight can penetrate these mats and reach the grass.