Why Do You Need Roof Walkway Matting?

Commercial roofs have become highly versatile spaces. Today, they’re used for everything from solar panels to rooftop gardens, and they also serve as a space for HVAC units and other machinery. As rooftops serve more purposes, it’s increasingly important to provide walkways to access different locations on the roof. Roof walkway matting plays many roles and is essential for several reasons.

Why Do You Need Roof Walkway Matting?

Roof walkway mats are an essential investment in safety, protecting your existing roof, and general convenience. If you have a flat roof, your walkway mats can help in several ways.

Prevent Accidents

Rubber rooftop mats are paramount to ensuring the safety of engineers, the maintenance team, and any staff who need to access the roof. Walkways often have to travel over electrical cords, cables, and other potential tripping hazards.

Roof walkway matting acts as a protective barrier, creating a safer walkway. You can choose mats with slip-resistant surfaces to help prevent falls in all weather. If a fall does occur, the mat's shock-absorbing padding may help prevent injuries.

Roof matting also serves the important purpose of keeping workers up out of water during inclement weather. Perforated mats allow liquids to quickly drain through, helping to reduce the chance of slips and falls. Mats can facilitate drainage, keeping the area accessible even in bad weather.

Protect Roof Membranes

Installing roof walkway matting can help protect your investment in your roof. Roof matting products are designed to withstand heavy foot traffic that could damage your roof membrane over time. They can also absorb dropped tools during equipment servicing, helping to prevent membrane punctures and damage.

By helping to disperse the weight of workers and absorb impacts such as dropped tools or heavy equipment that needs to be transported across the roof for repair, roofway matting creates a physical barrier to protect your membrane. Investing in matting can help to extend the lifespan of the membrane, protecting your investment in your roof.

Provide Easier Access to Equipment

Creating walkways across the roof also provides easier access to equipment for maintenance or repair. Walkway mats create a visual path for workers, giving them direct access to the locations they need to reach. Since the matting establishes a flat surface, it’s easier for workers to walk on than to navigate cables and other obstacles on the roof.

Roof pads offer just a bit of flexibility to help maximize comfort. They also create stability, which can be ideal if your roof surface has loose fill. Roof matting creates an ideal surface for workers to stand while accessing equipment.

Provide Safer Pathways

When you lay roof walkway matting, you can create a walkway that keeps people away from dangerous areas, like the edge of the roof. A textured, raised, and comfortable walkway creates guidance and a designated path across the roof. You can plan the layout to avoid sharp 90-degree turns and other hazards, creating an extra layer of safety.

Qualities to Look for in Roof Walkway Matting

As you choose matting for your roof, look for the following qualities.

Durability

Choose a product that’s designed to withstand the elements for years. Matting is often made of materials like rubber or PVC, which can weather extreme temperatures and plenty of precipitation. It’s also essential to find a product that is UV stable since the matting will be exposed to plenty of sunlight. Many walkway matting products are backed by multi-year warranties, which is a testament to their durability.

Drainage

Consider how well a product will drain liquids. Look for matting that has plenty of perforations to help channel water away from the surface.

Traction

Quality walkway matting needs to be textured and designed to help prevent slips and falls, even when it’s wet. Look for matting that maximizes traction for enhanced safety.

Ease of Installation

It’s also important to find matting that can be easily installed. Many products feature interlocking designs that secure the mats together tightly, making for a DIY-friendly installation that won’t pull apart while in use.

Price

While it’s undoubtedly important that matting is within your budget, remember that investing in walkway matting can also help to protect your investment in your rooftop membrane. Choosing a quality product will give you the best, long-lasting results.

Order Your Roof Walkway Matting

At Greatmats, we have an excellent selection of industrial roof walkway matting products to choose from. These products are made of durable materials like PVC and rubber, and they’re designed to withstand the elements, maximize safety, and protect your roof membrane.

Contact the Greatmats customer service team today with any questions or to place your order. We’re happy to help you choose the best product for your flat roof and your installation plans.