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| Signature’s turf and ground protection mats can be used as access roads or pedestrian walkways over sand, dirt, gravel, mud and other outdoor surfaces. |
Ground protection, roadway mats fit many needs, reduce contractors' headaches
Anyone in the rental business knows turf disasters come in many forms, from a homeowner project to contractors driving heavy equipment over a grassy area creating a wet, marshy mess to clean up later.
Traditionally, when customers had projects requiring that equipment drive over lawns or unstable ground, plywood was a common option. The problem is, it can break, lead to cross contamination and result in an unstable surface causing expensive equipment to slide out of place. The constant cost of replacing the pieces after a single use adds up.
Unlike plywood, ground protection mats will not absorb water, lose strength over time or warp when wet. The 100% HDPE composite eliminates safety hazards such as splinters, loose nails, or broken boards. These mats can be stored outside in your yard and fit easily into a pickup truck bed. Ground-protection mats can be used without ground preparation over various surfaces including grass, gravel, soil, sand, concrete, asphalt, mud and synthetic turf, to name a few. These versatile composite mats can also be used for pedestrian walkways and over sensitive outdoor surfaces, such as running tracks or existing finished surfaces.
As a result, ground-protection or roadway mats are becoming the product of choice. Not only do these composite mats protect soft lawns from the damage of tire tracks, they offer a safe, stable surface for heavy vehicles, equipment and people. These composite mats allow you to travel over unstable ground conditions, save time, reduce labor costs, increase efficiency and eliminate environmental cross-contamination problems.
Example 1: Save Money and Your Reputation with Composite Mats
CRS Construction was building a stone staircase and a platform that was located near a lake in Texas. The task required a skid-steer and backhoe which had to cross a plush lawn leading from the street to the water’s edge. CRS foresaw the damage to the lawn would be severe, so they rented 40 DuraDeck mats by Signature Systems Group and built a temporary 150 foot, 2-lane roadway from the street to the lake.
In the end, the contractor saved hundreds of dollars because they didn’t have to spend any money to repair the lawn, and the homeowner was pleased that the company had saved the lawn from tire-track damage. During the project, the contractor rented 50 more DuraDeck mats for a different project, allowing his company to start projects earlier in the spring and work later into the fall and get equipment into places they couldn’t reach before.
Example 2: Protect Your Investment with Composite Mats
In another instance, a construction company was doing work on a football field which had just received a new rubber track. Without thinking an employee drove a boom lift over the track, causing thousands of dollars in damage to the track. If the construction company had laid down a protective mat, damage and costly repairs could have been avoided.
DuraDeck mats are being used as an “add-on” to equipment rentals for contractors, homeowners, landscape architects, tree and lawn care, parks and recreation, golf courses, special events, cemeteries, structural movers, water drillers and septic tank companies. Backed by a 7-year warranty, the mats are easy to use, portable, and durable enough to last through hundreds of projects and produce good dollar utilization.
Even under heavy vehicle traffic, quality mats leave turf smooth and healthy. Made of maximum-strength,1/2-inch HDPE (high-density polyethylene), DuraDeck mats exceed plywood and gravel in performance, safety and efficiency. One DuraDeck mat weighs 86 pounds, so it can be handled and put in place by two people. Each mat will support up to 80 tons and has a surface traction design that prevents slippage and provides added safety for people and equipment. The non-slip tread design with eight holes allows you to create multi-directional roadways of nearly any size or shape.
Editor's note: Bill Miniat is director of business development, industrial and military/disaster relief for Signature Systems Group. This article originally appeared in the July/August 2016 issue of Pro Contractor Rentals magazine. Copyright 2016, Direct Business Media.
PRO CONTRACTOR RENTALS MAGAZINE
Pro Contractor Rentals provides information of value to rental centers who focus time, resources and attention on meeting the demands of construction contractors and other equipment rental customers.
