There are so many types of containment mats on the market, which one is best for me?
There are a lot of different types of containment mats on the market, and it is beginning to cause some confusion. Lets take a quick look at the different types.
TruContainOne-Piece Full Containment Mat Systems
In Recent years the TruContain® has gained substantial market share and popularity. It’s so easy to install, it took my wife only minutes the first time she saw it. Generally prices start around $130 and go up depending on the size of the mat. , the TruContain® is not cheap but works very well.
People’s first reaction when they see one is wow that’s cool. Unless they are the perfectionist type in which case they say ‘boy that’s wrinkled.’ If there is a downside to the product, that’s it. Originally we were concerned about the thickness of the mat, but after a couple of years and thousands of mats, we just are not worried about it.
Roll Out PVC Parking Pads or ‘Garage Mats’
G-Floor makes a wide variety of parking mats that you roll out on your garage floor. They are not containment mats and they do not have edges. The ribbed mats will contain small spills and a decent amount of rain, but large amounts of snow will runoff.
They are higher priced than the carpet mats. A 7.5×17 will be just under or just over $200 (depending on how many your order.)Â They can be installed over the whole floor and provide an attractive option for moderate spill protection.
I use G-Floor in my own garage, but I have covered the entire floor. In a lot of cases, the standard ribbed garage mats provide more than enough protection. If you are in Boston in the winter of 2015, it’s not the right product 🙂
Typical ‘Snap-On Edge’ Containment Mat Systems
Auto Care Products manufacturers the Park Smart Clean Park product is a 20 Mil PVC and a 50 Mil PVC with snap-on edges. We do not recommend the 20 Mil product, but the 50 mil product performs exceptionally well. On average you will spend $200 to $300 for one of these, depending on the size and thickness you select.
While we do not like the 20 Mil product, the only real downside to the 50 Mil product is the installation. It takes a lot of work to put one together. That said the 50 Mil has an awesome warranty.
