MAKE AN ENTRANCE


Expert guidance from Milliken on the process and rationale for specifying a fully effective entrance flooring system.


The impact that an effective entrance flooring system (EFS) can have on the functional and commercial success of a building is often underestimated and even misunderstood. With the vast range of entrance flooring products available, from simple door mats to seemingly complex inset grid systems, the choice can become quite bewildering. How do you know which type of product is right for your building?


AUDIT YOUR ENTRANCE SPACE To establish the best possible protection for any building’s entrance space, it is first crucial to understand the particular role that these products need to play. Every EFS installation should be site specific, so a thorough audit to identify a building’s unique requirements is the best starting point. You should consider:


Function: what do you need your entrance area to do? Factor in variables such as weather conditions, the volume and type of traffic moving through. For example, will there be rolled traffic from service trollies and what type of foot traffic?


Protection: where do you most need protection and to what degree? It is important to assess each ‘Zone’ along the entrance pathway, including the exterior, vestibules, door types, interior spaces. What distance and width are available for each?


Aesthetics: what look, style, colour, pattern do you need? Does the EFS need to coordinate with other interior flooring and finishes? Is brand identity important?


ESTABLISH A ZONED-APPROACH A key component to stopping dirt, debris and moisture entering a building is distance. The CRI estimates that six metres of entrance product stops 80% of dirt and 11 metres stops 98%. With that in mind, it is generally recommended that 6-9m of entrance flooring product should be installed for most buildings.


Before selecting the various product types, however, the next step is to consider where and how the entrance flooring should work. Milliken recommends a strategic, three-zone approach for optimum performance.


Zone 1, at the exterior of the building just before the door, requires a heavy scraping action to trap grit, heavy dirt particles and moisture, including snow, salt and sand.


Zone 2 is a vestibule or enclosed entrance area. Here, a dual- action product that combines both scraping and absorption is most effective and should ideally be installed across the entire space. A product that continues the collection of dirt and debris with the additional moisture absorption will optimise performance.


Zone 3 is the immediate interior of the building. A product with high absorption qualities is best to incorporate here. Installed into field flooring, this will also eliminate trip hazards and remove any remaining moisture or remaining small debris particles.


This can obviously be adapted if a building doesn’t have Zone 2, however the principal in the flow of product types remains the same.


28 | ENTRANCES & FRONT OF HOUSE ZONE 3


ZONE 2


ZONE 1


IDENTIFY THE BEST PRODUCTS TO


ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVE An EFS’s performance will not only depend on the type of products used but also their size and combination. It is helpful to consider the products first in terms of their form and then their material components. Common forms include:


• Aluminium Systems: cut to fit any application, either surface mounted or recessed into a well for installation. Some feature textile inserts for additional performance.


• Grid Systems: designed for high-traffic areas, available in open or closed construction.


• Grids: capture dirt and moisture from foot and rolled traffic and allow for textile inserts for additional scraping action.


• Modular Tiles: typically feature either cut- or loop-pile textiles. Tiles allow dirt and moisture collection. With multiple patterns and colours available, tiles can be used aesthetically to coordinate with interior carpet products.


• Rolls: allow for seamless transitions into hallways and larger spaces. Rolls can be cut to produce runners, or installed wall-to-wall, protecting against dirt and moisture in high-traffic areas.


• Mats: combine protection with flexibility of installation and capture fine dirt, larger particles and moisture.


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