What is a timber mat? A timber mat is a wooden piece of equipment that is used at a construction site. They are typically overlooked but have an extremely important purpose. Timber mats are used for heavy equipment and machinery to drive on. This simple piece of lumber is essential for every work site.
A Necessary Piece of Equipment
Timber mats are not just used to form a road for trucks and machinery to drive on top of. Mats are necessary to protect the ground from becoming damaged. If timber mats are not used, trucks can easily create tracks in the soil from their tires. If the topsoil is damaged, it could potentially take several years to fix the soil to the original structure. In some cases the soil can never be fully repaired.
Construction Conditions
Water, rain, and moisture will make the ground wet and muddy if there is not a lot of vegetation. Overtime, if the soil does not dry up, the heavy equipment can start to sink into the soil. This is why machinery needs to be supported. Timber mats attach to each other to create a portable road of any size that can be placed in any location. Sometimes all that is needed is a platform. Mats form platforms so equipment like cranes can stay in one place for a length of time to finish a project.
Types of mats
There are several different types of timber mats. Some are high quality, while others will provide poor support. Mats that are not constructed well will disintegrate from all the wear and tear. There are different widths and lengths and different types of timber. The type of location, construction project, and equipment are all important factors to consider when determining which type of timber mat to use.
Size of the Construction Site
The length of the mats needs to be determined before setting it up on a construction site. Without making proper measurements, the mats could easily shoe up too long or too short. Constructions managers may have to return the mat and get the right size sent back. Sometimes the crew members can cut it down, but that will take time out of the schedule and could cost money. Mats that are too short are relatively useless and would need to be fixed before the project begins. Timber mats are an essential part of a protection site to prevent irreversible damage to the topsoil.
Garnett Wood Products is the leader in providing timber mats and can deliver all over the United States. Garnett Wood Products can manufacture various crane mats, pipeline skids, and other specialty wood products.