Hiring vs. Buying Ground Protection Mats

Ground protection mats are essential if you’re working on soft or muddy ground. But is permanent ownership worth the investment, or would you be better off hiring mats whenever you need them?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of hiring vs buying ground mats, and help you to make the right decision for your business.

Why are ground protection solutions important?

Ground protection mats are designed to cover various surfaces during construction work or large events, protecting the ground underneath and making it easier for vehicles or pedestrians to traverse the area.

You can use these mats to create temporary roads, walkways, car parks, or work platforms over grass, soil, or paved surfaces. They provide a stable, non-slip surface by spreading the load of vehicles, equipment, or foot traffic, which is especially useful in wet or muddy conditions.

Quality ground protection mats avoid accidents and injuries, as well as the high cost of recovering any vehicles or equipment that have tipped over or sunk into the mud!

Hiring vs buying ground protection mats

Deciding whether to hire or buy ground matting can be tricky - so we’ve rounded up the main pros and cons of both options.

Pros of hiring

Hiring helps you to spread the cost of your mats rather than spending a large amount upfront, which may be preferable for smaller businesses and startups where cash flow is limited.

It’s especially useful if you need to get your hands on more mats on a temporary basis - for instance, you might be undertaking a larger project than usual or you don't want to risk not having enough mats if conditions change on the day. By renting, you can avoid a big capital outlay.

You may need ground protection mats for a one-off project, or for a highly-specialised job that requires a different type of mat from those you usually use. There’s little point in buying these outright if you’re unlikely to need them again, so hiring makes more sense here.

Cons of hiring

You’ll typically have to pay by the day or by the week for your rented mats, so the cost can quickly add up on large and long-duration projects - especially if they overrun. Every time you need to hire mats, you’ll have to factor in these fees.

It’s also worth remembering that delivery and collection charges apply each time you hire ground protection mats. When you add that to the cost of hiring, you may end up paying almost as much as the purchase cost of a mat.

Additional hiring costs can include deposits to cover potential damage, late-return fees, and cleaning charges.

Pros of buying

When you own your ground mats permanently, you don’t have to worry about availability or lead times from a hire company - and you won’t be affected by potential stock shortages during periods of high demand (such as the rainy season).

You’ll also have complete control over the condition of your mats and how they are used, whereas rented mats will have unknown levels of wear and tear from previous hirers. You can make sure your own mats are correctly installed, cleaned, and stored.

If you know that you’re going to be using ground protection mats more than a handful of times a year, you may find that you break even on the purchase cost sooner than you expected.

For example, let’s say that you require 20 standard HDPE mats for multiple projects over a year, with each project lasting two weeks.

The purchase cost is £120 per mat, with a one-off delivery cost of £150. Comparatively, hiring would cost £15 per mat per week, with a delivery and collection fee of £150 for each rental period.

In this example, you would break even after four projects.

Purchased mats are an asset to your business, because they hold resale value and can be written down as a capital cost - unlike rental spend, which is an ongoing expense. 

Plus, quality mats have a long lifespan, so you’ll get your money’s worth from them if you use them correctly. 

Cons of buying

The upfront cost of permanent ownership - especially for heavy-duty and premium ground protection mats - can be offputting if you’re a smaller business or you aren’t sure how frequently you'll require matting.

You’ll also need to find somewhere to store your mats when they’re not in use. Not every business has enough space for this, as the mats need to be stacked flat on a heavy-duty stillage or pallet.

As the owner, the responsibility for transporting the mats, keeping them clean and dry, and checking them regularly for defects, rests entirely with you.

So, is it best to hire or buy?

It really depends on your business and how often you plan to use ground protection mats. Ask yourself how many times a year you think you’ll need them, and how long the projects are likely to last. Here’s a quick recap:

Hire if:

• You rarely use matting

• The jobs you do are short-term

• You don’t have much storage space

• You don’t want a high capital outlay

Purchase if: 

• You use ground mats frequently 

• The mats are in use for long durations

• You have storage capacity

• You have the funds to pay upfront.

If you buy from Start Safety, you can have the best of both worlds. With many of our premium mats, such as the EuroMat or TuffTrak mats, we’ll offer to buy them back at the end of your project. It’s ideal if you need matting for a single project - and if the job overruns, you won't end up paying extra fees as you would with a rental.

Still got questions? Give our friendly sales team a call before you make the final decision.

FAQs

Can I use plywood sheets instead of mats?

Some people do, but it’s not a good idea because plywood isn’t very durable - it’ll split under heavy loads or go soggy in wet weather. Unlike ground mats, which are designed to distribute weight, withstand the rain, and be reusable.

Should I buy cheap or expensive mats?

It depends on the use case - cheaper mats may be fine for short-term, light-duty applications, while premium mats tend to have a higher load capacity and are designed for repeated and long-term use. Read more here.

What is load capacity?

It’s the maximum load the mat can support without failing, usually measured in tons. However, load capacity depends on variables like ground conditions and the properties of the individual mat.