The Lowdown on Nuway Barrier Matting
Craig Thornhill, Technical Services Manager Forbo Flooring Systems UK
In the UK, its a well known fact that we can’t predict what the weather will be like from one day to the next! However, what we do know is that when wet weather arrives, we see more dirt and moisture being traipsed indoors from the soles of shoes and treads of wheels. As such, ensuring you install an effective entrance flooring system, like our Nuway collection, is important.
With that in mind, we decided to catch up with Craig Thornhill, our Technical Services Manager at Forbo to learn all about our Nuway collection and how he became Forbo’s Nuway expert.
How did you become Forbo’s expert in all things related to Nuway?
I joined Forbo back in 2006 and have held numerous roles, but I did spend seven years in the Nuway customer services department, before moving to my current role. This meant that I lived and breathed all things Nuway. However, I think I also became an expert on Nuway due to my dedication, experience and confidence in the brand.
For those that don’t know, can you explain what Nuway is?
Nuway is a rigid entrance flooring system, designed to remove dirt and moisture from the soles of shoes and treads of wheels. It is suitable for a variety of different entrances, including those found in airports and shopping centres, which are subjected to heavy footfall daily, as well as smaller entrances found in offices and shops.
What is the Nuway system formed of to prevent dirt and moisture from entering a building?
Nuway entrance flooring systems are constructed from aluminium scraper bars and either a rubber insert for external use or a textile insert for internal use, which prevents dirt and moisture from being brought into a building.
So, what solutions are available in the Nuway range and what application areas are they suitable for?
There are four ranges within the Nuway collection and each one has their own performance characteristics and are suitable for different entrances:
Nuway Tuftiguard: Suitable for external and internal use, in zones one and two, this system has the strength, durability and structural integrity to provide excellent performance and appearance retention in very heavy traffic locations – especially in places where it’s essential to remove large amounts of soil from shoes and wheel treads. It is also reversible, which helps to pro-long the life of the system.
Nuway Tuftiguard HD: This system is perfect for internal and external entrance areas, in zones one and two, catering for heavy-duty loads and high-volume pedestrian or wheeled traffic.
Nuway Grid: If you’re looking for an alternative to Nuway Tuftiguard, this is the system for you. It’s a single sided solution, which is perfect for very heavy traffic entrance areas and where the design is important to the overall aesthetic of the entrance zone. Suitable for internal entrances (zone two), Nuway Grid is also easy to shape on site, meaning it is the ideal solution for awkwardly shaped entrances.
Nuway Connect: This is single sided entrance system which lets you mix and match from a choice of four Coral textile inserts for internal use (zone two), or rubber and bristles for external use (zone one). While this is a rigid system, it does have an open format which means it can be rolled up.
For contractors, how easy is the system to install?
Some of our entrance flooring systems are more straight forward to install than others. For example, Nuway Grid and Nuway Connect closed are carrier products, which can easily be cut using a jigsaw with the correct cutting blade.
However, Nuway Tuftiguard is a more specialised product, manufactured with galvanised steel wires running through the product. To install this range, we advise contractors to attend a training course to obtain the skills required to install this type of product.
What do you recommend in order to keep Nuway in tip top condition?
As Nuway is a system that has been designed to remove dirt and moisture, it is very likely that the mat will become full. As such, it is very important to clean the mat regularly. At Forbo we recommend daily – or at least weekly –hoovering depending on the amount of traffic and frequently removing the mats to clean out the matwells, as you would with a waste bin. In fact, regular cleaning of the mat will keep it in tip top condition and will allow it to perform for longer. For more information check out our cleaning and maintenance guide for Nuway. cleaning and maintenance guide for Nuway
Can you tell us your favourite three facts about Nuway?
1. You can have logos printed or cut onto Nuway Grid and Nuway Tuftiguard
2.Nuway can be shaped to any size – meaning it will fit any project!
3. There are a variety of contemporary designs and colour options available