Mat Repairs
During customer use and during cleaning/processing, mats can become ripped, cut, or torn. Mats that have not been too seriously damaged can be repaired. Cuts and tears are usually the result of customer abuse or may occur during processing. If cuts and tears seem excessive, contact M+A Matting for technical assistance or refer to M+A Matting’s troubleshooting guide. Mat repairs can be performed in either of two processes: cold patch repair or heat seal repair.
Cold Patch Repair
Materials Needed:
- Mat Repair Kit which includes the following: a 1-ounce bottle of super bonder #420 glue and two rolls of mat repair rubber.
- Protective gloves
- Safety glasses
- Wire brush
- A heavy weight, such as a brick or concrete block
Repair Procedure:
- Carefully sort mats to be repaired. Be sure mats to be repaired are clean.
Note: Mats with tears longer than 12" are not recommended for repair. - Place mat on a flat surface, rubber side up.
- Using the wire brush, buff the area around the tear.
- Cut a strip of repair rubber slightly longer than the tear to be repaired.
- Carefully place the edges of the tear together so that they do not bulge or pucker. If the tear extends to the border, be sure that the edges of the border meet evenly. It may help to "spot glue" the edges together on longer tears or at the border to ensure the edges remain in proper position.
- Position the repair strip on top of the tear. Keep the strip centered over the tear as much as possible. Beginning at one end, glue a small area (approx. 1") of the repair rubber to the mat. Apply glue sparingly. Using the handle of the wire brush, press the repair rubber down for a few seconds and then release. Repeat over all areas where the glue was applied. Continue until you can feel the glue has hardened - approximately 30 seconds. Repeat until the repair is complete.
- When the repair is complete, check the edges to be sure they are all securely glued down.
- Place a weight on top of repaired area and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Inspect the mat to ensure it lays flat and does not create a tripping hazard.
CAUTION: Super bonder #420 glue is an extremely fast-drying adhesive. It is capable of gluing fingers together or gluing fingers to mats. Be sure to use protective rubber gloves, and observe all safety precautions listed on the label of the glue bottle. Do not leave the top off the bottle. Glue will harden very quickly and become unusable. Do not store glue in warm area. Storing the glue in a refrigerator will extend its shelf life.
Cold Patch Repair Tips:
- If mats being repaired do not have cleated backing, glue flat side of repair rubber to the repaired mat. Repair rubber without cleats is also available from M+A Matting
- Rounding corner of repair rubber prior to gluing will help extend the life of the repair. This helps prevent the corners from catching on other mats as they are tumbling in washers and dryers.
Heat Seal Repair
Materials Needed:
- Electric grinder with coarse disc or electric drill with wire brush
- Non-stick, Teflon-coated fabric
- Uncured repair rubber
- Heat seal unit with minimum 5-minute cycle time
- Scissors
- Gloves
- Face shield
- Dust mask
Repair Procedure:
- Inspect mats to ensure suitability for repair. Discard mats with numerous tears or excessively large tears (larger than 12")
- Use grinder or drill to buff rubber surface. If mats are cleated, remove all cleats in area to be covered with repair rubber.
- Set heat seal timer to 5 minutes. Temperature should be 400ºF (200ºC). Air pressure should be at the maximum (approx. 80 psi) setting.
- Cut rubber to proper size. Remove plastic backing.
- Apply rubber to repair area.
- Place mat in heat seal unit. Cover repair with Teflon fabric to protect heat seal heads. Be sure rubber side of mat faces heated platen.
- Cook for 5 minutes.
- Allow the repaired mat to cool.
- Trim excess rubber from edge of the mat.
Heat Seal Repair Tips:
- Keep uncured rubber refrigerated to prevent pre-curing.