Timberlite™ Mats Control Mud on Low-Lying Jobsite

Whenever rain turns a jobsite muddy, productivity suffers. On a low-lying jobsite in southern Louisiana, a general contractor building a 30,000-square-foot commercial building during the rainy season encountered so much mud that work nearly ground to a halt. Each day lost to inclement weather and soggy ground conditions set the schedule back.

To help mitigate the issue and avoid delays during a concrete pour, the contractor reached out to United Rentals for support with ground stabilization.

Members of the United Rentals ground protection matting team visited the site, reviewed the site drawings and engaged the customer in detailed discussions to fully understand its operational needs in order to tailor their recommendation.

Timberlite mats: An out-of-the-box solution

Given the unusually wet ground conditions, United Rentals suggested an innovative solution: Timberlite mats. These lightweight wood mats, typically used for civil and heavy industrial projects, are highly durable—durable enough to withstand long-term exposure to wet conditions. In addition, they are flexible enough to contour to the ground, providing smoother and safer passage for vehicles and equipment.

Rather than installing mats only under the concrete pour area, United Rentals proposed placing mats around the entire construction site. With this approach, the customer was able to move multiple machines around the site as needed without losing valuable time repositioning mats as the project progressed.

United Rentals also suggested that the contractor use the same mats to create an access road to and from the site. Mats offer faster and less expensive installation and removal than gravel and reduce the need for site remediation after project completion.

Cost savings from start to finish

The Timberlite mats were game changers for the project. The biggest benefit: Having mats in place prevented 47 days of mud-related downtime in the first five months alone. Preserving uptime significantly reduced the contractor’s labor costs while helping maintain the project schedule.

In addition, the mats eliminated the need for site remediation after rainstorms, and the associated expense.

Compared to the 3-ply mats the contractor had used on previous projects, the Timberlites were lighter and therefore less expensive to transport and install. Thanks to the mats’ durability, the contractor realized reductions in site cleanup expenses and dumpster fees relative to their experience with 3-ply mats, which were subject to rotting.

Enhancing site safety and appearance

In addition to boosting productivity, the mats improved site safety. By providing a smooth and stable surface for equipment movement and operation, they reduced the risk of equipment tires sinking into soft soil and of machines tipping over due to uneven or unstable terrain.

The contractor reported that the mats also made the jobsite more appealing to its trade partners.

Creating matting converts one customer at a time

By listening closely to the customer’s needs and thinking outside the box, United Rentals was able to provide a solution that dramatically improved the project’s outcome.

According to the matting team, the customer was truly impressed by the Timberlite’s durability and the difference the mats made in keeping the project on track and preventing mud-related safety issues. The experience shifted their perception of what the right matting solution could do. They told United Rentals they “will never not use mats on any other job.” They have already ordered 180 mats for two more projects.