How to Measure a Recessed Matwell for a Custom Logo Mat

Quick Answer: How to Measure a Recessed Matwell

If you're short on time, here's the checklist version. You'll need to measure:

• Width - taken inside the frame, at several points
• Length - front to back, also at several points
• Depth - how far down the recess sits from the surrounding floor
• Door clearance - the gap between the door and the finished mat surface
• Frame condition - any bends, rust or loose sections
• Corner shape - square, rounded, or irregular
• Drains or unusual features - anything that interrupts the flat recess

Check every one of these twice before you send them off. It takes an extra five minutes, and it's the single easiest way to avoid an expensive reordering headache.

What Is a Recessed Matwell?

A recessed matwell is a shallow, purpose-built pit set into the floor at an entrance, designed so that a mat sits flush with the surrounding surface rather than on top of it. Instead of a mat that people step up onto, the recess allows the mat to become part of the floor itself.

Commercial buildings favour this approach for good reason. Visually, a flush mat looks far tidier than a loose mat lying on tiles or stone. It doesn't curl at the corners, doesn't slide around, and doesn't create the trip hazard you get with a raised edge.

There are accessibility benefits too. A flush surface is easier for wheelchair users, pushchairs, trolleys and anyone with mobility difficulties to cross without catching a wheel or a foot. For any building open to the public, that matters.

You'll typically find recessed matwells at the entrances of:

• Hotels
• Office buildings
• Retail stores
• Schools
• Hospitals and healthcare facilities
• Shopping centres
• Corporate headquarters

Most were built in when the building went up, cast into the concrete or formed with a metal frame, which means the recess itself is fixed. Your new mat has to be made to match it, not the other way round.

Why Accurate Measurements Matter

A custom logo mat is cut, bound and finished to a specific size before dispatch. Once it's made, that size is fixed, which is the whole reason this guide exists.

If the measurements sent to the supplier are even slightly off, the consequences show up immediately on installation day:

• A mat that's too small leaves visible gaps around the edge, which look unfinished and collect dirt
• A mat that's too big won't sit flush, so it either buckles or has to be forced in, which damages the edges
• A mat that's too shallow for the recess sits above the surrounding floor and becomes a trip hazard
• A mat that's too thick for the depth catches the bottom of the door every time it opens
• Poor fit reduces how well the mat actually scrapes and traps dirt, which is the whole point of having one

None of these problems can be fixed by trimming or stretching after the fact. Coir, rubber and other matting materials don't stretch to cover a measuring error, and cutting down an oversized mat on-site rarely leaves a neat, bound edge. Getting it right first time is genuinely the only reliable option.

Tools You'll Need

You don't need anything specialist. A basic kit will do the job properly:

• Steel tape measure - more accurate than a fabric or plastic one, which can stretch slightly over time
• Notebook - to record every measurement as you take it, rather than trying to remember them
• Pen - obvious, but easy to forget
• Smartphone - for photographs and as a backup measuring aid
• Torch - useful for checking depth and inspecting the frame in poorly lit entrances
• Straight edge - a spirit level or a length of timber works well for checking whether the recess floor is level
• Spirit level (optional) - helpful if you suspect the recess has settled unevenly over time

A steel tape makes a real difference here. Fabric tapes can sag or stretch under tension, introducing small errors that add up across a wide entrance.

Step-by-Step Measuring Guide

1. Step 1: Measure the Width
   Measure the width inside the frame of the recess, not the outer edge of the surrounding floor tiles or the wall-to-wall distance. The mat needs to fit inside the recess itself, so that's the measurement that counts. Measure three points: one near each end and one in the middle. Older recesses are rarely perfectly consistent. If you find variation, record the smallest figure.
2. Step 2: Measure the Length
   Length is measured front to back, from the inside edge of the frame nearest the door through to the inside edge at the far side of the recess. Check this at more than one point, ideally at both sides of the recess as well as the centre. Write down the actual figures you get, not rounded ones. If one reading comes back at 1187mm and another at 1193mm, record both rather than calling it "about 1190mm".
   
   A practical example: a hotel entrance in Dublin measured 1200mm at one side and 1194mm at the other. The mat was manufactured to the smaller figure, giving a neat finish rather than one forced into the tighter end.
3. Step 3: Measure the Matwell Depth
   Depth is arguably the most important measurement of all, determining how thick the finished mat can be while sitting flush. Measure from the top of the surrounding floor down to the base of the recess, laying your straight edge across the opening if direct measurement is awkward. Check depth at several points.
   
   This is why depth matters when ordering a customised coir logo mat for an existing recess, since coir matting comes in specific thicknesses and the supplier needs to match one to your actual depth.
4. Step 4: Check Door Clearance
   Door clearance is the gap between the bottom of the door (in both open and closed positions) and the surface of the finished mat. Open the door fully and check clearance, then close it and check again, paying attention to inward-opening doors.
5. Step 5: Inspect the Frame
   Look for bent/warped frame sections, loose edges, rust at joints, cracked sections, uneven spots, or missing frame sections. A damaged frame can throw off your measurements.
6. Step 6: Look for Drains, Thresholds and Obstructions
   Check for drainage channels, floor drains, threshold strips, expansion joints, sloped sections, or raised lips. A supplier who knows about obstructions before manufacturing can plan for them.
7. Step 7: Photograph the Entrance
   Take a full entrance shot, close-up of the recess, clear frame shot, doorway opening angle, side profile depth shot, and close-ups of any drainage or damage.

Common Measuring Mistakes

Measuring Best Practices

Should You Measure More Than Once?

Yes, always. Measure twice, and check several points across the width, length and depth rather than relying on a single central reading. Have a second person confirm key figures where possible.

Can You Measure an Existing Mat Instead?

It's tempting to simply measure the mat already sitting in the recess, but existing mats shrink slightly over time (especially natural coir fibres) and wear down. Measuring the recess itself is far more reliable.

What Information Should You Send When Requesting a Quote?

A complete set of information helps a supplier recommend the right specification first time:

• Width (inside frame)
• Length (front to back)
• Depth (floor to base)
• Door clearance (open and closed)
• Photographs of the entrance
• Location type (indoor or outdoor)
• Typical foot traffic levels
• Type of business
• Logo artwork
• Preferred delivery date

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Taking the time to measure a recessed matwell properly, rather than rushing through it, is what separates a mat that fits perfectly from one that causes problems from day one. Width, length, depth and door clearance all play their part, and none should be skipped.

Double-check every figure, take your photographs, and note anything unusual about the frame, drainage or floor before requesting a quote. If you'd like guidance, send us your measurements for a custom recommendation, along with your entrance photographs and logo artwork, and we'll help you work out exactly what will fit.