It’s no secret that Canadian winter is tough, especially throughout Northern and Western Canada. The inconsistent weather patterns can drastically change the topography in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to predict the weather changes in Canada; therefore, you need to depend on robust and reliable temporary access mats to get you through extreme weather changes during Canadian winter.
While traditional temporary access mats were once the preferred option for projects across Canada, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have started to increase in popularity. In fact, some of the biggest names in the oil & gas, construction, mining, petrochemical, renewable energy, power and other heavy industries replaced traditional bolted mats with GFI’s innovative and reliable Site Safe (TM) CLT temporary access mats. Learn more about the benefits of our CLT temporary access mats below!
How Are Cross-Laminated Timber Mats Manufactured?
Compared to conventional access mats, where wooden planks are fastened together using bolts, CLT wooden planks are laid perpendicular to each other and bound together face to face using an environmentally friendly adhesive. The process of cross-lamination allows the CLT mats to withstand the heaviest of weights while reducing the chance of breakage! But how?! Well, the adhesive used to bond the CLT mat together turns the mat into a solid piece of wood allowing for even distribution of weight across the mat. Bolted mats on the other hand take and disperse the weight through to the bolt points. Once a single bolt is broken, the mat’s structural integrity is compromised.
Durable Temporary Access Mats
It’s a common misconception that bolted mats are stronger and more robust than CLT mats as they are bolted together using bolts. Is an environmentally safe adhesive more durable than bolts? While bolted mats can, in fact, withstand heavy loads, they are much more likley to break and crack than CLT mats. Instead of evenly distributing the weight across the mat, the weight is only fixated on the bolt points. As the pressure is only focused on the bolts, the mat will crack and break at the bolt holes. CLT mats, on the other hand, are versatile and can safely flex under pressure, even with the weight of industrial machinery and heavy loads.
Long-Lasting Temporary Access Mats
CLT mats are not only more durable than traditional temporary access mats, but they are also longer-lasting! The environmentally safe adhesive combined with Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fiber creates longer-lasting mats that are 5X stiffer and 30% stronger than traditional bolted mats. Our CLT temporary access mats are engineered for maximum durability and will not diamond or deform if dropped or mishandled.
Cost Effective Temporary Access Mats
The lightweight of GFI’s CLT mats allows us to transport 72 mats per load, increasing your transportation and saving you up to 60%. Since CLT mats are 40% lighter than most traditional bolted mats, you will be able to easily fit more mats on shuttle trucks and loaders, saving you up to 40% on installation and removal costs.
Rent or Buy Temporary Access Mats From GFI Solutions
Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of temporary access solutions for your next project!