Timber Crane Mats: Everything to Know Before Incorporating It into Your Next Project

Do you or your company handle onsite projects, like commercial construction, civil construction, or renewable (wind power) energy projects? Soft, wet, or rough and uneven grounds are unstable to withstand the weight of heavy machinery during navigation. Here’s where timber crane mats are used to create a solid work foundation and support these heavy loads. 

Timber Crane Mats

What Are Timber Crane Mats?

Crane mats are made of large timbers, used for creating strong work surfaces to withstand cranes and other heavy and large machinery navigation during construction or renewable energy, like wind-power projects. These timber crane mats are considered heavy-duty matting solutions due to their unique specifications. Here are some worth mentioning:

  • Green in moisture content
  • Extra thick compared to conventional timber access mats, such as  8” to 12” thick, 16′ to 40′ in length and 4′ wide
  • Specially designed to support robust machines, like cranes and larger ones

Hence, when undertaking civil or commercial construction or renewable projects, it’s best to rely on timber crane mats for the best access solutions. 

Advantages of Using Timber Crane Mats

First, understand in which projects you should use crane mats. We recommend it for onsite projects that require cranes and other heavier machinery. For instance:

Civil construction

Various industrial construction projects, such as building tunnels, highways, overpasses, or even dams, involve cranes and other robust machinery, where ground protection and site safety become crucial. Crane mats are the best way to create a solid work surface here as a temporary road or platform, whether in a remote area or a built environment. 

Wind-power projects

Renewable energy projects, especially wind power projects, where the use of heavy machinery, such as generators, blades, and even cranes sometimes, is common for wind turbine installations. Whether the ground is firm or soft, it fails to withstand the heavy loads of these robust machinery and becomes unstable, while damaging the ground, like causing soil erosions.  Crane mats distribute the weight of machinery evenly and eliminate the need for ground restoration at the end of the project. 

Commercial Construction

The construction of commercial buildings also involves the use of cranes. Yet, having a solid work platform is necessary to ensure the safety of the project and crews. Soft, rough, or unstable—crane mats can be used on any work surface to provide ground protection, especially the gas and water lines below, and stability to the work platform.

Advantages of Using Timber Crane Mats

Timber crane access mats not only ensure a safe environment or withstand the heavy loads of machinery, but they also offer the following benefits to this kind of project as well:

Stability

Unstable grounds, like uneven terrain and soft soil, can cause accidents, like tipped-over cranes or larger machinery. Using crane mats ensures a stable and solid work foundation so the crew can perform machinery navigation confidently, safely, and efficiently. 

These crane mats are efficient at smooth weight distribution of cranes and other machinery that protects the ground below and eliminates the risks of damage to the site, plants, and roots. As a result, you can save on restoration costs while preventing soil erosion. 

Durability

Timber crane mats are perfect for use on any work surface, from muddy conditions to wet ones to across streams, due to their durability to support the weight of heavy machinery for longer.  In fact, crane mats made of thicker timbers can be reused in another project as well. 

So, thinking of renting or buying used timber crane access mats? Count on us. At GFI Solutions, we have the best quality crane mats 4′ wide by 20′ long by 12″ thick available for rent and purchase. To ensure your equipment and crew work safely, consider it for your next project. 

For more, contact us today!