Oak vs. Fir & Hybrid Mats
Oak Mats
Each of our premium 3-ply oak access mats (also known as ‘swamp mats’) is secured with 172 carriage bolts, and has a solid core with almost no wane. Also, oak mats absorb less water and mud than the other wood access mats, resulting in less weight and lower removal costs, making them perfect for the swampy, muddy conditions commonly encountered in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
Oak is the superior choice for access matting because:
- It lasts longer, so you can depend on mats made of this wood
- It’s a much more durable wood, which means lower damages costs and safer access solutions
- It will absorb less water and mud than fir or spruce, making it easier to demobe, ultimately costing less for transportation
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Oak Mat Specifications |
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| Size | 8’ x 14’ x 5 5/8” |
| Weight | 2,800 lbs |
| Super B Load | 32 mats/load |
Access matting types:
Oak (imported from the US)
- Strongest wood for access matting (also commonly referred to as ‘swamp mats’)
- Long lifespan (4 – 7 years, depending on service application)
- Paradox Access Solutions’ oak mats have a proven life of 6.5 years
- Our oak mats are easy to maintain
Softwoods (local – virtually phased out)
- Local labor may be used to construct these weaker, more fragile access mats (usually constructed from spruce)
- Short lifespan (less than 1 – 2 years)
- Easy maintenance
Rig mats with steel frame (typically used under substructure of oil and gas drilling rigs)
- High cost
- Difficult maintenance
See below to learn more about the superiority of Paradox Access Solutions’ oak mats in comparison to spruce or fir mats.
Fir & Hybrid Mats
Not all projects require the same type of access mats (sometimes also called ‘swamp mats’). That is why Paradox Access Solutions carries a variety of the highest quality wooden mats such as light-weight fir mats and hybrid mats. A hybrid mat is simply a fir mat with an oak outer lining to add some durability and strength. These mats can be used in a variety of industries including:
- oilfield
- forestry & forest products
- construction
- pipeline construction & maintenance
- emergency access
- power transmission & distribution
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Fir & Hybrid Mat Specifications |
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| Size | 8’ x 14’ x 5 1/8” |
| Weight | 1,800 lbs |
| Super B Load | 50 mats/load |
Access matting types:
Oak (imported from the US)
Strongest wood for access matting (also commonly referred to as ‘swamp mats’)
- Long lifespan (4 – 7 years, depending on service application)
- Paradox Access Solutions’ oak mats have a proven life of 6.5 years
- Our oak mats are easy to maintain
Softwoods (local – virtually phased out)
- Local labor may be used to construct these weaker, more fragile access mats (usually constructed from spruce)
- Short lifespan (less than 1 – 2 years)
- Easy maintenance
Rig mats with steel frame (typically used under substructure of oil and gas drilling rigs)
- High cost
- Difficult maintenance
See below to learn more about the superiority of Paradox Access Solutions’ oak mats in comparison to spruce or fir mats.
Please, contact us for more information.
Relative Strength of Wood Types
Because we use oak mats for our matting rentals, we are able to promise a lower damages and repair bill upon completion of your matting project. There are several factors that can contribute to a high damages bill:
- The type of wood used to construct the mat
- Placement of the mats
- The stability and load-bearing of the ground
- The weight, volume, and speed of the traffic
Let’s examine each factor.
Type of Wood
Oak is a hardwood. Fir and spruce are softwoods. Hardwoods are more durable than softwoods. According to the Forest Products Laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture, oak endures much greater compression pressures, bends under greater loads before breaking, and absorbs greater side impacts than spruce or fir, which are woods more commonly used in access mats (hybrid mats are simply fir mats with an oak outer liner).
Depending on the type of oak used, it will endure between 20.7 MPa and 60.3 MPa of compression. The different types of fir provide a wide range of compression pressures from an average minimum of 15.9 MPa to an average maximum of 44.2 MPa, while spruce typically tops out at just 41.1 MPa.
Oak is also more elastic. It can handle up to 127 MPa of weight before its bend becomes a break. That’s almost twice as much as the best types of spruce and fir.
Click here to download the report from the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory.
Because oak is stronger, it is more forgiving if it is handled roughly during transportation, mobe, and demobe. Spruce and fir mats, on the other hand, must be handled very carefully. Slight damage incurred during mobilization will result in much greater damage once those spruce or fir mats are subjected to traffic. And those damages will be added to your final invoice.
Mat placement & ground conditions
Similarly, unstable or weak ground beneath the mats will cause them to shift. Again, the mats constructed of weaker softwood will break if they shift badly. Since oak is more forgiving, it will be better able to manage loads even when shifted out of place.
Paradox Access Solutions’ skilled loader operators know how to place mats to resist shifting. They examine the terrain and the condition of the ground prior to placing the mats to ensure reduced movement. As professionals, they make sure to treat the mats with respect so they do not suffer any damage during placement, which means your final damages bill is greatly reduced.
Take a look at a before and after oak matting case below:
Before Oak Matting
After Oak Matting
Traffic
Obviously, the volume of heavy traffic will affect the expected lifespan of a wood mat. Softwoods will handle fewer heavy loads than hardwoods, such as oak. But something that is often forgotten is how speed can increase the damages suffered by a mat. Heavy loads moving at speed will bounce on wood mats, causing them to flex. Constant flexing will eventually cause the mat to break. Oak mats can resist flexing better than spruce or fir mats can.
When comparing proposals for matting, always consider the type of mat being quoted on. Be sure to ask the sales representative what he or she expects the damages bill to be at completion of the project. If you need more clarification about wood types, feel free to contact us at 1.877.MUD.UGLY for more information.