Lately we have been seeing online one on the comment boards people asking “What is the difference between floor mats and liners?” and “Should I get floor liners or mats?”. Now in the past we have discussed this topic a number of times on their functionality and needs but which when buying one which one does a person choose when there are so many out in the market?

You see there’s two types of floor mats, Universal otherwise known as Car floor Mats and Custom otherwise known as Car floor liners, both who have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s discuss them and see if we can better help you on buying the right one for you

First let’s start with the universal type or Car floor mats.

It’s been one of the longest seen and oldest on the market. Typically made from the following materials: Rubber, PVC, Nylon and mixed TPE. Which both have their advantages and disadvantages.

The first and more popular advantage is its cheap. You can literally go to your corner Market store and buy one for around $15 to $60 dollars. Which makes it convenient for most people.

Since its a “generality type” of product as in its not made specifically for your car vehicle or car floor. This make the consumer not worry if the floor mat will work for your car, as its been redesigned with minimum coverage so lacks protection(As in just covering the bottom of your shoe) or a “One size fits all” but in reality it’s a “One size should fit most”, so it’ll work for most cars.

Now, because of its small size and light weight, its fairly an easy installation and cleaning as most pads are effortlessly to remove and clean, but not all. Furr floor mats are very difficult to clean since they become damp with any liquids for long periods of time, which makes it a headache to clean.

Let’s look at the disadvantages, since these general floor mats are universal, they design them to just cover your feet area to make it suitable for most car vehicles and models on the market. Now because of these small coverage areas on these floor mats made in mind to be suitable for multiple car vehicles floors, they have poor protection functionality. By not having the ability to collect and store liquids and debris intact when you are in different climate and environmental settings. Such as snow, water, dirt, mud and rocks can damage the cars floors original carpet insulation which can seep deep into the factory carpet. Overtime those foreign matters can cause bacteria and mold to build up which can cause your car floor to rust and that can be a $2000 bill to repair. Now that can affect your resale value in your car vehicle, as the buyer can bargain with you in bringing the price of your vehicle down because of the lack of protective capabilities in your car floor mat

Aside from ruining your car floor, those liquids and debris that carry bacteria, viruses can be harmful for your health since you have to be cleaning your car floor constantly because of the lack of protection universal floor mats give. Their own materials aren’t healthy for their consumers. Since most common floor mats use old technology and materials such as: recycled rubber, PVC mixed materials, nylon materials, etc. In the production and use of these materials, there are a large number of substances that are harmful to human health, such as BPA, latex, PVC, Lead, Phthalates, Dioxins, Lead, and other notorious offenders. These notorious offenders are listed in California propositions 65 list, which is a list of chemicals in products that have been known to cause cancer. These floor mats when in hot weather for long periods of time emit those chemicals which are breathe in through you and passengers in your car vehicle.

Potential safety hazards are that these floor mats can’t be used on many models since they aren’t custom built to fit the mold of your car vehicles. They don’t have anchors that can attached to the car clips and in effect they can cause slippage when pressing on the brake or gas pedal which poses as a safety hazard to your driving.

Now let’s take a look at Custom or otherwise known as Car Floor Liners. With the development and maturity of 3D scanning technology and invention of new environmentally friendly materials and improvement of production technology, the brand-new floor mats are becoming increasingly popular and soon becoming the standard in the market. Custom Car floor Liners are designed specifically for each model/brand of car. Their contours and fixtures fit the car floors almost like a second skin and acts are a amour protector. They are also consistent with new models of cars that come out yearly. The common materials for custom floor mats are typically TPE, mixed TPE, reconstituted rubber, PVC artificial leather.

Some of the advantages of the custom car floor liners are that they offer great protection for the original carpet floor, as they cover most of the cars floor. Most of them are waterproof and stain resistant and do extremely well in different types of weather environment as it offers extremely well protection. In return, your resale value of your car vehicle isn’t compromise to being bargain down from sellers since your car floor won’t be decomposing from mold. Car floor liners help you save money !

Aside from serving as a second skin protector, Car floor liners also have far less safety hazards than car floormats as a qualified custom foot pad will completely fit the ground of the cab, being attached to the anchors and make good use of the original foot pad holder. They attach like a second coat of skin or armor to keep you safe and secure. So custom car floor liners are much less likely to affect driving safety than generic carpets.

They are also healthier for your well-being and the well-being of those in the car with you as the material TPE, does not emit any order and harmful chemicals and are not listed in California’s prop 65 list. The material also gives a comfort feeling as they reduce noise and vibrations from your car vehicles engine, which can cause fatigue for those long drives.

The only real disadvantage is the price really. Car floor liners cost typically between $100 to $300, mainly because the TPE material isn’t cheap and the new technology of injection molding is costly, but they add so much value and are definitely worth investing if you care about your car floor, safety and health. So, it’s important to choose the right floor mat for you.

 Hopefully we covered the ins and outs, the disadvantaged and advantages for the car floor mat and the 3D custom made car floor liner for you, so you can pick what is best suited for your needs.

 Q&A

What are Floor Mats/liners?

    A floor mat is a carpet protection accessory and is mostly made of carpeting matter to match your car's floor covering. Moreover, many are made of long-lasting plastic or rubber to withstand the wear and tear, and to brush off dirt, snow, and water to shield the interior. You can easily detach them for cleaning and replacement.

What are the benefits of having Floor  Mats/liners?

    A high-quality customized floor mat has the ability to splendidly enhance your car's interior. Therefore, adding new mats is a pocket-friendly way to elevate the appearance of your machine on wheels, besides having an added comfort. Moreover, they safeguard your automobile’s interior from debris and everyday wear and tear, thereby preserving the value of your car. Lastly, the driver’s side floor mats protect the shoes by absorbing dirt and moisture.

What is a customized-fit floor mat?

    A customized fit floor mat is designed to conform precisely to your vehicle's floor contour and specifications. Also, such floor mats may or may not be same as the OEM mats depending on the manufacturer.

What’s The Difference Between Floor liners and Floor mats?

    Most of us use the terms floor liners and floor mats interchangeably, without realizing that there is a noteworthy difference between them. A floor mat is engineered with deep pockets, ridges, and channels and lays flat along the car floors. It can hold liquid, thereby covering your accidental spill. Lasfit floor mats are ideal if you have a young family prone to a lot of spilling. A floor liner has tall outer edges that splendidly contour to the sides of the vehicle’s floorboards. Moreover, it comes stocked with nibbed backing, which makes sure that irrespective of the passengers’ movement, your floor liner doesn’t move an inch. It’s the perfect defense against work-boots.