Which surface finish option is best for me?
ExactMats® Home & Office currently offers two different material styles/finishes. They are made of identical ingredients but provide two distinct looks. The major considerations for selecting the right material are pretty simple:
Where will you be using it? How will you be using it? How do you want it to look? In general, we suggest using the following guidelines in making your selection:
Crystal is most popular for uses where fully transparent, glass-like appearance and clarity is desired.
Entertainment centers, tabletops, desktops or other showcase pieces are common applications, but drawers, shelves and other surfaces are also appropriate if desired.
Riverstone is clear with a slightly textured surface on one side, and a smooth, Crystal-like surface on the other. This refracts light and gives the clear material an ability to hide imperfections. It’s commonly used for shelf and drawer liners for homes and offices but also popular for making heavy duty mats to go beneath exercise equipment to create mud mats and other trafficked areas.
Another benefit of Riverstone is that its microgrooves allow air to circulate under items, such as glasses or plates, that may come out of the dishwasher with some moisture on them.
If you are looking to protect a surface that has scratches or other minor damage, and you’d like to disguise it, Riverstone can help. Riverstone allows the underlying surface color/grain to show through, while simultaneously offering the ability to disguise existing damage. Likewise, if you are looking to protect an extremely high-gloss surface, Riverstone will be the best choice. High-gloss surfaces can electrostatically create some clinging is not really noticeable under the Riverstone pattern.
Both materials have the same physical cushioning and sound-dampening qualities, and while vinyl is not hard like glass, it is far more forgiving, and will more safely absorb impact.
At times we may also have a variety of thicknesses to choose from or products with antimicrobial protection built in.