Timber mats are used for temporary access roads, work pads, staging areas, and to stabilize the ground beneath heavy equipment, dissipating heavy loads and providing equipment stability.
For short-term water crossings over narrow spans timber mats (also referred to as bridge mats) or crane mats may be an option.
For projects that require moving heavy equipment safely across pipelines, timber mats can be used to create air bridges which will support the weight of heavy equipment while protecting the pipelines below. Air bridges can also be used to cross culverts, ditches, or sensitive ground that needs to be bridged.
For floating mats, Douglas fir timber mats are the preferred matting option.
Oak preferred or Douglas Fir timber mats come in a variety of sizes such as lengths from 16′ to 20′ and thickness 4” to 8”. These materials also vary in weight and by vendor availability. The most important aspect is whatever the thickness, they need to bundled or bolted together due to the flexibility of the different species of wood to run the calculations properly. Keep in mind that you may want to build an air bridge from time to time whenever, extra heavy equipment and unstable soil conditions exist. (See below).
