Outdoor mats

April 21, 2005 6:46 PM

What kind of mats work well outdoors? I want to buy something for my balcony that is aesthetically pleasing but hardy enough to weather the elements.
posted by dydecker to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Since no one's answering this, I'll toss in my two cents: Lee Valley Tools Gardening Catalog has an artificial-fiber mat that looks very durable. I don't know if it would meet your aesthetically-pleasing qualifier.

You might also find very cheap woven natural fiber mats in Chinatown, and while they're not at all weather-hardy, they're so cheap it doesn't matter.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:48 PM on April 21, 2005

I've used astroturf on several balconies and have always been surprised by how well it works. My suggestion if you go this way is to avoid the kind that looks like very short bristly grass and instead go with softer velvety kind...it will feel nicer on your feet, and can be swept easily. And if it starts to look like crap (which takes more than 3 Canadian winters), spend another $20 for a new batch. Oh, and more and more you can find astroturf in different pleasing colours.
posted by furtive at 6:23 AM on April 22, 2005

We always used that indoor/outdoor carpeting stuff when I was a kid... I think it's the same as astroturf, but more of a burber look than short pile.

Half a dozen Buffalo winters didn't even damage it.
posted by Kellydamnit at 8:06 AM on April 22, 2005

Sisal mats are damn durable. I gave my parents one about 4 years ago and it looks like noone's even stepped on it. I brought it back from Kenya myself though, so I don't know what the price would be like domestically.

(I don't endorse that rug vendor, just wanted to give you an illustration of what sisal looks like if you're not familiar)
posted by rkent at 11:04 AM on April 22, 2005

I second the sisal. Durable, natural, and quite appealing aesthetically.
posted by Specklet at 11:11 AM on April 22, 2005