Affordable Timber Mats That Actually Cost Less
Eucalyptus timber mats can look more expensive at first glance, yet they often deliver a lower total cost than traditional mixed hardwood mats. When strength, freight, and lifespan are included, a thinner Eucalyptus mat can be the most affordable mat on your project.
Why “Affordable” Starts With Strength
Improved strength characteristics of Eucalyptus over mixed hardwoods mean you can often use smaller, lighter mats without sacrificing performance or safety. For example, a 4 inch Eucalyptus mat is roughly equivalent in bending strength to a 6″ – 7.5″ mixed hardwood mat, and a 6.75 inch Eucalyptus mat is comparable to an 9.5″ – 12″ inch mixed hardwood mat.
-
Stronger species generally yield stronger, safer, and longer-lived mats.
-
Thinner, strong mats reduce material use while maintaining or improving jobsite performance.
Learn more about why strength drives thinner mat decisions in Thinner Mats – The Future? Part 3 – Strength.
How Thinner Mats Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
“Affordable” mat decisions should be based on Total Cost of Ownership, not just purchase price. For access and timber mats, TCO combines purchase cost, lifetime transport cost, and mat lifespan.
-
Thinner Eucalyptus mats can put 10–30 percent more mats on a truck, lowering transport cost per mat.
-
Longer lifespan reduces replacement cycles, so the mat with the lowest purchase price is often not the lowest-cost mat to own.
See the step‑by‑step framework in The Future of Matting? (Part 2 – Using TCO).
Where Eucalyptus Mats Become the Most Affordable Choice
On many T‑line, renewables, pipeline, and solar projects, thinner Eucalyptus mats substitute directly for thicker mixed hardwood mats. When strength equivalence is confirmed, the combination of more mats per truck and longer life produces a compelling financial payoff.
-
4 inch Eucalyptus can replace 5-ply CLTs or mixed hardwood in many access applications.
-
8–12 inch Eucalyptus options can replace heavier mixed hardwood mats in heavy duty and heavy lift work while reducing freight and replacement needs.
Read Is a Thinner Mat the Future of Matting? for the broader context on thinner mats.”
Next Step: Get a Project‑Specific “Affordable Mat” Analysis
The most affordable mat is the one that delivers the lowest total cost for your specific conditions, not the lowest line item price. World Forest Group can run a custom TCO analysis comparing thinner Eucalyptus mats to your current mixed hardwood or CLT solution so you can quantify savings before you buy.
Request an Affordable Mat TCO Analysis
Talk With Jeff About Thinner, More Affordable Mats