TREADNORTH / PRACTICAL ADVICE

Plywood vs. ground protection mats

Plywood wins on sticker price. Reusable mats make their case every time you put them back to work.

Published October 10, 2026 · TreadNorth Mats

If you’ve been laying plywood down to get equipment across a lawn, you know the routine: buy the sheets, haul them to site, and hope they’re still worth keeping when the job is done.

Plywood can make sense for occasional use. For regular site work, the better comparison is what you spend over a season—and how much work the sheets create along the way.

Upfront cost: plywood is cheaper

A 4′ × 8′ sheet of 3/4-inch plywood generally costs less than a ground protection mat. For one retail reference, Home Depot Canada lists standard spruce plywood at about $103 a sheet. Prices vary by supplier, grade and location.

At that price, ten sheets come to $1,030. Ten TreadNorth mats come to $1,890 at our 10–24 mat rate of $189 each. Both totals are before tax; delivery is separate.

Plywood wins the first purchase. The question is how many times you’ll need to buy it again.

Working life: count the replacements

Wet weather, repeated handling and tracked equipment are hard on plywood. Sheets can split, warp and lose their usefulness as a temporary access surface. How quickly that happens depends on the plywood, the equipment and the job.

HDPE mats are built for repeated use. They don’t absorb water like wood, and you can move them from one job to the next rather than starting with a fresh pile of sheets.

If plywood lasts you several seasons, the savings take longer. If you regularly throw out damaged sheets, reusable mats start to make a lot more sense.

Handling: handholds make a difference

A TreadNorth mat weighs approximately 65 lb. Plywood weight varies with the species, thickness and moisture content, so don’t assume the mat will be lighter than every sheet you use.

The practical difference is in the handling. Plywood can splinter, warp and take on water. TreadNorth mats have built-in handholds, don’t soak up rainwater like wood, and stack flat for the next job. Their diamond-plate tread adds texture to the working surface.

The hidden cost: repairing the ground

The cheapest sheet isn’t much of a bargain if it breaks under your machine and leaves you fixing a lawn. Labour, soil, seed or sod—and the conversation with the client—can quickly eat up what you saved.

Ground protection is part of the job cost. Plan the route around your equipment, the soil conditions and the surfaces you need to protect. Mats help spread contact across the ground, but suitability still depends on loading and placement.

Buy for the work you actually do

For a one-off job, plywood may be the economical choice. For a contractor who needs ground protection week after week, look past the first receipt. Count replacements, handling, cleanup and repairs.

That’s where reusable mats earn their place in the truck.

Price reference: Home Depot Canada, 3/4-inch spruce plywood, checked October 10, 2026. Confirm current local pricing before purchasing.