Some 25 million tons of rubber is manufactured annually into a multitude of diverse products that make our lives easier. The elastic properties of natural rubber lend themselves to use in car tires and windshield wipers, while the stain and temperature resistance of synthetic rubber makes for great latex gloves, slippers, balloons, and a host of other everyday products, including rubber flooring.
The benefits of using rubber flooring
In competition with carpet, vinyl, wood, ceramic tiles, and more, rubber flooring has some distinct advantages that make it an appealing choice for business owners, home owners, and recreationalists. Typically coming in tile form, rubber flooring material is very strong and incredibly resilient in the face of inclement and extreme weather. It may well last 20 years or more before wearing out. Although more susceptible to damage from many liquid cleaners, there are cleaners which are specifically rubber compatible, and in any case, a quick swipe with a wet mop will do the trick. Rubber is quite easy to clean.
You can have the tiles polished with a wax product designed for rubber floors to make it more able to cope with common detergents. The downside of that is that the surface becomes more slippery, but not necessary too much so. A textured surface, on the other hand, will reduce slippage and increase traction. According to Treadall Inc., the choice as to texturing and polishing will depend on the environment in which the floor is placed. They say, “Rubber is soft and helps to reduce stress and fatigue from standing long or walking long- surfaces such as concrete and wood can especially tire people out. Rubber flooring is fire resistant and is non-toxic in case it does ever burn.” Cigarette buts will not be a likely problem on a rubber floor. This material, if thick enough, can be a sound quencher and a sound barrier between the floors of multi-story buildings. To prevent seepage and end-curling of tiles, one should be aware that a water vapor barrier is needed. The tiles will need to be fastened down tight with caulk or some other adhesive. Unlike in the past, today rubber floor tiles come in a wide array of colors and patterns. The expense is not the lowest in the floor-covering industry, but yet there are other floorings just as expensive and that do not offer all the specific benefits that rubber brings.
Applications of rubber flooring
One noteworthy, if unusual, recent application of rubber flooring is for the pavement pieces at a London shopping mall. The rubber is hooked up with wires so that every time one steps on the surface, nearby street lamps are give an electrical re-charge. More commonly it is used inside the shopping mall or other retail business to ease the stress on customers’ feet and encourage them to keep on shopping longer. Kitchens, bathrooms, and cafeterias can benefit from the easy-to-clean qualities of rubber flooring, as long as unpolished, textured tiles are used to prevent slipperiness. Laundry areas, restaurant dish washing areas, pool decks, busy hallways in colleges or public buildings, and break rooms in factories or other businesses all have something to gain from the use of rubber floor tiles. Other uses include play rooms for children, basements, work shops, garages, and stair treads. Gyms and weight lifting rooms are especially a good use, the stress relief being well appreciated by those doing aerobics or sitting under the pressure of 100s of pounds of weights. In rooms or outside areas used for sports, these tiles bring you your very own version of “Astro-turf.”
If you need a highly durable, stain and fire resistant floor covering that will cushion your steps while not letting you slip, rubber is a great choice to meet those needs. Of course, other floor types have their own niches and will remain in the market, but rubber has definitely come into its own as a viable option for home, business, fitness, and recreation room usage.
