Rubber Flooring
Rubber floors are an ideal floor solution for areas where something more durable and shock resistance than vinyl or laminate is required. Rubber flooring is generally made from recycled rubber tires and may be black, a solid color or a variegated random pattern. Rubber floor tiles are becoming the DIY solution for homeowners looking to ’go-green’, and are easy to install and maintain.
Where Rubber Flooring is Used
Backyard playgrounds can benefit from rubber tile flooring; this protects children from injury and allows drainage. Remodeled garages or basements can have a rubber floor installed to provide cushioning and sound dampening, although the material used must be specially manufactured to reduce emissions and indoor air pollutants. Home gymnasiums or dance/martial arts practice rooms can be floored with large rubber floor mats or tiles. Pools may be surrounded by interlocking tiles with holes which to allow water to drain.
Advantages of Rubber Flooring
Rubber flooring is much better than linoleum or vinyl for use outdoors due to its higher resistance to wind, rain, varying temperatures and erosion; however, be aware that colored rubber will eventually fade in the sun. Rubber is moderately expensive, but durable enough to last for years; is resistant to damage from freezing water, insects, and wear. For certain situations, there is nothing else that will do the job as well as rubber flooring.
What to Consider When Purchasing Rubber Flooring
When considering rubber flooring, remember that glued down options are very nearly permanent. If you want to be able to change the room’s purpose later, consider interlocking rubber floor tiles that can be assembled, and then rolled up as a single unit for removal and storage or use elsewhere. All rubber floors for indoor use should be certified free from VOC/heavy metal emissions to avoid air pollution. The experts at Ideal Floor can walk you through the different indoor/outdoor rubber flooring options and help you select the version that is best for your area’s intended use.
