Rubber floor tiles are -without a doubt- rapidly becoming one of the more popular and widespread flooring materials in new buildings. This is particularly true in loft style apartments around Melbourne and Sydney and in condos, retail store spaces, and the kinds of inviting, visually appealing offices often used by design firms and other companies that routinely host clients in their work area.
Surprisingly, there are still some people who aren’t aware of the flooring options available in rubber floor tiles even though they have become so popular. So what exactly are rubber tiles and what makes them so desirable? Let’s take a look.
Rubber floor tiles are literally that: flooring tiles made from rubber. You’re familiar with the useful qualities of rubber from other products in your house. Rubber has a well-earned reputation for being able to withstand almost any abuse without getting scratched, marked or dented. Imagine if you took that same rubber, made a thick, super-strong version of it in attractive patterns and colors, and manufactured flooring tiles out of it. That’s exactly what rubber floor tiles are. Many rubber tiles are even made from recycled materials, making an already green product even greener.
There are a number of advantages to rubber floor tiles over conventional flooring methods like wood, regular tile, or vinyl. Rubber tiles are one of the sturdiest flooring materials on the market.
They are virtually impervious to water, naturally resist stains, and are resilient to scuffing. Rubber flooring was originally engineered for extremely high-traffic public areas that thousands of people walk on daily. It is designed to stand up to the absolute heaviest abuse you can give it. Now, leading companies like Dalsouple, Roppe and REMP have brought rubber flooring to the home and office settings by making affordable, extremely attractive versions.
- REMP flooring with 10% Natural Rubber Content
Cost effectiveness and product quality are critical commercial ingredients, but in the new design environment they are not enough. Our priorities as consumers, specifiers and manufacturers are changing.
Natural rubber of course- is a wholly renewable raw material, and mature rubber trees are exceptionally efficient at carbon sequestration - the absorption of harmful CO2 from the atmosphere. Rubber is also easy to recycle, not just once but several times, with many potential applications. It has inherently low toxicity, particularly compared to PVC based flooring.
All these factors, combined with a long service life, contribute to an environmental life cycle performance that is worlds away from existing resilient floorcoverings.
Most rubber floors are what we call SBR product- that is they are not actually "rubber" but a synthetic product moxing styrene and butadiene to produce a flooring that looks and feels like rubber.
Remp rubber flooring although predominantly SBR also incorporates 10% natural rubber product. It is suitable for a large variety of installations: in schools, in hospitals, in airports and railway stations, and in residential environments.
It is tough, anti-slip and burn resistant, but feels soft and warm underfoot. It has excellent noise absorption properties, yet is dust free, hygienic and easy to maintain. Please note that Remp rubber having an organic material-it may contain some small variations in appearance and uniformity compared to its synthetic counterpart.
This is a natural result of the manufacturing process, and part of the product's unique appeal.
All manufacturers now place great emphasis on their environmental performance. Yet, despite a burgeoning mass of data, it is enormously difficult to make valid comparisons between different materials. Replacing SBR with natural rubber as the core ingredient transforms the product completely without loss of performance.
The fundamental shift is in the generation of harmful CO2 emissions. All manufacturing creates CO2 - that is inevitable. But rubber trees, with a functioning lifespan of up to 30 years, are extraordinarily efficient at extracting CO2 from the atmosphere (this process is know as ‘sequestration’).
This, combined with an energy efficient factory production process, makes the case for Remp natural rubber a product that moves with the times.
iRubber can provide rubber flooring tiles come in seemingly endless varieties, appealing to a wide range of taste and styles. Their rubber floors are available in sheets, square tiles and interlocking tiles.
They offer dozens of different solid colors, and have specialized lines in flecked and speckled patterns.
Of course, many people like to get rubber floor tiles in a ribbed or stippled texture to add a grunge, industrial or postmodern feel that really brings character into an otherwise plain space. This is perhaps the most popular commercial use. We also source a range of rubber floor options for wall bases, stair treads and stair nosing as well. Mostly from Roppe or REMP- depending on colours and lead times- most deliveries arrive into Australia in around 8 weeks from ordering.
If you are designing a space, either from scratch or a renovation, take a look at iRubber's range of rubber floor tiles. They could do wonders for your space at an affordable price.
When discussing types of flooring options for new residential building construction or existing home renovations, rubber flooring is starting to gain attention. Rubber flooring is often associated with home gyms because it is a durable product that handles wear-and-tear easily while offering the traction that people need when working out. It also offers superior sound absorption, making it ideal when you are looking to lessen the amount of noise from the gym equipment when it is in use. Yet the possibilities of adding this material to other areas of the home has started to appeal to homeowners.
Basic Facts about Rubber Flooring
Normally rubber is considered a natural material as it comes from the sap of the rubber tree. However - the predominant type of “rubber” flooring is synthetic or SBR grade. It is cheaper, more scratch resistant, anti- allegenic and hardens over time while being easier to clean Han conventional rubber floods. Yet for flooring purposes in the United States, manufacturers will recycle items, such as rubber tires, into this versatile flooring. This manufacturing process is ideal for homeowners who are considering eco-friendly flooring alternatives.
Rubber is considered water resistant, can handle harsh chemicals (one of the reasons why it can often be found in commercial or industrial settings), and offers a soft, cushioned feeling underfoot. With the advancement of flooring technology, manufacturers are able to offer a wide range of patterns, colors and designs to make this material appealing in residential spaces.
You may find rubber floor tiles with rounded spot or coin patterns, or have the same ridge patterns that you would find on textured stone tiles. The color scheme for rubber tile is vast, as you can find solid colors and mottled colors. Some homeowners will create patterns, motifs and murals on their floor by using different colored rubber tiles.
The Perfect Rooms for Rubber Flooring
Due to the water resistance of rubber, homeowners will often place this flooring in rooms that are prone to a buildup of moisture, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms. It is also finding its way into trendy mudrooms, as rubber flooring is easy to keep clean and maintain. Sunrooms are also another ideal place for this material as it can withstand outdoor weather conditions such as rain and mud.
As manufacturers are increasing the number of designs and patterns to rubber tiles, the flooring is slowly making its way into kitchens. You can select rubber flooring that takes the appearance of ridged stone tiles to have increased traction. One thing to keep in mind is that grease and fat dropped on this floor may stain the rubber and cause colors to fade. So cleaning up spills immediately can increase the longevity and beauty of this material if you decide to lay it in your kitchen space.
The Suitability of Rubber Flooring for The Elderly and Children
When it comes to living spaces, rubber flooring in living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and play areas offers numerous benefits for homes with children and the elderly. The material can handle the rough play of kids while still offering enough cushion to prevent injuries from falls. Having rubber flooring in a play area or game room can give you peace of mind and offer sound absorption properties to lessen the amount of noise echoing into other areas of your home.
For the elderly, rubber floor tiles can give a soft feeling underneath feet and the desired traction to prevent them from slipping on the surface. If you have an elderly relative who has mobility issues, rubber flooring may be perfect for living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens if you are afraid the relative will fall and hurt themselves on harder surfaces.
If you are trying to decide whether rubber flooring is right in your home, consider the family members living with you, the functionality of the room and the price. Rubber flooring has a broad price range based on the color, style and quality of the material. Some rubber tiles can be as affordable as vinyl or as expensive as wood flooring.