Rubber Flooring – Colors and Designs

A variety of colors and designs are now offered for rubber flooring. You can choose solid-colored rubber flooring or something more complex in design.
Solid: In addition to a wide range of colors, some manufacturers will even give you the option of customizing the color to the desired shade you want. Note that a solid color that may be available in sheet form may not be available in tile, and vice versa.
Flecked or Speckled: Flecked rubber floors consist of a solid color spotted with a contrary color on top. The non-directional arrangement of the dots creates a unique and colorful look.
Marble: Some manufacturers make rubber sheets and tiles that imitate certain marble types. This gives you flooring that looks almost like real marble for less cost.
Patterns: Rubber floors can be individualized with a custom design or logo. This makes rubber floors a popular option for businesses that want to display their company insignia. This feature is also popularly used in health facilities that wish to define certain spaces with bold colors for disabled residents.

Rubber Flooring – Installation Types

Rubber floors are available in several different installation forms – of course, this differs depending on the manufacturer. While some installations may be easier for a do-it-yourself (DIY) project, others may require the help of an installation professional. The following installation alternatives offer quite different ways to have your rubber floor laid.
Interlock: Interlocking rubber flooring can be installed over many existing surfaces and can be used in medium to large commercial areas (such as gymnasiums). In addition, interlock rubber has grooves on all sides that lock together for easier installation. Interlock typically does not require adhesive, glue or double-sided tape.
Glue-Down: Glue-down rubber tends to be more durable than other rubber types as it can handle heavy wear and tear with less movement.
Loose Lay: Loose lay involves connecting rubber tiles (generally 3/8 inches thick) with carpet tape (double-sided tape). The subfloor, over which the tiles are being installed, must be clean and smooth. Considered to be a quicker alternative to glue down.

Rubber Flooring – Tiles and Sheets

Most manufacturers offer rubber floors in two forms: rubber tiles or rubber sheets. The kind that is most suitable for you depends upon the room where you're installing, the desired floor strength, and most importantly, whether you plan on installing the floor yourself.
Rubber sheets: Rubber sheets come in one continuous piece and generally have fewer seams than rubber tiles. Since more precision is needed to cut the rubber sheets to fit a certain space, a professional installer is usually recommended for this floor type.
Rubber tiles: Rubber tiles can be easier to install than rubber sheets because they come in smaller, individual pieces that can be moved and adjusted with less difficulty. One of the drawbacks of rubber tiles is that they typically have more seams than rubber sheets, which can loosen and lift up over time if exposed to standing water or other liquids.

The Green Side of Rubber Flooring

Natural rubber flooring is made from plant sap, or latex, a sustainable* substance extracted primarily from the rubber tree (Hevea Brasiliensis). Natural rubber accounts for approximately half of all rubber produced worldwide. Rubber trees are mostly grown in Southeast Asia, some parts of Africa, and the Amazon Rainforest.

Recyclable rubber flooring made from green materials is now produced by a variety of rubber manufacturers. The best part of all: Recyclable rubber flooring is generally more durable than synthetic rubber types and for a lower cost!

When purchasing a rubber floor, it is advisable to choose interlocking rubber tiles that do not require the use of adhesives, as some adhesives are known to contain volatile organic compounds** (VOCs). VOCs are not only associated with allergy symptoms and increased cancer risk, they also contribute to global warming.

Rubber flooring comes in tiles and sheets. Typically, rubber tiles are recommended as the more eco-friendly choice as damaged tiles can be replaced individually (as opposed to having to replace the entire floor). This means less waste and a longer life for your floor overall.

Not all rubber is eco-friendly. Most synthetic rubber floors are made using petroleum (a non-recyclable resource) or chemical compounds that can be harmful to the environment. When looking for a "green" rubber floor, be sure to check the source of the materials used and how the rubber was produced.

More often than not, a rubber floor made with natural or recyclable materials that can be re-used for new flooring is generally the more eco-friendly choice.

*Sustainable products are generally made from renewable and recyclable materials and are designed to last for a long time.
*Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemical compounds with a high enough vapor pressure to be transformed into gas form and released into the atmosphere. Found in some floors and floor products, they can also be generated from furnishing, tobacco smoke and paints.

Rubber Flooring – Types

There are two types of rubber: natural and man-made (synthetic).
Natural rubber is made from the combination of latex and other organic resources.
Synthetic or man-made rubber is constructed entirely from artificial materials. The creation of synthetic rubber was made in response to a lack of plant sap, or latex, resources in certain countries in the early 20th century. Synthetic rubber has proved to be a very successful substitute. In fact, synthetic rubber is generally more durable and stronger than natural rubber.

About Rubber

Up until recently, rubber flooring has been a surface one could find in the local gym, school and some hospitals. Renowned for its durability and hypoallergenic qualities, rubber floors have not often been equated with beauty. Those days are quickly fading as more manufacturers begin to create rubber floors that many people want to see and use in their living space. Now, rubber floors come in a variety of colors, patterns and even marble imitations, and are ready to complement numerous home styles and interiors.

Some rubber floor types are naturally hypoallergenic, discouraging common household allergens such as dust and mites from taking root. In addition, rubber is fire-retardant and bacteria resistant (antimicrobial). Potentially, this means less maintenance and less time spent cleaning overall. These features, paired with a comfortable surface underfoot, make rubber flooring a favorite among older age groups who have aching joints and/or walking disabilities.

The increasing popularity of rubber floors is also thanks to its eco-friendly characteristics. Most rubber floor types are made primarily from sustainable materials that can be recycled. However, not all rubber floors are considered "green" – this depends on the manufacturer and the source of the materials used in the production and installation processes.

Rubber was first used by ancient Mayan civilizations around 1600 B.C. to make rubber balls. Most rubber is made from the plant sap, or latex, of certain plants and trees.

Over the centuries, rubber's elastic characteristics have been applied to rubber bands, erasers and waterproof boots. However, it wasn't until the early 19th century when inventors Charles Goodyear and Nathaniel Hayward began to experiment with rubber that it became the type of rubber we know and use today.

By combining rubber with gum plastic and sulfur at a high temperature (a process called vulcanization), Hayward and Goodyear were able to make rubber stronger and more resilient. Variations of this rubber type are used in present day tire and floor manufacturing.

crumb rubber production process

1. Acceptance of Raw Materials
The first stage in a crumb rubber industry is on the purchasing of raw materials or thereceipt of raw materials. raw materials are purchased from traders grouped by region of origin, type of rubber and dry rubber content that has been determined, the rawmaterial in the pile and given the brand

2. Production stage wet
at this first stage of raw materials incorporated in the engine braker to destroyshredding raw materials, and then forwarded to the pool washing, after washing and then transported using a cart to be forwarded to the conveyor to be sorted, after that proceed to the pool back wash then again in transport with a basket to the machinefor mashed hammermil again then go back into the pond to wash up again in a sorting conveyor for re-settled back in the wash in the pool cleaning, and continuedthe process