A guide to rubber tiles for playgrounds
Rubber is used in almost everything and that is because the properties of rubber offer significant advantages. Rubber is durable, sturdy, flexible, and offers a good amount of traction. Hence, rubber tiles are installed in high-traffic environments. Rubber tiles for a playground are manufactured in a wide selection of colors, patterns, and textures. Some of the typical sizes in which rubber tiles are available are 12 inches, 24 inches, and 36 inches.
In what kind of areas are rubber tiles used?
Rubber is pretty resilient. Like vinyl and linoleum, rubber flooring is also durable and very easy to clean. This is why rubber tiles are used in playgrounds, laundry rooms, gyms, and utility areas.
When you consider the list of conventional flooring materials, rubber tiles do not make the list. Even though rubber is durable, it does not provide the same kind of permanence tile tiles or marbles. Marbles can last well over a century if no accidental damage takes place. But the same cannot be said for rubber.
As rubber tiles are only installed in non-residential selected places, the scale of market requirement is notthe same as conventional floorings. Due to this, there are fewer rubber tile manufacturers.
But due to the fact that rubber has a distinct smell, installing rubber flooring may spread an unpleasant odor. But the strength of odor is somewhat lesser if synthetic forms of rubber are used in manufacturing.
Designs
Previously, rubber tiles were only available in gloomy colors like black and slate grey. But nowadays, these tiles are available in a wide number of color options and textures that mimic a leaf,diamond-plate, wood flooring, and ceramic tiles.
What is the approximate cost of using rubber flooring?
Installing rubber tile playground could be an expensive project. The minimum cost of a basic square-foot rubber tile approximately starts from $2. More exquisite tiles can even range from $12 to $15 per square foot. So the average amount you need to shell out for a square foot of rubber tile is $3 to $8.
How to maintain rubber tiles for a playground?
Even though rubber surfaces are not solid as your home flooring, rubber mats are very easy to clean. A damp mop every day for high traffic areas or weekly for lower footfalls will do the job. Rubber floors made of synthetic rubber are better stain-resistant than natural rubber. These floors are sometimes polished with water-soluble wax which makes them more resistant to wear and tear and discoloration. Maintenance of rubber tiles means applying the wax periodically.
Rubber tiles are structurally durable but strong detergents and abrasive cleaning liquids can harm them. It’s advised to not bring oily and greasy products near a rubber tile as oil stains are tough.
All about rubber tiles installation
Rubber tiles are neither heavy nor do they require additional heavy tools for installation. Rubber tiles are manufactured between 12 inches and 36 inches approximately which makes them easy to handle. Fancier products even come with pre-produced interlocking edges and some tiles need pins to attach them to each other. If you need to fill corners, just use a sharp knife to cut the tiles into any shape. There are some tiles that need the usage of glue to stick to the ground but they’re not categorized as DIY tiles.
If you’re installing rubber tiles in a basement, moisture can seep from underneath. This is why applying a vapor barrier is highly recommended in such situations.
How good are rubber tiles for playgrounds?
Rubber tiles are perfect for recreational facilities and utility functions. They provide the perfect balance between a soft and rigid surface that provides a good grip on the feet and also prevents fall injuries. Workshops, gymnasiums, and laundry rooms are some of the notable places where rubber tiles are installed. You cannot prevent your children from falling as they don’t have the kind of control over movement like adults. This is why rubber surfaces are preferred over others when it comes to kid’s playgrounds.
