Is Rubber Flooring Waterproof?
By Created: March, 2021 - Modified: May, 2024
Related Product: Sterling Playground Tile Solid Colors 2.25 Inch x 2x2 Ft.
What Types Of Rubber Flooring Are Waterproof?
Vulcanized rubber is considered to be a waterproof rubber flooring product. The process of vulcanizing rubber converts it into a more durable product through high-pressure and heat, and by using additives like sulfur, peroxides, and metallic oxides to modify its original state. This forms a cross-linking structure that is stronger, less sticky, and waterproof. Vulcanized rubber will also tend to be a bit firmer than non-vulcanized alternatives.Other rubbers, or unvulcanized rubber, will allow permeation of liquid if soaked or pressure washed. If not sealed, the water and other liquid can work their way through the pores of the rubber over time. While the water is not absorbed into the rubber, it can cause these products to hold additional water weight until it completely exits the pores.
Are Recycled Rubber Flooring Products Waterproof?
You may be wondering if recycled rubber flooring products are waterproof. When tires and other crumb rubber are no longer needed, they will need to be devulcanized if originally vulcanized. If these materials will be reused to make a waterproof rubber flooring product, they will then need to be revulcanized, making them suitable for use in flooring production.The resulting flooring solutions are stronger, denser, and more reliable than others, as they have been reheated and molded into new products. This makes revulcanized rubber matting perfect for gyms and equine use, as they are 100 percent waterproof and more resilient than polyurethane bonded rubber mats.
What Types Of Rubber Flooring Products Are Waterproof?
Greatmats offers a huge variety of rubber flooring, from rubber rolls and gym mats to equine flooring, deck tile, and indoor/outdoor mats. There is likely a suitable rubber flooring product for any area of a home or business, with those suitable for exterior use and others for interior use.Rubber flooring rolls are easy to install over a concrete or wood subfloor with either glue or double faced tape, and they are available in a variety of colors, sizes, and thicknesses. Once they are placed and secured, they require very little maintenance, and offer a surface that is stain, mold, and mildew resistant. They are an ideal flooring option for a gym where sweat and moisture are often present. Generally rubber flooring rolls are not vulcanized and are water resistant rather than waterproof.
![4x6 rubber mat](/images/horse-stall-mats-kits-hm/horse-stall-mats-kits.jpg.webp)
![Absorba carpet mat](/images/apache/absorba-carpet/absorba-blue.jpg.webp)
If you are looking for waterproof flooring for an outdoor playground, be aware that while rubber playground tiles and mats generally won’t absorb water, they are often slightly permeable, allowing some water to pass through them.
![Bounce Back Rubber Playground Mat](/images/sterling-rubber-tiles/playground-tile-interlocking-sterling-linden-park.jpg.webp)
![Sterling Rooftop Tile](/images/sterling-rubber-tiles/sterling-outdoor-deck-tile-brown.jpg.webp)