All about crumb rubber coatings

The anti-slip coating made of crumb rubber is distinguished by a special structure of granules, a difference in their shapes and sizes. For the manufacture of this material, raw materials are usually used from recycled car tires, which are mixed with adhesives based on polyurethane. As a result, the finished product acquires the required strength combined with plasticity. This structure is characterized by durability, as well as effective anti-slip and water-repellent properties.

Crumb rubber is commonly used for flooring or road filler. The grain of the finished raw material is tied with polyurethane glue (less often they take a composition based on silicone). Due to the chemical homogeneity of all components, the gluing is high-quality.

Rubber flooring can be used not only in the walk-through area. They have proven themselves well as a roofing material and are widely used for finishing balconies and terraces in private houses.

The rubberized crumb coating is not only durable, but also quite light. It provides maximum surface hydrophobicity, withstands any thermal expansion and stretches well. Can be laid in a continuous contour on an unlimited area without seams.

The surface based on crumb rubber feels soft, and together with the anti-slip effect, it is also injury-free. All this determines the popularity of this finishing material when arranging play and sports grounds, including outdoors, for example, in the yards of schools and residential complexes. The crumb can be safely used for interior decoration of residential premises: neither glue nor rubber contains toxic volatile compounds.

Perhaps the only unpleasant property of such a coating is its specific smell during installation. However, within a few days after application, the smell completely disappears.

Such material has become a real boon for the construction industry, especially in the road sector. Both the pavement itself and crumb rubber are often used in road construction or as basic components in asphalt production.

Of the advantages, a number of positive features of crumb rubber coatings can be distinguished.

• Anti-corrosion performance. The product can be used outdoors in high humidity conditions without fear of the negative effects of precipitation and other environmental influences.
• Durability. With proper installation, the coating can last more than 10 years.
• Demand. The wide scope of use makes this material quite popular in various sectors of the economy.
• Wear resistance. The composition based on crumb rubber and polyurethane glue is characterized by high strength - it is very difficult to break or tear such a coating.
• Aesthetics. The coating has a decorative look, and thanks to the possibility of its coloring, the product can be given any shade.
• Undemanding care. Rubber is extremely unpretentious, and you can remove dirt from its porous surface with a regular jet of water under pressure.
• Injury safety. The rubber surface has pronounced shock-absorbing characteristics, so when falling, it softens the impact, and makes running or normal walking more comfortable.
• Sound absorption. Rubber absorbs sound very well, which led to the popularity of the coating for use in rooms with increased activity and traffic (for example, in children's entertainment complexes and gyms).
• Chemical inertness. The material is resistant to the action of industrial oils, acid-base solutions, solvents and gasolines.
• Electrical insulating properties. Rubber is not conductive, therefore such coatings are often laid in industries connected with electricity.
• High maintainability. Any damaged area can be quickly replaced if necessary.

The disadvantages of the material are its flammability, as well as its high cost. However, the latter is fully justified by the durability of the product.

There are several types of coatings based on crumb rubber and polyurethane glue, depending on the type of material.

This type of coating provides for the presence of a connecting seam. That is why it is extremely important that the base is perfectly flat. If the seams are not tightly connected, then gaps will appear between them, through which foreign objects and dirt will enter the substrate. And this will significantly reduce the operating period of the coating.

Pressed rubber tiles are widely in demand as a material for the design of paths in private houses and in the country, the arrangement of the porch and steps.

Compared with other types of coatings, the modular crumb tiles can be dismantled and moved to any place. If the tile is damaged, you just need to replace it without dismantling the entire coating. Commercially available modules come in a variety of sizes and configurations.

The essence of laying a screed from crumb is that the cleaned base is evenly covered with a layer of a mixture of crumb rubber and a polyurethane binder, and then it is leveled by rolling and left to dry for several hours. As a result, an elastic monolithic layer is formed. The seamless coating can withstand increased loads, does not slip, and retains its performance characteristics at low temperatures. The period of operation of such a floor exceeds 10 years.

The scope of application of crumb rubber coating is quite wide. Here are some popular solutions.

• Playgrounds. Not every coating can withstand the activity of children. As practice shows, crumb rubber perfectly copes with such a load. In addition, it is absolutely safe - only 1 cm thick is enough for children to avoid bruises and abrasions when falling.
• Garages. The material is highly resistant to solvents, gasoline and oils, so the flooring can be installed in garages and service stations. However, it should be borne in mind that it will be difficult to remove such stains.
• Ladders. For the steps, it is extremely important that the stairs do not slide during precipitation and frost. In this sense, crumb rubber will be one of the most successful options.
• Football field, sports grounds. For all these objects, the shock-absorbing characteristics and ease of cleaning are of key importance, which is just characteristic of this material.
• Garden paths. Entrances, entrances, as well as the courtyard and terrace of private houses must have an attractive appearance. Crumb rubber flooring can be presented in different shades, it looks very impressive.

When choosing a crumb coating, you can use a number of effective criteria.

• The highest quality coatings are considered without additional impurities. You can assess their presence on the dark side. If you notice the presence of particles of a different color there, most likely there are additional components in the structure.
• When buying, be sure to run your hand along the back and front sides of the tile, as well as around the edges. Products of normal quality must remain intact. If you notice crumbling of the material, then the manufacturing technology is violated. Such coverage will be short-lived.
• Examine several tiles. If the corners are worn down, there are cracks or grooves - feel free to go to another store.
• Assess geometric parameters, stack several tiles together. Ideally, use a ruler or level. There should not be any deviations, the permissible discrepancies in dimensions cannot exceed 1 mm.
• Fold the cover in half and press down at the fold with the palm of your hand. Products of normal quality will not change their shape and integrity, and bad tiles will crack or completely fall apart.

If all tests are passed successfully, you can pay for the purchase. Unfortunately, practice shows that only expensive materials meet all quality criteria. Cheap options often do not pass the proposed tests.

The rubber covering in the form of slabs and rolls must be laid on a perfectly leveled surface: the maximum permissible height difference cannot exceed 5 mm / m. If there are elevations or holes at the base, then they must be leveled before starting work with the coating. Before laying the boards, the base must be degreased, cleaned of all types of dirt and dust, and then dried well.

The prepared base is treated with a primer, after which you can proceed directly to laying. Tiles and rolls are attached with polyurethane glue, which is stirred and applied to the rubber coating or to the platform itself. Next, the coatings are laid. You need to do this so that there is no air under the mat.

When installing a monolithic coating, it should be borne in mind that the smallest layer of crumb rubber should be 5 mm. If it is less, then there is no guarantee that the coating will retain its performance characteristics.

The crumb is mixed with glue and applied with a spatula. It should be borne in mind that the mass will stick to any surface, including spatulas, so it is better to pre-lubricate the tool with a multi-purpose grease. You will have to constantly clean the spatula during work.

The applied layer remains elastic for 40 minutes. As a rule, this time is enough to eliminate all flaws allowed during application and to connect the areas to each other. The sections must be connected so that there are no seams.

Such a coating dries for about 24 hours, after which you can safely walk on it.

See the following video for instructions on how to lay the crumb rubber coating yourself.