All about crumb rubber

Crumb rubber is a material obtained by recycling car tires and other rubber products. Covers for sidewalks and playgrounds are made of it, used as filler, and figures are made. The crumb is produced using various technologies and comes in several forms. In this article, we'll cover everything about crumb rubber.

Rubber crumb is a granulate of various fractions and shapes. Regardless of the method of production, it retains all the technical characteristics of the original recyclable materials. Granulate and products made from it have the following properties:

• mechanical purity (the content of impurities does not exceed 2%, metals - no more than 0.03%);
• density - up to 350 g / dm³;
• humidity - 0.9-0.95%.

An important parameter of crumb rubber flooring is its thickness. The minimum value is 10 mm, the maximum is 40 mm. In addition, the coating is made from grains of various sizes. Popular fractions are 2 and 3 mm.

Rubber granulate and materials based on it are in great demand due to their excellent performance properties. It is distinguished by elasticity, resistance to stretching and bending. The following advantages are worth noting:

• strength and resistance to any mechanical and forceful influences;
• resistance to acid and alkaline compounds;
• the absence of toxic and flammable components in the composition, due to which the materials during operation do not emit substances harmful to human health;
• resistance to temperature extremes (withstands temperatures from -50 to +65 degrees);
• high hygiene - pests and insects do not live in the material, and its surface is resistant to mold;
• pleasant to the touch texture;
• the ability to transfer ultraviolet radiation without deformation.

Rubber crumb coatings do not slip, do not accumulate moisture. Painted products have an attractive appearance. In addition, they are classified as safe - if a person falls on a rubber tile, the impact will be softened, due to which the risks of injury are significantly reduced. Granulate coatings are affordable and easy to install and dismantle. Installation does not require the use of specialized equipment, as well as special knowledge and skills from the employee.

This material also has disadvantages. The disadvantages include the instability of the pigment. The dye is not able to penetrate into the deep layers of the granulate, which is why the coating loses its brightness and color saturation over time.

Crumb rubber is manufactured in accordance with the prescribed regulations governed by GOST 8407-89. For its production, such elements are used as:

• used or rejected car tires;
• cameras for flooring;
• rubber products unsuitable for further use.

There are 2 ways to produce granules.

• Shock wave. This technology is resorted to in large factories, since it requires the use of expensive equipment.The method consists in cooling tires to extremely low temperatures in cryogenic chambers and their subsequent crushing using a shock wave.
• The mechanical method of tire recycling is simpler, more affordable and less expensive. In this case, the grinding of recyclable materials is carried out as follows:
  1. at normal ambient temperatures;
  2. at high temperatures;
  3. with cooling of rubber products;
  4. using the "ozone knife";
  5. by forcing raw materials through the matrix of pressing equipment.

Let's consider the most popular type of processing - mechanical grinding at normal temperature. This production technology includes several stages.

• Sorting of tires by standard sizes. This stage is necessary for the subsequent adjustment of the cutting unit for certain dimensions of recyclable materials.
• Cutting rubber into pieces. The raw material is crushed by hydraulic shears, guillotines or mechanical knives.
• Grinding the resulting pieces to chips of 2-10 cm². For these purposes, shredder installations are used.
• Final grinding of raw materials. To do this, manufacturers use rotary-type milling equipment equipped with knives with 4 edges, or other units that can withstand high mechanical loads.
• Separation of granules from by-products through the use of air and magnetic separators.
• Filtration of crumb into fractions by passing the granulate through a vibrating sieve. The resulting material is packaged and sent for further processing.

Most often, rubber granulate is used for the production of floor coverings. For their manufacture, the crumb is mixed with polyurethane and pigments on specialized industrial mixers for uniform connection of all components. Further, the raw material is baked - it is laid out in molds and sent to special pressing equipment. At a temperature of +140 degrees, the vulcanization of raw materials occurs.

The material is produced in the form of a granular placer - in this case, it is sold in kilograms. The crumb can be needle-shaped, cubic or free-form. The main parameter to pay attention to is the size of the fraction. The grains can be small, medium or large. The scattering can be colored or black. Due to the use of expensive pigments, colored granules will cost about 1.5-2 times more.

The material is produced in the form of tiles with different sizes (material in the form of a square with sides of 50x50 cm is popular). Manufacturers also offer granulate belts. Their width ranges from 30 to 50 cm, and their length does not exceed 10 m.

Tire granules, tiles and roll material based on crumb rubber are widely used in modern life. They are used to make rugs for outdoor use, equip floors in swimming pools, and ennoble parks.

Rubber crumb coatings are classified as high-quality sports flooring. They are widely used when finishing treadmills in open and closed areas, they equip playing fields. This coverage meets international requirements. It provides:

• training athletes in a comfortable and safe environment;
• reliable and stable adhesion of the shoe to the lining surface.

Rubber crumb is widely used for interior and exterior decoration in commercial premises, less often in residential apartments. For outdoor work, it is used to decorate the stairs of shops, offices, shopping centers, hospitals, beauty salons. Due to the rough surface of the material and the relief structure, the safety of passers-by is ensured. Even on wet tiles, the risk of slipping and injury is reduced to zero.

The crumb is used when arranging a seamless floor covering in children's entertainment complexes and sports clubs. The widespread use of the material in the arrangement of play areas for children is due to its high injury safety.

Paths in city parks and squares are ennobled with decorative tiles and rubber crumb paving stones. They can pave paths in gardens, create a beautiful and comfortable area on a personal plot, dacha or in a country house. To improve the sites, you can use not only traditional rubber tiles, but also modular products. Their main feature is stubs. When laid, they snap together, forming a reliable and durable connection.

Borders and posts made of crumb rubber are also used in landscape design. With their help, you can not only decorate beautifully, but also delimit public areas.

Crumb rubber is one of the best materials for the production of 3D figures. They are used to ennoble children's play areas, parks and various playgrounds. Granules can be used to make:

• cartoon characters;
• mushrooms;
• flowers;
• insects;
• animals.

Decorative figurines can create a fabulous atmosphere for children and adults. Such constructions are absolutely safe for health. Fine-grained rubber granulate is used as a filler in the production of frameless furniture, for example, bean bags, punching bags. The crumb is also used for sprinkling the top roofing layer. Due to this treatment, it is possible to achieve high moisture-repellent and anti-corrosion properties.

The quality of the crumb directly affects the durability of the coating. Reliable materials made in accordance with GOST and in strict adherence to production technology can last at least 10 years. In order not to be mistaken in the choice, it is important to evaluate the material by conducting the following experiments:

• it is recommended to run your palm several times on the front and back of the material; if the optimal amount of binding components was used in the manufacture of the product, the crumb will not crumble;
• you should carefully examine several tiles from the batch to choose from; chipped sides or chipped surfaces will indicate poor quality products;
• the tiles must be even, deviation is allowed, but not exceeding 1 mm; to evaluate the geometry, several products should be folded back to back; you can use a tape measure, ruler or other measuring devices;
• it is recommended to bend the tile - a high-quality product will instantly recover, and no cracks, irregularities or other deformation will appear on its surface;
• quality tiles have an even surface and uniform color.

Tiles made of rubber granulate produced by foreign companies are popular among domestic consumers. The rating is topped by several common brands.

• EcoStep. EcoStep rubber tile has the best performance. It has excellent shock absorption, does not slip when wet, and can withstand sudden temperature changes.

• Gangart. Gangart tiles are products manufactured at a joint Russian-German production facility. The main difference between such materials is the presence of 2 layers. 1 is made from primary granulate, and 2 - from fractions obtained as a result of crushing tires from trucks and special equipment.

• Unistep. Unistep products demonstrate good performance and high quality. The company produces a wide range of products based on crumb rubber. Thanks to the use of modern innovative technologies, coatings are financially accessible to a wide range of consumers.

The photos below clearly illustrate how you can successfully use rubber granulate tiles in landscape design when improving parks, squares and playgrounds.

The next video will tell you about laying a crumb rubber coating in the country.