Practical uses of recycled rubber that may surprise you.

Recycled rubber has many surprising uses...

For many, recycled rubber is not a new concept. You likely have recycled rubber products in or outside your home and community made of this incredibly sturdy material. You may have rubber mulch in your garden, rubberized mats around the house, or flooring at the local playground.

In fact, recycling rubber has been around for over two hundred years. The idea of repurposing this durable material can be traced back to Thomas Hancock who developed a machine to grind rubber into scraps. This process helped his partner who sought more rubberized material to increase his production of rubber raincoats. It was the first rubber recycling process on record.

Today's rubber recycling facilities are far more sophisticated than Hancock's. Now, recyclers take scrap tires and turn them into crumb rubber. Crumb rubber is the raw material for so much more.

You may not be aware of some of the other innovative uses created from recycled rubber. Let’s take a look at what recycled tires and crumb rubber can become.

Fun with Fitness

Fitness fans everywhere know the importance of working out in a safe environment. Flooring is a key part of both indoor and outdoor fitness settings, requiring the right support and padding for safety. Recycled rubber tiles and flooring fit the bill.

• Gym/Fitness Floors – Whether at the local gym or inside your home or garage, recycled rubber tires provide a solid and safe surface underfoot. You’ll also find this an optimal choice in weight rooms, training centers, and indoor playing fields. If you’re thinking about creating a gym out of a spare room or garage, rubber flooring is the perfect choice. 

The type of rubberized flooring for use in your home gym depends on the impact level, activities, budget, and room appeal you’re looking for. Rubber tiles are springy, slip-resistant, fire-resistant, and easy to install and clean. Able to withstand intense workouts and heavy weights, recycled rubber flooring is extremely durable, shock-absorbent, and reduces sound.

• Tennis and Volleyball Courts – If you’re a tennis player, you’ll appreciate the high quality of a rubberized court surface. Generally overlaid on a foundation of asphalt, the rubber carpet provides excellent shock absorption and helps reduce injuries and damage to knees and ankles.

The anti-skid properties of this rubberized carpet offer players maximum grip, which gives players an edge over difficult shots. The material holds up well in extreme temperatures and easily sustains sweat buildup and water spills. It’s ideal for both indoor and outdoor courts. 

Athlete’s Competitive Edge

Serious runners want to avoid the prospect of injury while on the track. The right ground surface with proper installation can provide a safe pathway for exercising and competing. Rubber tracks provide athletes with a competitive advantage.

• Running Tracks – Hard surfaces can pose a problem for runners by absorbing lots of energy and causing stress syndromes and injuries such as shin splints. Fused rubber layered flooring is a runner’s dream track surface. 

Other competitive uses for rubberized surfaces can be found on bike paths/tracks, parks and recreational facilities, schools, and equestrian centers.

Around the House

Homeowners are notorious for looking for ways to enhance the looks and functionality of their real estate. This pride of ownership is demonstrated by investing in improvements that raise the property value. 

• Driveways and Pathways – If you’re a homeowner, a new driveway or pathway may lie in your future. Installing a recycled rubber surface provides durability and can be placed over an existing surface. This porous rubberized surfacing is resistant to staining and cracks and is also a plus around pools, spas, and patios. Even highways benefit from rubberized asphalt that reduces tire noise.

You can also find rubber mulch in residential and commercial gardens and pathways. Used as an alternative to wood mulch, it doesn’t require mold or insect treatment, and won’t need an annual replacement. 

More Ways to Use Recycled Rubber

For decades, recycled rubber has provided the basis for many products and uses. From the early beginnings of using processed scraps in manufactured raincoats, used rubber has created new and exciting ways to complement our surroundings. 

Other interesting uses and products of recycled rubber to explore include: 

• roofing tiles
• home decks
• playground surfaces
• waterpark flooring
• turf fields 
• childcare facilities
• garden mulch
• garden edging
• vehicle mudguards 
• roadway sublayers 
• highway embankments backfill
• railway lines
• rubber wrapped railroad tires
• tire swings
• tire logs in building construction

and more… 

As long as there are tires, innovative uses of this recycled material will continue to evolve. This will have a positive long term effect on our natural resources. Visit https://rubbermulch.com/ to learn more.

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