Published on November 18th, 2007 | by Stephanie Evans

Recycled Rubber Flooring

What eco-flooring material contains 100% post-consumer recycled waste and provides a soft, easy-to-maintain padding that makes our green hearts skip a beat and puts an extra bounce in our step? Rubber flooring of course!

Whether you opt for virgin (sustainably harvested from trees), synthetic (produced by low energy processes, though petroleum products are involved) or recycled, rubber flooring is an all-around sustainable and low impact treat for your feet. Of the three, recycled rubber is clearly the greenest way to go:

The production of recycled rubber has the lowest environmental impact—less total energy is consumed in production compared to making products from virgin or synthetic sources.
It’s much more cost effective than other rubber products, both with respect to production and purchase.
The collection and production of used rubber creates job opportunities in developing countries around the world.
It provides a creative way to make use of resources that are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner.

As we examine the various qualities of recycled rubber flooring, we’re left with no room for dispute—it’s just as great as it is green!

Durability. It’s tough, resilient, and long-lasting, just like the tires that fill a playground. That means you can play hard on this floor that takes it easy on the environment.

Installation. It’s available in tiles or rows for easy installation.

Aesthetic. It comes in a wide variety of patterns and colors, wears quite evenly, and you’ll be hard pressed to stain it.

Other Features. It tolerates large fluctuations in temperature, making it great for indoor and outdoor use. The material also provides a low VOC, antistatic, recyclable surface.

See Cork Flooring: Qualities, Cares, and Cautions for information about composite rubber flooring made from a blend of recycled rubber and cork.