How weather-resistant are rubber tiles and rubber mats?
Outdoor rubber tiles and rubber mats from WARCO are weather-resistant and weatherproof. Made from PU-bound rubber granules, they do not rot or decay.
The rubber tiles are installed as a floating surface, without adhesive or screws, so they cannot detach from the substrate and the installation does not damage it. They are porous and water-permeable rather than waterproof: rainwater enters the structure and drains down through the tiles instead of remaining on the surface. Below the tiles, water must be able either to run off along a gradient or to drain directly into the substrate, allowing the area to dry quickly.
In freezing conditions, both the rubber granules and the polyurethane binder remain elastic, while water within the pores has space to expand as it freezes. The rubber tiles are therefore frost-resistant and do not crack or break. Sunlight and weathering mainly affect the colour; UV stabilisation slows the effect of UV radiation but does not keep the colour permanently unchanged. An EPDM wear layer is coloured throughout, colour-stable and UV-resistant. With recycled tyre rubber granules (ELT) and a pigmented PU binder, the shade may change over the years, while pure ELT ages at the surface under intense sunlight. Changes in moisture and temperature cause the rubber tiles to expand slightly and then contract again.