Are outdoor rubber tiles frost-resistant and suitable for use throughout the winter?
Yes. Outdoor rubber tiles made from PU-bound rubber granules are frost-resistant and suitable for use throughout the winter. Their porous structure allows rain and meltwater to pass down through the tiles. Any water remaining in the pores has space to expand when it freezes. The rubber granules and polyurethane binder remain elastic at sub-zero temperatures.
The sub-base must also be designed and constructed to resist frost. Over a bound base course, water runs beneath the tiles and through the joints towards the drainage outlet, following the fall. On an unbound sub-base of stone chippings or crushed stone, it percolates vertically through the build-up. If water is trapped beneath the tiles, a frost-susceptible sub-base may heave and settle again after thawing. The tiles themselves are not damaged, but the finished surface may become uneven.
For snow clearance, use a snow pusher with a smooth-edged blade, taking care not to catch it on the tile edges. De-icing salt used in normal quantities does not harm the rubber granules.