How weather-resistant are rubber tiles and rubber mats?
Rubber tiles and rubber mats made for outdoor use from polyurethane-bound rubber granules are weather-resistant. They do not rot or decay, and as they are laid without adhesive, they cannot come away from the base.
Rainwater passes into the porous structure of the rubber tiles and drains downwards. On a free-draining base, no puddles remain and the surface dries quickly. In frost, the rubber granules and the polyurethane binder stay elastic, and water left in the pores has room to expand as it freezes.
Sunlight and weathering show mainly in the colour. An EPDM wear layer is through-coloured, colour-stable and UV-resistant. With ELT rubber granules and a pigmented binder the colour may change over the years, and pure ELT ages near the surface in strong sunlight. As moisture and temperature change, the tiles expand slightly and contract again.