Consider Rubber Decking The Possibilities Are Endless
By: Peter Leigh

Rubber decking is the ultimate material to consider when you need to install decking in commercial areas. Wherever you have a lot of people walking or working, rubber decking provides the best safety net because of its non-slip features. Rubber decking is made from the same material as the tires on your vehicle, so you know that it is well worth the extra money you have to pay for it. It is maintenance free and you won?t need to use any type of deck sealer to keep it waterproof as you would with wood decking.

Rubber decking is not made using bonding agents and therefore does not have any air gaps. Neither is it susceptible to contraction or expansion and for this reason, if you choose this type of maintenance free decking, you can expect to see less than ? inch of movement in a 20 foot length of decking. There is no need for painting, staining or the use of wood deck sealers. The surface of the rubber can be buffed so that you have the ultimate non-slip surface. However, since this decking material is so watertight, you will probably have to clear the water off of it after it rains, if you have the decking exposed.

When you install rubber decking, you have decking material that is well able to withstand various temperatures. It is suitable for a temperature of zero to those that exceed 100?. However, for colder climates where the winter temperature dips below zero, this maintenance free decking may not be suitable to use for outdoors. Although the use of rubber will increase the life of your deck by about 5 years, you do have to take the climate into consideration before you buy this material.

The price of rubber decking is not cheap. One board measuring 1 inch thick and 8 inches wide in black costs about $2 per foot, whereas the same size board in grey or terra cotta costs over $3 per foot. This maintenance free decking comes with a 25 ? year warranty, but there are conditions attached. Even though you want decking that will not require maintenance or the use of wood deck sealers, you do need to make sure that the decking is properly installed. The support system should have centers no more than 18 inches apart and each rubber board has to be fastened to each center. If you use equipment heavier than 1000 pounds on the decking, this will also void the warranty.

Rubber decking is also called Rumber. You can cut it with a saw when you are installing the decking material. However, you must use a carbide tip blade with large teeth. In addition to buying rubber boards for installing maintenance free decking, you can also buy rubber decking material in sheets. You do still have to fasten the rubber to the center supports so that the middle of the deck is not loose.