Rubber carpet installation not for everyone

Fitting rubber flooring is a demanding task, so not every installer who installs PVC flooring will install rubber flooring without problems.

Rubber flooring should be seasoned before it is glued, i.e. it should be laid for at least 24 hours in the room where it will be installed. This is necessary because in the case of large differences in the temperature of the substrate, the rubber should be left to soak in. This is necessary because rubber flooring could shrink or expand if there are large temperature differences, especially in winter and summer. Once it has been permanently glued down, it is dimensionally stable, i.e. it does not change its dimensions, because unlike PVC flooring it does not contain any plasticisers, which oxidise after a certain period of time, resulting in gaps at the joints. Rubber flooring has the advantage over other flexible flooring that it can be joined without welding. This requires not only a high level of skill, but also the use of specialist tools to ensure that the carpet can be cut perfectly and no seams are visible. We experienced this first-hand when we installed seamless rubber flooring in an architects' flat. The end result was stunning.