Let’s talk a little bit today about rubber tiles. Say, like this one from Duraflex. They’ve increasingly grown in popularity lately, because they’re thick compared to what we’ve been used to, which is a 3/8” roll or tile. They do a much better job of cushioning the dropping of free weights, and most people like their aesthetic appearance under cardio machines.
They’re made a bit differently too. There are a couple of different ways to do it, but all of them require a heated metal top plate to compact the tile firmly together. If this top plate were to contact the rubber directly, it would cause some of the rubber to stick to the plate and damage the tile. The solution to this is to put a small amount of silicone between the plate and the rubber itself, and this solves that problem pretty effectively.
What this means to you is that when you first receive these tiles, the top surface could well have a very fine layer of silicone on it. As you’re likely aware, silicone is slippery, especially when it gets wet. So, it’s best if you wipe down these tiles after you first install them. In fact, there’s a product called Buckeye Blue that works very well in removing this thin layer of silicone. It’s never a bad idea to wipe down the floor with that, following the manufacturer’s instructions. If you need to know where to get Buckeye Blue, drop us a line and tell us where you are and we can find someone nearby who can supply you with it.