Rubber in the construction industry
Rubber is a broad term that can be used to describe a range of products with similar ‘elastic’ characteristics. There are two main types of rubber: natural rubber, which is made from latex extracted from plants (primarily the rubber tree or hevea brasiliensis) and synthetic rubber, which is manufactured and includes some forms of:
- Styrene butadiene (SBR).
- Polyacrylics.
- Polyvinyl acetate (PVA).
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
- Polychloroprene (neoprene).
- Polyurethane.
- Silicone.
Rubber is highly elastic and durable and is corrosion resistant. It remains flexible in a wide range of temperatures, is water resistant, an electrical and thermal insulator, and is able to absorb movement and vibration.
Rubber is commonly used in the construction industry for:
- Joints, seals and gaskets.
- Coatings, paints and sealants.
- Sound, vibration and impact absorption.
- Protective clothing.
- Roofing and flooring.
- Pipes and cabling.
- Belting.
- Membranes.
Rubber can be manufactured in a variety of shapes, sizes, thicknesses and colours and can be hard, soft, foamy or spongy.
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