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.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Acrylic.
• Architectural fabrics.
• ETFE.
• EVA film.
• Nitrile rubber.
• Plastic.
• Polycarbonate.
• Polymers.
• Polyurethane (PUR).
• Polyvinyl chloride PVC.
• Recycled concrete aggregate RCA.
• Silicone.
• The use of rubber expansion joints in lead guttering.