Why Choose rubber flooring? Why choose rubber flooring for your office, kitchen or bathroom over vinyl or lino or tiles? Why choose rubber over lino or vinyl? Why choose Dalsouple natural rubber over other rubber floorings.

Most people think rubber flooring is a natural product. Yet most other rubber flooring on the market today is made from synthetic SBR, or 'industrial rubber' which is a by-product of crude oil. Dalsouple rubber flooring is usually made up in SBR rubber or can be requested to be made up in natural rubber, which is about an extra 5-10% depending on size of order. Consumers need to be aware of much 'greenwashing' out there and they need to ask the supplier as many questions as they can.

No one makes rubber flooring in Australia anymore. The last company went offshore to Sri Lanka about 5 years ago and collapsed. There is only one company making recycled tyre rubber flooring, so all other rubber flooring is brought in from overseas. Dalsouple's DalNaturel rubber flooring is made of high quality materials in a boutique factory in France. Dalsouple is made from the latex from the rubber tree (Havea brasiliensis) which is from a sustainable source. In environmental terms, it compares more favourably than PVC, lino or marmoleum.

Most of our orders are made to order in the factory as the factory only keeps small amounts of stocks. (Please ask us to check if you need a small amount) By ordering a custom made floor (in almost any colour imaginable) you know you are getting a brand new flooring, freshly manufactured, that hasn't been sitting in a warehouse for a couple of years. We usually send it straight from the factory and deliver to your door.

DalNaturel boasts over 90% natural ingredients, with all the rubber content being natural. Natural rubber is a wholly renewable raw material, and mature rubber trees are exceptionally efficient at carbon sequestration - the absorption of harmful CO2 from the atmosphere. We are happy to send you free samples of the Dalsouple rubber so you can compare the quality. Some cheaper SBR rubber is made in Korea or made in China and you will see, smell and feel the difference in quality.

Dalsouple rubber flooring is warm, soft underfoot, great for allergy sufferers, anti-slip and safe for children and animals. Dalsouple rubber tiles are impervious to liquid so they are great for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.  

Linoleum has been popular because it is also a natural product. It is cheaper than rubber but it is softer and can mark, scratch and dint more easily. Another problem is that the surface can yellow as the flooring ages. In an 'ehow' article, the solution is to rectify it with bleach!!! We do not recommend putting bleach anywhere near rubber flooring and certainly do not recommend using a strong chemical such as this for cleaning!

See our FAQ page click here. If you have a new question, please contact us.

Why is DalNaturel better than PVC? click here

DalNaturel rubber flooring has been tested to have extremely low VOC's and is one of the lowest on the market. See test page. Besides having a huge range of colour and texture choices, rubber flooring ends up being more long lasting and more environmentally friendly than other flooring. It can be recycled at the end of its life and not end up as landfill as vinyl will.

Vinyl is not normally recycled in Australia after its life and ends up as landfill. Some vinyl can have offgassing and is not considered to be an environmentally friendly flooring. A big concern at the moment is about IEQ (Indoor Air Quality). See some info about vinyl and VOC's on the 'Build Your Green Home' website, Click here 

DalNaturel sequesters 7kg of CO2 per m2 of flooring. PVC or vinyl doesn't help with CO2 at all and Linoleum a little under 2kg.
Vinyl sheet is less likely than natural flooring products to enhance the monetary value of your home.

Look at the study done by Suzanne Barnes in the US. Click here
Rubber Flooring: Value and Beauty for the Long Term. She did a life cycle analysis comparing all the floorings and how much they will cost over time. Even with Dalsouple Dalnaturel, we believe it to be low cost in the long run. After 15 years carpet needs replacing 3 times, vinyl needs polishing and buffing everyday, and so rubber ends up being more cost effective.

Rubber is a good choice for people with asthma. It's also great for use with animals as opposed to carpet or floorboards as it's anti-slip and easy to clean by vacuuming or mopping.

Only in the last few years have studies been done on plastics and the effects on health. Some plastics contain BPA- Bisphenol A which can mimic the body's own hormones and may have negative health effects on both adults, and children. Some vinyl floorings say they are from recycled products but use about 60% recycled PET bottles. You need to be sure the flooring your children are playing on is healthy. There was a study done in Sweden showing a correlation between vinyl flooring and austism but no real reason for it. To read the study click here

Questions to ask carpet retailers or other rubber manufacturers are:

Where is it made?

What is is made of? Where is the evidence of its content?

What is the critical radiant flux and smoke generation test?

What is the VOC rating?

What is the date of manufacture?

What is the guarantee?

What is the slip rating?

Where is the list of installations in Australia?

How long has this product been selling in Australia?

Where can I see it in situ and walk over it?

All the answers to these questions and more are on our website. You will not find this much info on any other company's website in Australia who are selling rubber flooring. If you have any other questions, please contact us.

Evidence of Dalsouple existing long term in Australia.

Have a look at our photo gallery of Hobart Customs or Technocity in our commercial photo gallery. Both installations have been down 15 years and look as if they will last twice as long. Dalsouple has a guarantee of 10 years but you would expect it to last 15 to 20 years at least.

Rubber flooring has been down at Old Parliament House in Canberra now for over 80 years. You would expect it to be replaced before then, but it is now a heritage listed building and can't be touched! Rubber flooring has been on the aerobridges at Brisbane airport for 26 years. If it can last this long in commerical, heavy duty traffic areas, it could last at least 30 years in your house!