Rubber has excellent impact absorbing properties and is a great way to reduce vibrations created from large equipment and appliances. A rubber cushion pad is found on many pieces of equipment for this very reason. If you live in or plan on moving into an apartment, installing large rubber feet around your appliances will help reduce vibrations throughout the living space and keep your neighbors happy.
A rubber cushion pad comes in handy for residential applications. For anyone that has ever lived or currently lives on an upper floor apartment, complaints regarding loud noises or vibrations are all too familiar; especially for the younger generation full of energy, complaints regarding excessive partying should come as no surprise! The twenties are the best age to cut loose and have a blast. Even after this phase of excessive inebriation has passed and we begin to settle down, other factors in our lifestyle can still create annoyances to our fellow apartment dwellers. When you’re having that much fun, it is easy to overlook the simple benefits of having a rubber cushion pad in an area.
Take the fitness junkie for example: he or she is likely to get their rocks off performing intense workouts or sprint intervals on the treadmill. If that treadmill is placed on a hardwood floor without any kind of feet rubber padding in place, there is likely to be a lot of vibration transmitted to the lower floors, not to mention to the surrounding walls and living spaces as well. The same can occur with other household appliances that lack a rubber cushion pad, including washing machines, dryers, old refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and more.
The amount of vibration that is transferred between these appliances and the living structure depends on the materials that are coming into contact with one another. Hard materials, such as metal or plastic, tend to transfer kinetic energy rather than absorb it, which then results in noticeable vibrations. These vibrations are made even worse if the appliances do not have a rubber cushion pad on them. For example, think of the last time you hit a baseball. If you were using a metal or wooden bat, it most likely rattled your palms and hurt because the kinetic energy from the fast moving ball was transferred to the bat which was then transferred to your hand, resulting in the painful vibrating shock. This same principle applies when appliances with hard surfaces are placed on an equally hard surface that does not have any elastic feet rubber material in place. In this instance, the only difference is that the floor doesn’t feel the pain, but your neighbors will.
Closed Cell Rubber – EPDM
Closed Cell Rubber – EPDM
- Temperature Range: -40° F to 200° F
- Durometer rating of 15 Shore C
- Sheets available in size of 39″ by 78”
- Perfect for use in indoor or outdoor applications
High Compressive Strength: Closed cell rubber is a bit different from its open cell counterpart in terms of compressive strength. While open cell sponge rubber can rebound back to its original shape very quickly, closed foam rubber sponge takes a bit longer to do so. This allows the closed cell EPDM sponge rubber to handle high- pressure applications at a better rate, making it more durable.
Perfect for the Outdoors: The excellent ability of this closed cell rubber to operate in the outdoors is all thanks to the compound of EPDM rubber in its structural makeup. It has an excellent level of resistant to both UV rays and ozone. Outdoor factors like UV and ozone may not damage a material immediately, but they can definitely degrade a material over time. The EPDM compound in this sponge rubber allows it to remain exposed to the elements for extended periods of time. This is the primary reason why EPDM material is a popular elastomer to use in applications such as window sealing on vehicles and homes.
Closed Cell Rubber – EPDM – 39″ x 78″
One way to remedy this issue would be to install a barrier of some type that will absorb the vibrations as much as possible. In the case of baseball equipment, accessories have been made available, usually made from leather or similar type of foam fabric since it easily conforms to a person’s hand. For heavier equipment however, a much more durable and resilient type of material is required: a rubber cushion pad. This is where the magical properties of a rubber pad springs into action. Since rubber is great at absorbing vibration and is very durable it is the perfect feet rubber material for heavy equipment. Manufacturers have taken note of this and use it widely on a large number of products ranging from washing machines to elliptical machines. Look around the house or the industrial warehouse close-by and inspect the equipment – there’s a very good chance that you will see large rubber feet on the bottom of most of them. Sometimes a rubber pad is used instead of fabricated parts. A rubber cushion pad are an affordable route to the same end. Mats are not fabricated and are simply placed below the equipment.
Over time these feet rubber products may get worn or need a bit more assistance (as in the case with the exercise nut), which will make additional reinforcement necessary. Sometimes your equipment will not even have any type of gasket present. You can make a rubber cushion pad on your own by simply cutting a piece of rubber and applying it to the bottom of anything in your apartment that vibrates or rattles. Rubber is widely available in various thicknesses and sizes, and can be easily cut on site to fit your area. For more heavy-duty applications, such as the treadmill, using large rubber feet underneath it will help the most with vibration. Or maybe you have heavy industrial machine that is noisy, rattling, shifting and the movement possibly damaging to itself – installing a rubber pad underneath these is a simple and effective way to cut down on the shaking. The great thing about this is that it’s so easy anyone can do it! Next time you get any complaints about loud and annoying pounding or vibrating walls, be sure to make a trip around the house and install a rubber cushion pad wherever necessary!
Skirtboard – SBR Rubber – 70A – 1500 PSI
- Blended with natural gum rubber
- Operates in temperatures between -20° F and 212° F
- Good resistance to certain chemicals, but not meant for use with oils
- Available in a large assortment of thickness and widths
Variety of Gauges: Our Skirtboard rubber material comes in a variety of different thickness gauges so that you can have the right part for your application. We offer gauges that range from 1/8” to 2” thick upon request. The thickness of a skirting rubber part can correlate with its durability and effectiveness. Therefore, the thicker the material, the more long-lasting the rubber part will be.
Meant for Tough Jobs: Skirtboard rubber is meant for tough jobs that involve a lot of physical abrasions. The SBR rubber used to make the material provides for the enhanced durability that makes it so popular. This thick rubber material is well suited for use as conveyor skirting, belt wipers, blast curtains, bumpers, and street sweeper and snowplow blades. All of these applications involve rough physical conditions that could damage machines. This type of hard rubber is the perfect material to handle such jobs and protect the overall integrity of the application.
