Fire rated rubber gym tile 40 mm, Dfl-S1

This 40 mm fire rated tile classified Dfl-S1 is the entry price point for weightlifting flooring in public access buildings. In France, equipment installed in an establishment receiving the public has to satisfy a fire classification, and that requirement usually pushes the flooring budget upward. This tile is the lowest cost route to a Dfl-S1 rated 40 mm floor in our catalogue.

Its construction sets it apart from the other 40 mm tiles in the range, which are single material SBR. This one is a two layer build: an SBR base at 900 kg per cubic metre providing impact absorption and stabilising mass, and an EPDM surface layer. EPDM, ethylene propylene diene monomer, is the synthetic rubber used for athletics tracks and outdoor play areas, and it is more resistant than SBR to UV, ozone and surface abrasion.

Those properties translate into two practical advantages. Drop zones near glazing or in semi outdoor spaces age better, because SBR exposed to direct sunlight becomes brittle and loses elasticity over time while EPDM keeps its mechanical properties. And surface wear from weightlifting shoe soles, from bars set down and picked up hundreds of times, and from chalk ground into the floor is resisted better by the EPDM layer than by standard grain SBR.

Technical specification

Where the fire classification decides the specification

Fire classification is rarely a preference. It is a condition of the building consent, and it applies to the whole laid area rather than to a sample. Specifying an unrated tile in a public access facility means either relaying the floor or failing the inspection, so the classification is checked before the thickness in that context.

Within the fire rated tiles, this reference is 2 EUR per m2 below the 42 mm Premium Dfl-S1 and 6 EUR per m2 below the 42 mm Premium CFL. On a 200 m2 strength area that difference is meaningful, and the EPDM surface is a genuine technical gain rather than a saving made by removing something. Custom quotations are prepared for large areas and public access projects.

Frequently asked questions

What does Dfl-S1 mean?

It is a fire classification to EN 13501-1 covering flooring, required for many public access buildings. The specification is normally set by the fire safety report for the site.

Why is an EPDM surface better in a drop zone near glazing?

EPDM keeps its mechanical properties under UV exposure, whereas SBR becomes brittle and loses elasticity over time in direct sunlight.

How is the floor maintained?

Vacuum, mop and neutral detergent. No sealing or specialist products are required.