Rubber Boards Made From Used Tires

Rubber Boards Made From Used Tires TIRES/WHEELS New Uses 5-1-21 How about this - new "stronger than oak" rubber boards made out of old tires that you can saw, nail into and do anything else you ordinarily do with wood boards. "We expect them to be used anywhere wood deteriorates because of moisture or manure acids, such as in barns or on the floors of livestock trailers," says Joe Contestabile, marketing manager for Entex Corp. of America, Dallas, Texas. Old tires are chopped up and blended with a small amount of herculon fiber and fiberglass, then extruded under pressure into rubber boards. Although the boards weigh about the same as oak, Contestabile says they withstand nearly twice as much weight without breaking. Rubber boards don't expand or contract. And, because they withstand deterioration from moisture or manure acids, have a much longer expected life. They also have a higher insulating value than wood, he notes. "We're finding that our new rubber boards are especially popular for flooring in livestock trailers where wood floors often rot out, causing animals to fall through and break or injure their legs. Rubber is also more durable and less slippery than wood," Contestabile poinfs out. His company already is selling boards to manufacturers for use as original equipment in livestock trailers. At present, tongue and grooved rubber boards are being offered in one standard size for thickness (11/4 in.) and width (11-3/16 in.), and in whatever length the customer desires. The company plans to have rubber boards in a wide variety of thicknesses and widths available in the near future. Cost for the new rubber boards runs about twice the cost of similar size oak boards. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Entek Corp. of America, P.O. Box 61048, Dallas, Texas 75261 (ph 214 2582800).

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