Rubber Treads for Indoor Use

Types

• Rubber treads come in multiple cuts and styles. These traction-increasing treads feature various textures, including surface patterns made of dots, diamonds, square or rectangular bricks and horizontal bars. Thicknesses range from about a 1/4 inch to 2 inches deep. Manufacturers offer rubber treads in numerous cuts, including rectangular strips, square tiles and channel-molded pieces made to conform to various fixtures, such as stairs, sinks or tubs. Modern rubber treads come in a rainbow of colors, from standard black and gray hues to bright shades such as red and blue.

Uses

• In the home, rubber treads protect floors from dirt, spills and impacts – making them an innovative way to baby-proof certain areas, muffle footstep sounds and add increased traction to slip-prone spaces. Rubber mats often serve as stair treads, which form to fit indoor staircases, increasing their grip and safety. Homeowners also use rubber treads as runners in kitchens, garages and bathrooms to keep water off the floor. As entrance mats – especially in utility rooms, garages and screened-in porches – these treads help scrape dirt, mud and grime from shoes. Thin rubber treads serve as non-slip surfaces in bathtubs and showers.

Manufacturers

• Companies such as Buffalo Tools, Mohawk, Genuine Joe, Guardian Products, Uline and others offer a wide selection of rubber treads at hardware and department stores. Specialized manufacturers such as Musson and the R.C.A. Rubber Company focus solely on the production of premade and custom-shaped rubber treads, while companies such as Flexco and Mannington specialize in rubber stair treads. Many of these manufacturers offer similar products made of recycled rubber or vinyl.

Pricing and Availability

• While hardware stores, department stores and home and garden centers offer rubber tread mats of various sizes, commercial rubber dealers and home improvement centers often sell form-fitting rubber stair treads. Online housewares dealers offer midsized tread mats and small rubber tread products, such as sink and bathtub mats. Prices vary depending on the type of mat; at 2011 prices, standard 10-inch by 30-inch rubber thread mats retailed for about $20 while individual stair treads retailed for prices between $10 and $30 per tread.