There are different smells that can come from types of rubber floorings that are available on the market, and that will greatly depends on the composition of the flooring. Flooring with recycled rubber (especially if recycled rubber tire material is in the mix) can retain a stronger smell that could be overwhelming for some people. Other flooring have filling agents that may create noticeable smells as well. Those might reduce over time.
Mondo rubber flooring is made of vulcanized virgin and synthetic rubber and does not keep any permanent smell. There could be some odor when you first install your rubber flooring, as the rubber flooring was kept in either closed rolls or tile packs. Over the next few days, the room and floor will air out, after which there is no lasting or noticeable smell. We have in fact installed our flooring in centers where occupants had various sensitivities, including to smells, and our flooring was chosen in part for its neutral impact on indoor air.
Overall, one important element to look at is the indoor air quality certification of the rubber flooring you are considering. Strong smells are not always an indicator that there are harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air, though the two are often related. A GREENGUARD Gold certification, which all Mondo Contract rubber flooring have, shows that our flooring’s VOC results are very low and ensures that our products will help to create a space with better indoor air quality.