durable pool surface

How Does Life Floor withstand Extreme Climates?

With over 2,500 installations worldwide, Life Floor is trusted by leading brands and is the recommended surface for WhiteWater, Waterplay, and Rain Drop Products among others. From the bitter cold of Minnesota to the sweltering heat of Dubai, Life Floor tiles are engineered to perform in a vast range of climates.

COLD CLIMATES

Life Floor is designed to flex with the freeze and thaw cycles of seasons. The top of Life Floor tiles may expand and contract with high and low temperatures. In winter months, contraction creates wider joints. In the summer months during operation, expansion creates tighter joints.

Rapid temperature changes and/or wide swings have negligible impact on tile performance after installation. Our approved contact cement adhesives keep the bases of the tiles firmly secured to the underlayment or substrate.

Cedarcrest Splash Pad - Bloomington, MN, USA

Since June 2017, the Life Floor installation at Cedarcrest Splash Pad has experienced multiple freeze-thaw cycles. This public, outdoor splash pad is exposed to ice, snow, and hail throughout the long winter season. To date, Life Floor tiles remain adhered, the surface can be easily cleaned, colors appear vibrant, and our slip-resistant texture is just as effective as the first summer season.

While there are many beautiful splash pads across the Twin Cities, the Cedarcrest Park Splash Pad is unique in that the splash pad is unfenced. Bikes ride over it, shoes run across it, and trees line the outer perimeter with a dry playground nearby. This means that the splash pad is covered with leaves, sticks, dirt, sand, gravel, and wood chips on a regular basis. Given the environment, the modularity of Life Floor has allowed for any damaged tiles to be easily replaced without sacrificing the aesthetic of the splash pad.

Wilderness Resort - Wisconsin Dells, WI, USA

Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells installed one of the very first custom outdoor Life Floor installations. The intricate, larger-than-life inlays of bear paw prints are a testament to our tile's ability to flex with the harsh freeze/thaw cycles of Wisconsin winters.

Since installation in May 2013, Wilderness Resort has reopened the splash pad each season with minimal maintenance. The tiles are easily cleaned and vibrant. Some delamination may occur with installations of this type, which maintenance staff can easily address by following our Replacement Guide in the Owner's Manual.

To prevent delamination from occurring, we recommend using a Certified Installer. Our installation partners typically recommend installing Life Floor in cooler weather (between 60-70 degrees F) which results in tighter joints during the summer seasons.


HOT CLIMATES

UV exposure is a primary concern for hot climates in regions such as the Middle East.

As part of Life Floor’s NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 Certification, our products have been tested under extreme UV exposure. This is defined by the World Health Organization UV Index as more than 90 days (2,160 hours) of daytime exposure in the 10+ UV Index category within a 365-day period. During testing, erosion is not acceptable if it compromises the surface's traction, cushioning, or color clarity.

Atlantis the Palm - Dubai, UAE

Life Floor's UV resistance exceeds the NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 criteria, which is why internationally renowned brands such as Atlantis the Palm, Dubai choose our products for outdoor aquatic spaces. This iconic triangle gradient paired with Waterplay spray fixtures combines durability with design at Splasher’s Kids Play Area. Together they have created lasting memories for guests of all ages and abilities since it was installed in 2018.

The Atlantis resort brand is internationally known for spectacular thrills, unique attractions, and high-quality entertainment with guest satisfaction in mind. We partnered with Raymond Sport, LLC. to create the iconic surface design for this luxury destination that contributes enhanced safety paired with beautiful aesthetics.

The Beach Jumeirah - Dubai, UAE

The Beach splash pad delights as an amenity to individuals in the Jumeirah Beach Residence area. Life Floor was installed in 2018 and has provided a comfortable and slip-resistant surface for families looking to cool off in the hot climate of Dubai. Unlike concrete, our foam-rubber tiles serve as a good solution for facilities in search of a product that dissipates heat quickly since it will not burn skin and stays comfortable underfoot in intense sun and heat.

In high UV climate areas, facilities often opt for shade structures to protect the longevity of both spray fixtures and the Life Floor. It should be noted that shade is not a requirement since our surfaces have been tested to last at least 5 years in high UV climates with low to moderate traffic.

With constant pedestrian traffic from nearby shops and coffee houses, the splash pad continues to be a focal attraction for cooling off and enjoying mid-day splashes.


To learn more about how Life Floor can help solve your surfacing challenges, especially in extreme climates, we’d love to set up a tailored meeting for you with one of our product experts.

How Long Will Life Floor Last?

Children jumping into a pool.

With over 2,000 installations worldwide, Life Floor is trusted by leading brands and is the recommended surface for WhiteWater, Waterplay, and Rain Drop Products. Our tiles are made from a closed cell foam-rubber and we find that partners and customers are often curious about the general lifespan of our surfacing. While we offer a 5-year material warranty on our 3/8” thick tiles, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to durability. The following are a few factors to consider when assessing Life Floor for different environments.

TRAFFIC

Generally, after 10 million steps, our tiles will start to experience texture fading, reduced cushioning, and can potentially show small micro cracks from pool chemicals and UV exposure.

UV EXPOSURE

UV exposure is the greatest factor affecting durability. We’ve engineered our tiles to last in extreme UV climates like Miami for at least 5 years. If you fall into a climate zone with less UV exposure than climates closest to the equator, you can expect outdoor Life Floor installations to last between 7-10 years.

AVERAGE EXPECTATIONS

Indoor waterpark installations typically last 10-15 years. Outdoor splash pad installations typically last 7-10 years. Geographic location and volume of traffic often play a role in extending or shortening these expectations.

Light use, moderate use, and extreme use examples for Life Floor lifespan.
Custom designed splash pad with large bear paw print inlay.

WHAT ABOUT COLD CLIMATES?

Life Floor is engineered to flex with the freeze and thaw cycles of seasons.

The top of Life Floor tiles may expand and contract with high and low temperatures. In winter months, contraction creates wider joints. In summer months, expansion creates tighter joints. Rapid temperature changes and/or wide swings have negligible impact on tile performance after installation. Approved contact cement adhesives keep the base of the tile secured to the underlayment or substrate.

Pictured above is one of our oldest outdoor splash pad installations at Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This splash pad has experienced TEN freeze-thaw cycles and is still performing great!

Custom designed splash pad with children running through spray features.

WHAT ABOUT COLOR LOSS?

We love design and we want every surface to look bold and bright for as long as possible. Colors generally fade in sunlight, but we’ve spent over a decade engineering our tiles to increase color longevity.

With our latest product innovations tailer to UV resistance, colors will stay vibrant through the warranty period when facilities follow proper water chemistry protocols and tile maintenance.

Want to learn about how our tiles are third-party tested for durability?
Read about how we meet the criteria for the NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 standard here.


GET STARTED ON YOUR PROJECT TODAY

With complementary design services and a dedicated team ready to answer any questions, we can’t wait to identify a solution for your surfacing needs. Contact us to get the ball rolling!