Plastic connector ZS "Matte Black"

Plastic connectors are used to align rubber granulate tiles during installation and to stabilise their position within the surface. They are pushed into the factory-drilled holes on two opposite sides of the tile, allowing for quick, tool-free assembly.

Installation and laying pattern

Several connectors are typically used per tile edge, often four per side. Tiles are always installed in a half-bond (staggered) pattern. In this layout, each connector links one tile with two neighbouring tiles in the row above and the row below. There is no connection between tiles within the same row.

What the connectors do in the finished surface

The connectors limit sideways movement of the tiles across the connector line, i.e. perpendicular to the connector axis. They do not prevent tiles from pulling apart along the connector axis. The system therefore acts as an alignment and positioning aid rather than a rigid joint.

Design of the connectors

The connectors are cylindrical and may be solid or hollow. Several circumferential ribs create a tight, secure fit once pressed into the drilled holes. For installation, the connectors are first inserted into the side holes of one tile; the next tile is then aligned so that its holes meet the connectors and is pushed into place.

Use with moulded rubber granulate elements

Plastic connectors are also used with other rubber granulate elements such as block steps or kerbs. In those applications, their main purpose is to simplify installation by making it easier to align elements quickly and accurately. They are therefore primarily an assembly aid.

Structural limitations and edge restraint

This connector system does not create a force-fit or form-fit connection. It cannot transfer tensile forces and therefore cannot prevent rows from gradually separating. Changes in tile volume caused by temperature or weather are not compensated by the connectors either. For this reason, any surface installed with tiles and plastic connectors must be finished with a suitable edge restraint to prevent the surface from spreading, similar to unbound concrete paving.