Rubber Mulch
Rubber mulch has become an increasingly popular playground surfacing material over the past several decades because of its durability and impact-absorbing qualities. Often made from shredded recycled tires and dyed in an assortment of colors, this material is typically available from local and regional suppliers. Overall, it scores pretty well for a loose-fill material.
Evaluation Criteria
Learn more about the details of the evaluation criteria.
Safety
Cleanliness
Care & Maintenance
ADA Compliance & Accessibility
Aesthetics & Design
Installation Cost
Lifetime Cost
Rubber Mulch
Safety
Safety Rating:
Rubber mulch is one of the safest loose-fill materials used for playground surfacing from a fall impact perspective because it does not compress in the same manner as natural materials. As such, rubber mulch can typically be filled to a shallower depth than other loose-fill materials while still providing the needed impact attenuation. In addition, it is not affected by high humidity or cold temperatures.
As with all loose fill materials, care must be taken to inspect the mulch for contaminants and it must be raked regularly to ensure the material is kept to an adequate depth. Since few playgrounds are raked regularly, we have applied a lower safety score to this material.
Note: For the highest safety standards, ensure your rubber mulch surface passes the ASTM F1951 lab test after installation. In order to evaluate the safety of rubber mulch when compared to other playground surfaces view fall heights.
Rubber Mulch Safety Concerns
A concern with using rubber mulch as a playground surface is that the some types can leach toxic chemicals that can be harmful to children or the surrounding environment. If you choose this option, take care to ensure that you specify 100% non-toxic rubber material.
Rubber Mulch
Cleanliness
Cleanliness Rating:
Aside from the mulch getting stuck in shoes, clothes or various body parts, rubber mulch is typically quite clean. Most playground suppliers use clean mulch and it doesn’t decompose over time like wood materials. One common concern relates to the dye used to color the rubber mulch, but most varieties are designed so that their coloring does not bleed onto clothing or skin.
As with all loose materials, there is always a concern with the mulch being tracked throughout the playground or nearby buildings. Installing a proper barrier around the border of the playground can help but mulch is inherently not the cleanest material choice.
Rubber Mulch
Care & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating:
Like all loose-fill surfacing materials, rubber mulch must be frequently inspected and raked to be kept at adequate depths and and compliant with ASTM fall height requirements. In addition to inspecting the depth of material, it is necessary to inspect for foreign objects that may be hidden beneath the surface. Over time, rubber mulch may also need to be “topped off” as it is tracked outside of the playground area.
Rubber Mulch
ADA Compliance & Accessibility
Accessibility Rating:
Rubber mulch meets ADA requirements for wheelchair accessibility, however due to its propensity for displacement, rubber mulch can make mobility difficult.
Rubber Mulch
Aesthetics & Design
Aesthetics Rating:
While rubber mulch offers a unique and fun aesthetic appeal with the range of colors available, there is limited design flexibility beyond choosing the color since it is a loose-fill material.
Rubber Mulch
Installation Cost
Installation Cost Rating:
Rubber mulch can be installed relatively quickly and inexpensively if the area can be accessed by blowing equipment as shown here. If not, costs can escalate quickly - especially when one considers how often the mulch should be "topped off." Other than that, rubber mulch requires a subsurface that ensures proper drainage as well as a geotextile landscape fabric to prevent vegetation growth.
Rubber Mulch
Lifetime Costs
Lifetime Costs Rating:
While the typical cost to install rubber mulch is less than any unitary surfacing option, the costs to keep it clean and safe close this price gap quite quickly for many palygrounds. In addition to the need for frequent inspection and raking, the mulch needs to be periodically replaced as it is tracked outside of the playground. With that being said, rubber mulch is significantly more durable than other loose-fill options though and does not decompose.
