Playground Rubber Mulch
Delivering Safe & Stylish Solutions For Play Areas
Use Rubber Mulch for a Smarter & Safer Playground
GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch is an innovative & eco-friendly ground cover product
Playground Rubber Mulch Applications & Uses
Residential Playgrounds
HOA/Neighborhood Playgrounds
School Playgrounds
Daycare Playgrounds
Church Playgrounds
Commercial Playgrounds
Some of the best memories children have are made on the local playground as they run, jump, swing, climb, and imagine their way into new adventures. Sometimes, traumatic memories are made when a nasty fall onto the play surface leads to a broken bone, head injury, or painful scrape. A play surface material like rubber mulch can greatly reduce any injuries your child might sustain.
Unlike wood mulch/chips, pea gravel, and sand, rubber mulch does not turn into a compacted or hard surface with frequent use. It won’t blow away in high winds or float away during big rain storms either, and stays in place to keep your child safe. Rubber mulch has been evaluated by groups like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as an appropriate loose full surfacing material for residential and commercial playgrounds because it provides superior fall protection when compared to other materials.
Keeping the “Play” in Playground
GroundSmart™ is the nation’s leading provider of playground rubber mulch that exceeds today’s playground safety standards and guidelines and helps keeps millions of scrap tires and billions of pounds of scrap tire rubber out of landfills every year. We are dedicated to turning recycled tire rubber into new, innovative, eco-friendly, and sustainable rubber mulch products that keep playgrounds safe and improve the environment.
Get the Facts About Playground Rubber Mulch
And Other Surface Safety Standards
Rubber Mulch Meets All Safety Standards
GroundSmart™ Playground Rubber Mulch meets the criteria required by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) for certification as a playground or play area safety surface and wheelchair accessibility.
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1292-13
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1951-99
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F3012
GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch
Fall Height Protection |
Safety Surfacing Compacted Depth |
Up To 16 FT. |
6" |
Up To 12 FT. |
5" |
Up To 10 FT. |
4" |
Wood Fiber & Wood Mulch
Fall Height Protection |
Safety Surfacing Compacted Depth |
Up To 10 FT. |
9" (Fiber) |
Up To 7 FT. |
9" (Mulch) |
While wood mulch and wood chips have been the most popular playground surface material for years, they can be costly in the long run due to yearly upkeep costs. They also decay overtime causing splinters, attracting pests, become compacted reducing fall protection, and can be washed or blown away from weather events.
Pea Gravel
Fall Height Protection |
Safety Surfacing Compacted Depth |
Up To 5 FT. |
9" |
Pea gravel is composed of smooth, small stones that come in a variety of natural color ranges. It can be an attractive playground surface material, but it is far from ideal from a safety standpoint. Over time pea gravel compresses into a hard, non-shock absorbing surface that can be extremely painful to fall onto and no matter how hard you try, you always end up with several in your shoe that can also be painful to step on.
Sand
Fall Height Protection |
Safety Surfacing Compacted Depth |
Up To 4 FT. |
9" |
Playground sand only provides protection from falls up to 5 feet compared to the 10-12 feet that playground rubber mulch provides. In the long run, playground sand compacts, is messy, gets extremely hot in direct sun, and is seen as a giant litter box by animals.
Playground Rubber Mulch Benefits
- Creates safer playgrounds
- Reduces injuries from falls
- IPEMA certified for critical fall height protection (ASTM F1292-13)
- Recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission “CPSC” for use as a playground safety surface
- Meets Americans with Disabilities Act “ADA” accessibility standards as playground safety surface (ASTM F1951-99)
- Up to 60% savings versus engineered wood fiber (EWF) or wood mulch in playground or play area applications
- Inhibits growth of mold and fungi, reducing allergy risk
- Saves time and money by eliminating annual mulching
- Requires up to 50% less material than engineered wood fiber (EWF) or wood mulch
Playground Rubber Mulch Features
- 12 year Color-Lock guarantee
- Helps prevent weeds
- Does not attract termites, carpenter ants or other harmful wood destroying insects
- Resists rodent infestation
- Does not float, absorb water, erode or blow away with heavy wind or rain
- Will not rot unlike engineered wood fiber (EWF) or wood mulch
- 100% Recycled Rubber
- 99.9% Wire Free
- Non-toxic
Playground Rubber Mulch Cost Benefits
Products like wood mulch and engineered wood fiber (EWF) break down and decompose. As a result, the cost and maintenance of a playground using wood mulch or engineered wood fiber (EWF) significantly increases over time. Additionally, as these products break down and decompose the critical fall height protection they provide is reduced. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch does not break down or decompose and helps create safer, smarter playgrounds that are ready for play 365 days a year, year after year.
59% COST SAVINGS
Rubber Mulch vs Wood Mulch/Engineered Wood Fiber
Over 12 Year Period
Playground Examples Using GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch
How Much Rubber Mulch Do You Need?
Rubber Mulch Coverage Calculator for Your Playground Project
Calculator Directions
Select Your Planned Usage
Select your Installed Depth
Enter Your Dimensions
We’ve put together an easy to use rubber mulch coverage calculator so you can easily figure out how much rubber mulch you’ll need to cover your project. Simply input your dimensions and we’ll tell you how much you need!
Coverage Calculator
Rubber Mulch Frequently Asked Questions
- GroundSmart™ Playground Rubber Mulch – Installation Instructions
- GroundSmart™ Playground Rubber Mulch – Architectural Bid Specifications
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – IPEMA Certification for 4”, 5” and 6” compacted depths per ASTM F1292-13
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – IPEMA Certification for F3012
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – ASTM F1951-99 Wheelchair Accessibility Test at 4” compacted depth
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – ASTM F1951-99 Wheelchair Accessibility Test at 5” compacted depth
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – ASTM F1951-99 Wheelchair Accessibility Test at 6” compacted depth
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – Accelerated Weathering Test
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – Feedstock MSDS Sheet
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – Product Warranty
- GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch – Chemicals Commonly Found in Natural Soil vs Recycled Rubber
- Public Playground Safety Handbook
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD. Publication #325, Nov 2010.
www.cpsc.gov - Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD. Publication #324, 2005.
www.cpsc.gov
- Health and Safety Considerations Associated with the Use of Recycled Waste Tires for Playground Surfacing
- Review of the Human Health & Ecological Safety of Exposure to Recycled Tire Rubber found at Playgrounds and Synthetic Turf Fields
- Crumb Infill and Turf Characterization for Trace Elements and Organic Materials
- Information Regarding Use of Recycled Rubber on Playgrounds
- A Scoping-Level Field Monitoring Study of Synthetic Turf Fields and Playgrounds
- The Effects of PU Coated Rubber Mulch ion the Leaching of Contaminants Compared to Uncoated and Acrylic Latex Coated Rubber Mulch
- Evaluation of Playing Surface Characteristics of Various In-Filled Systems
- Evaluation of Health Effects of Recycled Waste Tires in Playground and Track Products
- Preliminary Assessment of the Toxicity from Exposure to Crumb Rubber: its use in Playgrounds and Artificial Turf Playing Fields
- Toxicological Evaluation for the Hazard Assessment of Tire Crumb for Use in Public Playgrounds
- Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook
Report Summary: Supplemental chronic risk estimates … indicate that regular exposure (e.g., regular play on ground rubber filled athletic fields) to ground rubber for the length of one’s childhood does not increase risk of cancer above levels considered by the State of California to be de minimus.
- Five Year Study of the Water Quality Effects of Tire Shreds Placed Above the Water Table
- Environmental Impacts of Recycled Rubber in Light-Fill Applications
No, GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch comes with a 12 year color-lock guarantee. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch looks great 365 days a year, year after year, and it’s more durable, cost-effective, maintenance free and eco-friendly than wood mulch, stone and other common landscape groundcover materials.
We are often asked if rubber mulch is safe for dogs and children if it is accidentally eaten. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch has been tested using the European toy test method EN 71-3 which determines if heavy and toxic metals will leach out of a product when exposed to stomach acid should a person or pet consume a piece. Nothing was determined to leach out of GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch when exposed to stomach acid.
GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch is 99.9% metal free, making it safe for both children and pet to play on. The Environmental Protection Agency has studied rubber mulch and found it to be a safe, non- toxic material, posing no health hazards to pets or people.
Dogs and small children are prone to chew on anything (including other surfacing materials like wood mulch, grass, dirt) so be sure to monitor them if you’re concerned about them chewing on rubber mulch. As with any accidental ingestion, it is always best to monitor them until the non-food object passes. It should pass without incident but a digestive blockage is always a risk, so consult your veterinarian or doctor if you have greater concerns.
Currently, there is not an approved or accredited test to evaluate the risk of a broken arm or leg.
No. A broken nose, brief loss of consciousness and other injuries may still happen but the risk of the most severe type of non-fatal injury – a non-recoverable brain injury – are dramatically reduced.
When installed and maintained to a proper depth for the surrounding equipment, GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch softens the impact by gradually slowing the fall and dispersing the energy which greatly reduces the risk for a traumatic brain injury. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch has the unique ability to provide this protection all year, rain or shine in a variety of climates.
Acute symptoms can include unconsciousness, inability to recall the traumatic event, confusion, difficulty learning and remembering new information, trouble speaking coherently, unsteadiness, lack of coordination and problems with vision or hearing. Long term symptoms include violence, anger, depression and increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Source 1: Mayo Clinic
Source 2: Alzheimer’s Association
Falling on grass, dirt and sand is how a lot of us grew up and we’re fine, right? Thanks to the NFL and the automotive industry, today we know a lot more about head impact protection and traumatic brain injuries. The most important recent finding is that every bump to the head – whether big or small – is cumulative. Each one adds up and has an effect on the brain. Brain injuries can be the result of multiple small bumps to the head or one large hit to the head. Having a reliable, all weather safety surface made from GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch helps reduce the number and severity of impacts to the head that can result in brain injuries.
The area where GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch will be installed must be graded for proper drainage with a substrate that is compacted to provide a firm, even base.
Installation of a commercial grade geotextile landscape fabric is recommended under GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch. Seam overlap needs to be a minimum of three inches and all seams need to be properly secured to prevent dirt or other substrate material from mixing with the safety surfacing. Additionally, the landscape fabric needs to be properly secured at the perimeter and around all installed equipment posts or polls. If stone or other material is used as part of a drainage system then the use of landscape fabric is also recommended in order to ensure that the materials do not mix.
If GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch will be installed above grade, use of a retaining system is highly recommended to reduce migration of GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch outside of the designated area and to help maintain a level, compacted play area.
When installing over hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete, follow the November 2010 Consumer Product Safety Commission Publication 325 Public Playground Safety Handbook section 2.4.2.3 Installing loose-fill over hard surface. This guideline recommends that immediately over the hard surface there should be a 3- to 6-inch base layer of loose-fill (e.g., gravel for drainage). The next layer should be a Geotextile cloth. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch should be installed directly over this layer. Embedded in the GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch should be impact attenuating mats under high traffic areas, such as under swings, at slide exits, and other places where displacement is likely.
Prior to installing GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch the area must be cleared of all grass, wood chips, rocks, stumps, gravel, or any other type of debris.
GroundSmart™ Playground Rubber Mulch is the smart, economical solution in playground safety surfacing. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch provides up to a 59% savings versus wood mulch or engineered wood fiber (EWF) over a 12 year period.
Products like wood mulch and engineered wood fiber (EWF) break down and decompose. As a result, the cost and maintenance of a playground using wood mulch or engineered wood fiber (EWF) significantly increases over time. Additionally, as these products break down and decompose the critical fall height protection they provide is reduced.
GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch does not break down or decompose and helps create safer, smarter playgrounds that are ready for play 365 days a year, year after year.
There are many entities that support the use of rubber mulch including federal, state and local environmental agencies, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA). Rubber mulch has been proven effective in reducing critical brain related injuries from falls.
GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch is produced to tight manufacturing specifications. This manufacturing process is certified by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) to provide consistent head impact protection. The end product is 99.9% metal free, provides up to 16 ft of critical fall height protection and comes with a 12 year color warranty.
We recommend a 4″ to 6″ compacted layer of GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch. A 4″ inch compacted layer is International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certified to provide up to 10 ft of critical fall height protection, a 5″ compacted layer will provide up to 12 ft and a 6″ compacted layer will provide up to 16 ft of critical fall height protection. When assessing how much rubber mulch you need, be sure to measure from the highest point where someone could jump or fall.
Fall Height Protection |
Un-Compacted Depth |
Compacted Depth |
Weight per sq.ft. Compacted |
Up To 16 FT. |
7" |
6" |
15.3 lbs |
Up To 12 FT. |
6" |
7" |
13.1 lbs |
Up To 10 FT. |
5" |
4" |
10.9 lbs |
Leaves and small branches can be blown off the surface with careful use of a leaf blower. The coating does not stain or absorb odors from urine. GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch’s color can be freshened with the use of a mild detergent and a power washer on a low setting.
In order to provide maximum head impact protection and accessibility of the playground or training area, maintenance is required. A level, compacted depth of rubber mulch must be maintained.
Upon discovery of a thin, un-compacted or non-level condition, the surface of the area must be raked and compacted to ensure consistent and proper installed depths.
Periodic replenishment may be required if your rubber mulch has migrated outside of the surface area, cannot be reclaimed and a level compact depth for the required fall height protection cannot be achieved.
Related Rubber Mulch Installation Questions
Install GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch at a uniform level throughout the surface area. Any variety of method can be used for spreading the mulch including blowing, shoveling and raking. Care should be taken to not disturb the substrate material and/or landscape fabric if used.
The amount of rubber mulch used per square foot is dependent upon on the required fall height rating of the playground equipment. Rubber mulch is IPEMA certified to provide up to 16’ of critical fall height protection per ASTM F1292-13. To achieve a maximum fall heights when installed in fall zones of a playground, the following depths and ratios must be followed:
Fall Height Protection per ASTM F1292-13 |
Un-Compacted Depth |
Final Compacted Depth |
Weight per Sq. Ft. Compacted |
Up To 16 FT. |
7" |
6" |
15.3 lbs |
Up To 12 FT. |
6" |
5" |
13.1 lbs |
Up To 10 FT. |
5" |
4" |
10.9 lbs |
Proper compaction can be achieved by using a lawn roller. Once the rubber mulch is raked and leveled into place, the lawn roller can be pulled directly over the surface. It is recommended to roll the roller across the surface in multiple directions. If low or high spots develop while compacting the surface, material can be added into the low areas and/or raked away from the high areas and compacted again.
To reduce maintenance of your rubber mulch in high use areas where critical fall height protection is not required, rubber mats may be used. Mats can be placed under or on top of the rubber mulch.
Related Rubber Mulch Installation Questions
It’s a best practice to lay your mulch down when the soil has warmed up from the winter season. We advise laying mulch down during mid to late spring. Mulching too early can slow down the warming process and negatively affect plant life for seasons to come.
Spring is also the best time to check for debris from the winter such as dead plants and weeds. Be sure to clean out this area before laying down a new layer of mulch.
Not sure how much recycled rubber mulch you need for your project? Try our coverage calculator.
Prior to installing rubber mulch the area must be cleared of all grass, wood chips, rocks, stumps, gravel, or any other type of debris.
Related Rubber Mulch Installation Questions
The area where rubber mulch will be installed must be graded for proper drainage with a substrate that is compacted to provide a firm, even base.
Installation of a commercial grade geotextile landscape fabric is recommended under rubber mulch. Seam overlap needs to be a minimum of three inches and all seams need to be properly secured to prevent dirt or other substrate material from mixing with the safety surfacing. Additionally the landscape fabric needs to be properly secured at the perimeter and around all installed equipment posts or polls. If stone or other material is used as part of a drainage system then the use of landscape fabric is also recommended in order to ensure that the materials do not mix.
If rubber mulch will be installed above grade, use of a retaining system is highly recommended to reduce migration of rubber mulch outside of the designated area and to help maintain a level, compacted play area.
When installing over hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete, follow the November 2010 Consumer Product Safety Commission Publication 325 Public Playground Safety Handbook section 2.4.2.3 Installing loose-fill over hard surface. This guideline recommends that immediately over the hard surface there should be a 3-6 inch base layer of loose-fill (e.g., gravel for drainage). The next layer should be a Geotextile cloth. rubber mulch should be installed directly over this layer. Embedded in the rubber mulch should be impact attenuating mats under high traffic areas, such as under swings, at slide exits, and other places where displacement is likely.
Prior to installing rubber mulch the area must be cleared of all grass, wood chips, rocks, stumps, gravel, or any other type of debris.
Related Rubber Mulch Installation Questions
4 Steps to a Safe & Beautiful Playground using Rubber Mulch
CALCULATE
ORDER
DELIVER
INSTALL
GroundSmart™ Rubber Mulch products are available at major lawn & garden retailers, mass merchandisers, and garden centers
Shop Now for GroundSmart™ Playground Rubber Mulch
Find the perfect playground rubber mulch color to match any project in any environment
Cedar Red
Customer Rated:
Mocha Brown
Customer Rated:
Espresso Black
Customer Rated:
Green
Customer Rated:
Blue
Customer Rated:
Shop Now for GroundSmart™ Playground Rubber Mulch
Find the perfect playground rubber mulch color to match any project in any environment
Cedar Red
Customer Rated:
Mocha Brown
Customer Rated:
Espresso Black
Customer Rated:
Green
Customer Rated:
