What is it?
Rubber Bark is a great alternative to wood mulch, wood bark, wood shavings, pea gravel, sand, grass, etc under playground equipment or in landscape beds.
 
What is it made of?
Rubber Bark is recycled from California scrap tires.
 
How is it made?
Tire recycler, Golden By-Products, cuts the old tires up through a sequence of specialized tire recycling grinders using magnets to remove all of the steel. The pieces are color coated in a big mixer and packaged for sale as Rubber Bark.
 
How long does it last?
Tires are basically inert and therefore the product will theoretically last forever. The only thing that will remove it is physical activity or kick-out which is the reason that a containment boarder is important. Since the product does not breakdown/discentigrate under playgrounds the fall safety is maintained for many years without adding or replacing material.
 
How long will the color last?
The color is a coating that encompasses each piece of rubber. Rubber Bark has been tested for colorfastness and has held up well against all factors with little to no color fade for a very long time. UV rays are the only successful fader of the color over a very long period of time. Since the sun light only touches one side of the material, simply mixing/raking the material can revitalize the color. Rubber Bark has successfully been in the marketplace for 3 years without any complaints of color fade. We estimate (but do not guarantee) 5-10 years to complete color loss.
 
What kind of base does the rubber bark have to go on top of?
The product should be placed on a well draining base material. If you standard soil is well draining then no additional prep would be required. We suggest that you dig down deep enough to place the product at the necessary depth (we recommend 6” for commercial play areas) and leave a 1-2” margin between the top of the product and the top of your border to prevent some of the inevitable kick out.
 
How do animals like it?
Typically in a landscape or playground setting, animals don't tend to frequent the areas specifically for a depository, mainly because the product doesn't absorb their scent. We have recently had people purchasing the product to be used for dog run/pen areas. The main issue is a containment boarder to prevent major kick out from animal activity. If an animal does soil the product it can easily be scooped up and rinsed off and reused or disposed of. Some users report it taking a few days for the animals to get used to the new bedding product. All animals are different, some people have requested small samples of the product to see if their dogs will eat the product. It is non toxic and inert so if it is eaten it will pass through their system.
 
Is it flammable, will it burn?
Tires have been tested and are actually considered non-flammable because they are difficult to ignite on their own. For more information please see our ARCHITECTURAL BID SPECIFICATIONS.
 
Does it get hot in the summer?
Because Rubber Bark is a loose fill material the amount of air that is allowed to circulate through it helps reduce the surface temperature. It is not much different than any other surface placed in extreme direct sunlight.
 
Does it float?
Rubber Bark does not float which has dual advantages: it won’t float away in flood conditions and if it does get into your swimming pool it will sink to the bottom and not get into your drain system.
 
How about on slopes?
As with any loose fill material, gravity will play a role in how well it remains on sloped areas. Severity will depend on the degree of slope and outside factors that assist the movement of material (wind, rain, etc). Containment and maintenance can help maintain a nice look.
 
Does it blow away?
Rubber Bark does not tend to blow away. In fact at the right height a blower can be used on areas with Rubber Bark to remove dry leaves and debris. Trial and error will help to determine the right height for the blower so as to not dislodge the product.
 
Do I need to use as much as wood mulch?
No. For playground applications that have typically used 12” of wood mulch to get a 9-12” fall height, you’ll only need about 6” of Rubber Bark to get the same degree of protection. Rubber Bark is tested at a 4” depth and gives a 9’ fall height (ideal for a typical backyard play area). We recommend a 6” depth due to the higher volume of activity on such an application. For landscapes typically a 2”-3” depth is adequate.
 
How to I get a quote?
By email or phone contact our office. Be sure to have your square footage, preferred depth, and city/state of delivery for us to quote your project.
 
How is it delivered?
Rubber Bark is delivered by truck to your driveway. We have 2 packaging options to choose from: super sacks (2100 LBS each, 4’x4’x7’ tall) which are pushed off the truck creating a bulk pile on your driveway for you to shovel/wheelbarrow to your install location OR 40LB bags (1 pallet is 2000 LBS, 50 bags) which are hand unloaded off the truck into a pile on your driveway.
3 rd party report on the benefits of tire product for playgrounds: RMA link: Article about Tires used in Playgrounds