Colored Nugget Rubber Mulch

Nugget Grade Recycled Rubber Mulch

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Rubber Mulch is made from recycled tire rubber and comes in several sizes and grades.

Our nugget grade rubber mulch ranges in size, from 3/8" to 3/4". The rubber particles have a roundish, irregular shape.

This material is commonly used as a safety surface in playgrounds. When used for this application, the black, raw rubber mulch receives additional processing to remove any excess fiber and all of the exposed metal.

While it is possible to use this product in its raw, uncolored black condition, it is not recommended when used in a playground environment. Black material gets very hot when exposed to the sun. In addition, exposure to the sun causes the rubber to oxidize. This creates a black power that can make a group of playful kids look like the have been playing in a coal mine. Most of our suppliers color the raw rubber with special, non-toxic pigments, that reduce the buildup of heat and protect against sun damage.

A four to six inch layer of rubber mulch is recommended for playground applications. Most states require a minimum of six inches of coverage in any public play area, such as a park, school or regulated day care facility. In backyard playgrounds, a four inch layer is usually fine.

Playgrounds are not the only places where our colored nugget grade rubber mulch is commonly used. This product makes a great decorative mulch. 

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When used for landscaping applications, only about two inches of coverage is needed. Rubber mulch controls weeds, reduces water use and helps keep the soil cool.

Rubber mulch does not decompose, the way that woodchips or organic mulch will, so this material does not have to be replaced for many years, when used as a ground cover. Rubber mulch also makes a great walking surface when used on paths and walkways. In this application, the mulch reduces erosion and helps to keep the dust down. Other landscape applications include use as a weed barrier around trees or shrubs.

From a sales standpoint, we treat our rubber mulch products as a commodity. Most of the high quality manufacturers of this material make the product the same way. There will be some variation between one manufacturer and an other in the colors offered, the size of the nugget particles and, of course, the cost.

Since delivery costs are always a big part of the total cost, and we work with most of the major manufactures of this product in the US, we typically use regional suppliers, so we can keep the shipping costs as reasonable as possible.

While it is true that most manufacturers produce a similar product, not every manufacturer offers a wide range of colors or has gone to the trouble of doing extensive product testing as is the case with one of our favorite suppliers located in Southern Michigan. We have used the documentation provided by Cobalt for the downloadable technical information available from the links below.  While this information is representative of most of the suppliers that we use for rubber mulch, it should be noted that individual manufacturers technical data and color offerings may be different than what is displayed here.

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Links and Downloads