It absorbs shock better than sand, wood mulch or pour-in-place surfaces, which should result in fewer injuries due to falling. See Chart

We offer five standard colors to complement most projects: cocoa brown, black, cedar red, cobalt blue and grass green.

Custom colors are also available, for example to match school or town colors. RMD mulch is guaranteed color fast for eight (8) years.  We use a licensed coloration process allowing us to achieve 100% coverage of the rubber particle.  

Costs less over time for labor and material
Because RMD playground mulch does not deteriorate, it needs to be refreshed less often than wood-based products. It is also less expensive than pour in place systems, requiring far less labor and expertise to install.

Healthy environment

• Inhibits mold and fungus growth
• Poor habitat for insects and rodents
• Excellent drainage reducing mud in play area
• Less dust than with other alternatives
• Controls weed growth
• We recommend installation of weed fabric below the playground for best results.

Stays put
Rubber is significantly heavier than wood so it does not blow or wash away in heavy rain.

Safe (non-toxic)
RMD rubber mulch is softer than wood, sand or gravel. Independent tests (see page 8) show that for the same amount of material, the critical fall height for RMD Playground Mulch is higher (safer).

Test Results from independent testing laboratories.

Aesthetically pleasing

Environmentally responsible
Using RMD rubber mulch conserves natural resources. RMD playground mulch is made of 100% recycled tires.

Odor free

Fire resistant - See FAQs about fire resistance.

RMD Playground Mulch is manufactured to a 3/8” nominal specification. You can buy it directly from RMD or at many chain stores. We offer two slightly different products with a slightly different size and consistency mix:

• RMD Playground mulch - IPEMA and ASTM certified
• RMD Premium Playground mulch - ADA, IPEMA and ASTM certified ADA compliant

If you are designing a playground, this Today show segment on playground safety has some excellent advice.

See our FAQ page for more information, technical papers, and test results.

Playground Installation Recommendations

• Install 4-6” RMD rubber mulch based on our coverage calculator. Pay particular attention under swings, slides, elevated play structures, and other high “use zones”. The CPSC and ASTM define these zones as extending six feet around all equipment and two times the height of the top rail of a swing set, in front and to the rear of swings.
  
  Slides have a use zone equal to the height of the slide plus four feet, except for the exit area, which is six feet minimum. Complete use zone information, and other valuable safety information, is available in the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Report Pub. No. 325. The report is referred to as “CPSC Handbook for Public Safety”. This publication should be reviewed each year. Pages 6-11 in the current publication deal with surfaces.
  
  
• Mulch under swings, slides, and other wear areas must be adjusted periodically to ensure that it stays at the required depth. It is a good idea to have required depth markers on playground equipment supports in high use areas, and to check depth at least weekly. The CPSC Handbook has a good maintenance checklist in Appendix A. Test methods are described in the ASTM Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment, ASTM F1292.
  
  
• We recommend a retaining barrier around the area where RMD playground mulch is used.
  
  
• RMD playground mulch should not be installed over existing hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete.
  
  
• Failure to install RMD rubber mulch properly and to maintain it at recommended levels invalidates its guarantee.

RMD Americas strongly urges all purchasers of our mulch to comply with these recommendations, and the recommendations in the CPSC Handbook, for safety and liability purposes.