Remove all sticks, rocks, and debris from the area where the mulch will be placed. Use a pick to soften the dirt, and use a shovel and a hose to evenly distribute the dirt. Dig at least 6 inches. The area must be flat and have a drop of roughly 1 inch for every 10 feet in order to secure the flow of water.
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.
When using mulch in your landscape, there is no need for the use of artificial weed barrier such as plastic or landscape fabric. These materials do not work and are not weed barriers. They are only necessary under stone.
When it comes to residential playground applications, a 4” – 5” installation depth is typical based on the average height of residential playground equipment. 4” installation depth provides up to 10' critical fall height protection and a 5” installation depth provides up to 12' critical fall height protection.
Rubber mulch is suspected of being toxic to plants, containing high levels of zinc which leaches into the soil, causing chlorosis. It also poses health concerns, as it releases heavy metals, plasticizers, and accelerators into the environment.
Unlike wood mulch, rubber mulch used in landscaping doesn't attract termites, carpenter ants or other harmful wood destroying insects so it's the ideal mulch for use around buildings, foundations, and wood structures.
For gravel drainage, gravel must be installed below the filter fabric directly beneath the rubber mulch.
The best type of geofabric to use on a rubber mulch installation is a thick non-woven fabric. This is the same type that Rubberecycle stocks and has available to order. It feels similar to felt and allows water to permeate through it easily.
There are two ways by which you can clean your rubber mulch, one is to use a leaf blower to clean out leaves or debris from your mulch. But if you are looking for a more thorough clean, we suggest washing your mulch. Sprinkle environment-friendly soap on the mulch covered area and spray with a hose.
There are several reasons: In hot, sunny weather, rubber mulch gets hot. Rubber mulch absorbs the heat of the sun. On a hot summer day, the mulch also gets hot — sometimes, uncomfortably so for children.
Evenly distribute the rock and soil. It should be around 2 inches deep in all surface areas. Whenever the mulch is part of a playground, make sure to make it 6 inches deep in order to add an extra cushion in order the break children's falls more easily. Walkways or running tracks do not need to be this deep.
Rubber mulch provides excellent drainage for the soil and supplies great insulation against harsh weather. It also allows a higher degree of heat to be maintained in the soil as well as maintaining its moisture levels. Wood mulch, however, can starve plants.
* Rubber lets rain drain through better than compacted wood mulch and doesn't absorb much (if any) of that water. That means more water for plant roots.
Rubber Mulch Is Not Healthy For Your Garden's Health
Rubber mulch isn't a healthy choice. Like everything else, it does break down, and when it does, it leaches a witch's brew of heavy metals and toxic chemicals into the soil and groundwater.
That being said, although rubber mulch offers more weed protection than traditional organic mulch, we still recommend laying a fabric roll between the rubber mulch and the soil to ensure no weed growth.
Rubber mulch offers a variety of benefits when compared to traditional playground materials. It lasts longer than traditional playground wood chips or gravel. The bright, vibrant colors don't fade and can provide fall protection from up to 12 feet, making it an ideal playground surface.
In this type of application we do suggest the use of fabric specifically designed to prevent future weeds from invading your yard. Weeds are much less likely to germinate in the rocks and the preferiferral fabric stunts any weeds from growing and penetrating through.
Mulch will help keep weeds down in addition to the fabric while covering the landscape fabric, providing organic nutrients to the soil and beautifying your yard. Spread mulch evenly around shrubs and plants as deep as 3-inches to cover the landscape fabric and beautify your garden.
What to put under rubber mulch? You can lay landscape fabric before spreading rubber mulch. Landscape fabric, such as geotextile membrane, prevents fabric mulch from sinking into the soil.
Bonded Rubber Mulch can be laid on existing solid surfaces such as tarmac or concrete but ensure that there is good drainage. We do not recommend laying directly on to unprepared surfaces such as bare soil or grass.
SOFT LANDING RUBBER MULCH (SLRM)
So soft you can walk barefoot, and unlikely to cause injury if thrown. Rubber mulch makes backyard swingsets much safer because it does not absorb water or freeze like traditional mulch does.
While rubber mulch rings are easy to install and last for years, the bottom line is they're not the best for trees. Rubber mulch rings are less effective than natural mulch and can possibly hurt your tree. As the rubber breaks down over time, the rubber adds toxic contaminants into the soil.
When installing rubber mulch over a weed fabric, you will never have any weed problems, and you won't have to worry about previous mulch debris mixing with it. Rubber Mulch can be installed over your previous wood mulch, but make sure the wood mulch has had time to decay and become compacted.