Playground Rubber Flooring
Compared
Discovering The Best Fit
In Playground Safety Surfacing
Playground rubber flooring comes in pour-in-place rubber, rubber safety tiles, rubber tire mulch, and non-toxic Jelly Bean rubber mulch. Although the names sound alike, there are more differences than one would think.
Pour-in-Place Rubber vs. Rubber Safety Tiles vs. Rubber Tire Mulch vs. Non-Toxic Jelly Bean Rubber Mulch, which one is best?
All four types of playground rubber flooring have their benefits and drawbacks, including cost, safety, and toxicity level.
There are also a few similarities. All of them can safely break a child’s fall, are made of rubber, require installation, are ADA compliant, and last a long time. Let’s take a look and see which surface stands out.
Popular Playground Surfaces
Go Head-To-Head
Pour-in-Place Rubber
Pour-in-place (PIP) rubber is a safety surface made from a variety of rubbers that requires additional set-up. First, a sub-base of either concrete or asphalt is poured. However, it must be sloped for drainage and at least 4 inches thick. Then, the professionals come back to your home and pour two different layers of rubber. The first is to absorb impact. The second is a decorative top layer made from virgin rubber, mixed and poured on-site. As you might imagine, PIP rubber is expensive to buy and expensive to repair.
Rubber Safety Tiles
Rubber safety tiles are a no-fuss, no-muss way to create a safe playground for your kids. Depending on the manufacturer, these tiles could be made from virgin or recycled rubber. When given a choice, always go with non-toxic, virgin tiles. If not, you will come across some of the problems seen with rubber tire mulch. These tiles connect, so they stay in place while the child plays. You also won’t have to worry about your children tripping. The flat, smooth surface prevents unexpected falls during tag.
Rubber Tire Mulch
As opposed to other types of playground mulch such as wood, rubber tire mulch can withstand bad weather and does not deteriorate quickly. In terms of maintenance, you must measure and make sure the mulch is distributed evenly for protection. Crumb mulch should also be checked periodically for sharp objects such as broken sticks and rocks. Rubber tire mulch is made from chopped up, used tires. Therefore, it should come as no surprise it carries the same risks as playing directly on tires. Chemicals, toxins, and wire can turn a fun day at the playground into a medical emergency or long-term illness.
Non-Toxic Jelly Bean Mulch
Jelly Bean rubber mulch is a great mix of both affordability and non-toxic materials. It’s made from 100% wire-free, non-toxic safety tiles. The rubber is tested for chemicals before it’s shredded, and meets 4 other international certifications for performance standards. It’s also pre-consumer, so there’s no chance of chemical cross-contamination from the road.
Experience The Jelly Bean Difference
We believe the safety of children should come first, so we offer a 5-year financing package to make the purchase even more affordable. There is also a 20-year, best-in-class warranty on Jelly Bean vulcanized rubber mulch. If all this seems too good to be true, order a free sample or give us a call 24/7. Day or night, our customer service representatives are here to answer your questions.
When you purchase bulk rubber mulch from us you can rest assured you are receiving the best value for your budget allotment. Why? A few of the top reasons are:
- Does not need to be replaced like wood mulch
- 100% non-toxic, will not need covering up like rubber tire mulch
- Easy to install and maintain
- Curbside delivery included
- Top fall safety rating
