The Process of Manufacturing Rubber Mulch

August 17, 2015

man working on a tire

When rubber mulch is delivered to your home, you are likely to get them in sacks or pallets of different poundage, all uniformly shredded and ready to be used. Turning old rubber tires into mulch, however, involves a process that ensures longevity, safety, and quality.

Recycling old tires

The EPA and CSA have endorsed the use of rubber mulch for children’s playgrounds. These respected agencies approve of the shock-absorbent quality of rubber, and of the recycling process involved in what would ordinarily be problematic landfill fodder. Any old rubber tire, from small to large vehicles, can be recycled and made into mulching material.

Steel band removal

After thorough cleaning, manufacturers remove the steel bands from the recycled tire buffings before shredding them up. This process ensures that the rubber mulch is safe to work with and walk on. Trustworthy rubber mulch companies use a multi-process, state-of-the-art magnet system to make sure that their final product is practically steel-free.

If you’re canvassing for rubber mulch options, keep in mind that the smaller the rubber chips are, the less likely they will contain any traces of steel wire. Bigger nuggets might still contain steel that can potentially injure.

Coloring

While black is the default color of rubber mulch, there are many color choices for different types of mulching needs: gardening, borders, playground surface, horse arena, etc. Custom-colored rubber mulches go through a non-toxic, long-lasting coloring process that will guarantee at least 12 years of non-fading visual impact.

Packaging

With clients’ specific needs in mind, rubber mulch is typically packed for delivery in 25 bags of 40 pounds each, which ships as a ½ pallet (1,000 pounds) or 50 bags of 40 pounds, totalling 2,000 pounds. To get an idea of how many packages of rubber mulch you will need, here’s a quick reference guide:

For landscaping, 2 inches;

For a residential playground, 3 inches;

For a commercial playground, 6 inches.

You can also compute per square footage and for depth by using this calculator.