Rubber Mulch Vs. Wood Mulch Playground: Which One Is Better?

As a mom of two, I’ve taken my boys to many a playground. Sometimes they come home with wood stuck to their socks. Other times, they have bits of rubber in their shoes.

I’ve often wondered about the mulch. Why do some playgrounds have wood while others have rubber? How do you choose which to use? What are the benefits of each? And is one better than the other?

Wood mulch is ground from the inner parts of trees, so it rarely causes splinters. While it’s cheaper to install initially, it must be changed annually. It’s slip-resistant and environmentally friendly.

Rubber mulch is made from recycled scrap rubber. Initially, it costs more to install. But because of its low maintenance and durability, it doesn’t need to be changed often, if at all.

While it looks similar to landscaping mulch, wood mulch for playgrounds is much smaller—no more than two inches long. It’s ground from the inner parts of trees instead of the bark. This makes it smoother and less likely to cause splinters.

Many companies make wood playground mulch from mature trees that are located remotely. As such, these trees aren’t exposed to much human activity. So, they are unlikely to cause allergic reactions.

Rubber mulch is recycling at its finest. It’s created from scrap rubber, usually old tires, which are shredded into small pieces. Over 110 million tires are recycled every year, and some of them become mulch for your playground!

Both wood and rubber mulch provides excellent absorption if children fall from playground equipment. However, rubber mulch proves to offer the best fall protection.

Rubber mulch can protect children from falls of 10-12 feet. And it takes less rubber mulch to absorb the impact. Only 6 inches of rubber mulch are required for a commercial playground, and 5 inches are required for a residential playground.

On the other hand, 9 inches of wood mulch are needed to protect children from falls of up to 7 feet.

Between the two, wood mulch requires much more maintenance. Over time, the wood compacts, becoming a less absorbent surface. Although 9 inches is an acceptable amount, many experts suggest laying 12 inches to prolong the surface’s absorption.

Wood mulch is susceptible to mold and decay when exposed to the elements. As such, it needs to be replaced annually at the very least. It may need to be topped off even more often.

Like rubber mulch or pea gravel, wood mulch is a loose-fill playground surface. It has a tendency to get displaced as kids run and kick or in windy conditions. This requires the mulch to be consistently raked so it’s spread evenly, especially in high-impact areas like the swings or slide.

Because it doesn’t stay put very well, it’s worth noting that wood mulch tends to travel outside the playground parameters. Regular cleaning of the surrounding area may be necessary.

Compared to wood mulch, rubber mulch is a low-maintenance playground option. It remains unaffected by the weather, neither rotting nor compacting over time. Because of this, rubber mulch rarely needs to be replaced, if at all.

While it stays put in the wind, rubber mulch does get displaced as children play. Light raking is required to keep the surface even.

Apart from the raking, black remnants from the rubber mulch may be found on your children’s skin or clothes. This will obviously require additional cleaning.

There is much dispute about the toxicity of rubber mulch. One source states the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a safety surfacing guideline. In it, they mentioned rubber mulch as an acceptable material for commercial playground surfaces.

Another source explains what the rubber may have been exposed to and what that does to health and safety. A study at Bucknell University shows that rubber mulch made from tires includes an element called rubber leachate. Because of its mineral content, rubber leachate is highly toxic.

Additionally, if the rubber was exposed to toxic materials such as lead, the rubber will absorb and release it. In high concentrations, rubber leachates can be harmful to human health. Known side effects range from skin and eye irritation to organ damage and even death. Other side effects of long-term exposure include neurological damage and cancer.

For every source that claims toxicity, another says it’s perfectly safe.

We’ve discussed in great detail rubber and wood mulch as playground surfacing options. But you may still have more questions. Here are some things other people wondered about wood and rubber mulch.

It might be a good idea to put landscape fabric under a bed of rubber mulch. Using landscape fabric can prolong the need for replacement. Rubber mulch has a tendency to sink into the soil. This will introduce mud into the area. And you may have to add a top layer every so often to keep the 5-6 inches required.

Unfortunately, both wood and rubber mulch attract mice. It gives them a safe and secure place to burrow. Cedar mulch can be a good mouse deterrent because of the aroma, however, it doesn’t stop rabbits from seeking its shelter.

Wood mulch can attract bugs such as carpenter ants, earwigs, roaches, and termites. Unless the mulch is right up against your house, the chance of these bugs causing damage is minimal. But it’s not impossible. It might be worth it to set traps around the perimeter of your house as a precaution.

On the other hand, rubber mulch is less likely to attract bugs, though it still might harbor other pests.

This is a myth. Rubber mulch doesn’t get any hotter than other playground surfaces. In fact, because rubber doesn’t conduct heat, the mulch beneath the surface is more likely to be cooler.

Both rubber and wood mulch are acceptable playground surface materials. And while they both offer fall protection, rubber mulch is the more absorbent surface.

The benefits of wood mulch include its initial cost and eco-friendliness. However, it requires significant maintenance and poses a few safety concerns.

The benefits of rubber mulch include its little-to-no maintenance, which makes it cheaper in the long run. Rubber mulch seems to have a few more downfalls, though. While both types of mulch are highly flammable and prove to be choking hazards, rubber mulch has conflicting evidence of toxicity. That alone may be a deterrent for some people.

Still, the pros and cons of rubber vs. wood mulch for playgrounds are almost neck and neck. It’s ultimately your decision as to which is right for your playground.