Rubber Mulch/Rubber Pavers

[Tracy]

We had a woman call yesterday who just installed an inground pool. She's wanting colored rubber mulch and rubber pavers. If my brain is working correctly this morning, I believe that it is actually recycled rubber tires.
Anyway, I've heard it never needs replacing because it doesn't decay, and that it doesn't retain water.
Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks for all replies.

[Dazed&Confused]

Sites

Found these 2 site might help answer some of your questions.

http://www.homestead.com/prosites-closetheloop/rubberpaver.html

http://www.softlandingrubber.com/what_slrm.htm

[MN_FISH]

I was looking at the rubber products also. Do a web search for rubber mulch it will bring up a few resources & companies that make it. Pavers,mulch,fences,retaining wall timbers. I thought this was a good one to look at. http://www.rubberificmulch.com/ You have to order 2 pallets of their product to become a dealer & there is a substantial price difference! Shipping gets to be a big concern when figuring out your total cost with application! Also you won't be redoing the mulch jobs like with the wood mulch or pine needle mulch? I thought for sure you would have gotten a bunch of comments about it. Good luck on whatever you decide on doing. The links Dazed&Confused posted were also good ones.

[Scaper-S2k]

Personally I think the company making rubber mulch should be forced to stop producing it. Yeh, it lasts a long time, no doubt. But that's not a good thing.

Think about when you have to trim bushes, or rake out leaves. You WILL be removing some of that rubber. So, instead of just having nice organic debris, you now have rubber shreds mixed in with it.

I can see it being sort of okay in a raised area for a swing set or playground, but not in a normal landscape bed.

I would do my best to talk them out of it.

[Tracy]

Thanks!

Thank you both for your posts. I did a search on rubber mulch and came up with alot of great info as well.
I was just curious if anyone had any experience with it.
The woman has wood mulch in her flower beds but was interested in the rubber mulch and pavers just around her pool area.....(which I think is a great idea)
Thanks again!

[GroundKprs]

Rubber mulch has reared its ugly head every 5 to 7 years for the last 20 years at least. Most think it's a great idea until they have to clean leaves out of it, or find that it gets kicked into the grass (& pool in your case, LOL). Once had a pre-school that put it under their swing and gym set. Only way they got is cleaned out in spring was to have the kids pick out leaves and twigs by hand.

And black anything around a pool? Pavers especially? Did you think about how hot that is going to get on a sunny summer day?

[hardboiled]

And what about when the smartypants neighborhood brats try to set it on fire. They quit using it at one park near here because of that.

[RRS]

Rock mulch

Ask them if they would consider a small round rock mulch instead of rubber.

[CorbinLandscapeServices]

No rubber

I agree strongly with Scaper and the rest. Talk 'em out of it. Use natural products such as "real" mulch, rocks, etc. Recycled tires, or any kind of rubber, is good for making roads and parking lots but NOT for landscaping. I'd talk them out of it.

Andrew