Which Playground Mulch is Right for You?

Curious about which playground mulch to use in your backyard? At McCarty Mulch, we have plenty of choices for your children’s playground.

Playfun Playground Mulch

The most popular of these, and also the safest, is our Playfun mulch. Playfun is made of small wood chips processed down to a uniform chip size of 1 inch or less. The mulch is light, soft, and springy. Playfun is in compliance with ASTM specifications as well.

These qualities make it perfect for your children’s playground and are why many elementary and middle schools use it for their playgrounds. The mulch, unlike rubber tire mulch, is great for absorption. So not only is it great for playgrounds but it’s also useful in kennels and walking paths.

However, this ideal playground mulch decomposes and requires more maintenance than its rubber counterpart. Playfun mulch comes in one color, a light, natural brown color.

Rubber Mulch

Rubber tire mulch is also a good choice for your playground because of its light, bouncy makeup, and low level of required maintenance. Once rubber tire mulch is laid, it often only requires maintenance every few years, if that! Because the mulch is made of 100% recycled car and truck tires it never breaks down or decomposes.

The only maintenance required is when your children have kicked and played in it so much that some of it escape the confines of your playground area. In this case, some spots will need touching up in order to cover the ground. The rubber mulch is also visually appealing and comes in black, brown, and uncolored.

Overall, both mulches will be great for your children’s backyard playground. If you are willing to spend more the first time and have little to no maintenance in the future, then rubber tire mulch is for you. If you are looking to pay less, love the look of a new coat of mulch, and don’t mind having to add Playfun into your playground every few years, then Playfun is likely the mulch for you.