Rubber instead of lawn for kids play area.

Not used it myself JWK but seen it on this website when I ordered some gravel.
It's not cheap though and depends on how much you need?
http://decorativeaggregates.com/rubber_playground_chippings.html

 

I don't know of anyone personally that's used it, but if its the stuff I think you mean, it is made from shredded old tyres, so its quite eco in the sense that it saves those old tyres from being buried or burned or disposed of some other way.

 

Couldn't use it personally as 2 of the kids have a latex allergy.

 

Funny you should mention this John, I was looking into this 2 years ago when we bought this house. I was going to separate the garden in 2 halves, one with turf, the other with the rubber. I soon decided on all turf when I priced the rubber up! Plus, it does blow everywhere and then when the children grow up, it needs to be disposed of. A good idea in practice, but too expensive IMO for the domestic garden.m

 

Don't forget that when it's time for you to get rid of the rubber, can you recyle it or will it end up back into land fill ?????

How much did it cost you to get rid of old tyres when you had new tyres fitted

What happen to all the waste tyres, they're now spread over gardens, playgrounds and riding areans, good way of getting people to buy waste

 

Why not use rubber matting: the type with loads of holes in it? Then grass can grow through it and it'll look better.

 

Aw shucks.
I reckon, if you take off half an inch of top soil, lay down the matting, half fill the holes with the soil and grass seed, water it, then you could leave it, mow it and by the time the grandnippers have grown up you won't hardly see it anyway and you won't have to get rid of it. You could even play about with it: plant some bulbs under it and see if the daffs come up before the children come around.

 

Did you consider bark instead of Rubber? I've got some paths using that (over membrane) and they look nice and blend in with the borders. Leaves, and sometimes soil, get spilled onto the paths ... might be a pain to separate the leaves out from rubber? with the bark I just leave them.

I've seen those rubber mats for car parking overflow. The grass never looks very grand, but maybe that's because they used a grass suitable for low maintenance and car parking, rather than lawn?