10+ Year Lifespan
Won't rot, fade or break down
Low Maintenance
No annual top-ups or raking
Free-Draining
No mud, no waterlogging
Free UK Delivery
5–10 working day pallet delivery
Playground safety depth calculator
Pick your equipment or set a custom fall height — we'll show the minimum mulch depth required to meet BS EN 1177.
Industry-standard guidance for SBR loose-fill rubber mulch under BS EN 1177. For commercial playgrounds, schools and nurseries, verify against documented Critical Fall Height and conduct a site-specific risk assessment.
See each colour in real installations
Tap a colour to see how it looks in gardens, playgrounds and landscaping projects across the UK.
Rubber Chippings vs Bark vs Real Grass
Each surface has its place — but for play areas with high foot traffic and year-round use, the differences add up fast. Here's how they compare:
| Feature | Recommended Rubber Chippings |
Bark Mulch | Real Grass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | ✓10+ years | ✗1–2 years | −Permanent with care |
| Impact cushioning | ✓High | −Medium | ✗Low |
| Free-draining | ✓Yes | −Partial | ✗Waterlogs |
| No annual top-ups | ✓Yes | ✗Top up yearly | ✗Reseeding |
| Mud-free in wet weather | ✓Yes | ✗No | ✗No |
| Doesn't rot or decompose | ✓Yes | ✗Rots over time | −Partial |
| Pest-resistant | ✓Yes | ✗Attracts insects | −Partial |
| Pet-friendly | ✓Yes | ✗Some types toxic | −Patchy & muddy |
| Low maintenance | ✓Yes | ✗Topping & raking | ✗Mowing & watering |
Want the full breakdown? Read our in-depth comparison: rubber chippings vs bark for play areas.
Rackerman's coloured playground rubber chippings — also known as coloured rubber mulch or rubber bark — give you seven shades of decorative, low-maintenance surfacing in one place, including Camo, exclusive to Rackerman. Made from 99.9% wire-free recycled rubber, our 20mm chippings hold their colour year after year through UK weather, drain freely, and outlast traditional bark mulch with virtually no upkeep.
Built to last in UK weather
Unlike bark chippings that grey out and break down within 1-2 seasons, rubber chippings are UV-stable and frost-resistant. The colour you order is the colour you'll still have in five years. They don't rot, attract mould or wash away in heavy rain — once they're down, you can forget about them.
For playgrounds, gardens, equestrian and trade projects
Use them around swings, climbing frames and trampolines for impact-absorbing safety surfacing, or as decorative borders, pathways and feature beds. Schools, nurseries, councils and landscapers use coloured rubber chippings as a long-term alternative to bark, gravel or wet-pour. For installations under fall-height equipment, refer to the BS EN 1177 depth chart above to find the correct depth for the equipment's Critical Fall Height.
Coloured rubber chippings vs bark mulch
Bark needs replacing every 12-18 months, fades to grey, and rots into the soil — total cost over five years can be 3x more than rubber. Coloured rubber chippings are a one-time install that lasts decades. Read the full rubber chippings vs bark for play areas comparison. Prefer standard black in larger bulk sizes? See our playground rubber chippings range.
Bulk bags from 100kg to 2 tonne, 5-10 day UK delivery
Available in 100kg, 300kg, 500kg, 1000kg and our exclusive 2000kg trade size — the only one-bag option for installers covering 100m² or more in a single drop. Delivered on pallets within 5-10 working days to UK mainland addresses. Order a £1 sample in any colour first to confirm the shade before committing to a bulk bag.
Bulk and trade orders
Working on a school, nursery, council park, landscaping or commercial project? Contact us on 01665 497513 or info@rackerman.co.uk for trade pricing on orders over 2 tonnes.