I was at a park that I take my son to called Verona Park and they put this new material down in the playground. I’m sure it’s some kind of recycled rubber. I know a few years ago the were recycling car tires and using them in the playgrounds but people were saying that they were to hot.
They had two different colors. One was green and blacl mix and the other was like a cedar color and black mix. It was like walking on a gym mat. You can smell the rubber.
It was put down so perfect as if it was sprayed on and the seem where the two colors meat are flawless.
I was wondering what this stuff was called and if I could get it for my backyard where the swingset is.
The guy at the lumber yard today said he didn’t know the name of it but someone told him it’s very expensive.
Does anyone know the name of this stuff and used it in their backyard?
Joe Carola
Replies
I don't know what the material is. But, it looks pretty hard, though. For under a swing set a truckload of bark mulch 6 to 12 inches deep would be a good cushion. Playgrounds often use a loose material such as bark mulch or pea stone because it absorbs impact well. It takes maintenance to keep it where it belongs, though.
As I look at the picture it almost looks like a Timberline roof shingle, Cedar and green.
It's not hard at all. It's like walking on a wrestling mat. It actually has a bounce to it. I was jumping up and down on it and trying to wrestle with my son as my my wife was calling me a jerk........ I 'd like to see what it's like after it rains.
The seam is perfect. They had to pour it because it looks like one solid piece and perfectly level, no low spots or high spots.
Joe Carola
I've seen that stuff here, too. It looks kinda like asphalt, but it's rubber bits. It's kinda neat for the swing area; cusions your feet. No, I have no idea what it is...
When I was there, this little boy who was 2 fell off the swing and landed right on face. He was screaming and crying but he was allright. I'm sure this stuff cushioned is falll and prevented him from getting his face scratched.
Joe Carola
Joe-
I just bid a school project in Elizabeth that had similar stuff. It's pricey- they had about 10,000 SF of it, and the quotes were in the $120k range- that's $12/SF. I'll put the quote on Monday and get the name of the company if you're interested.
My brother recently put the recycled tire material down on his son's play area. It was $300/ton, and it took 5 tons for him to cover the area around a pretty big playset, about 12" deep. No problem with it getting hot this summer.
Bob
Bob,
That is expensive. I'm still interested in the name of the company. Where did your brother get the recycled tire material from?
Thanks Bob.
Joe Carola
I'm ask his tomorrow. I think it was somewhere down by Trenton, but they delivered to him in Branchburg with no problem.
I'll let you know what I find out.
Also you can call your city/county parks and rec department. Ask for the supervisor of maintance and they should be able to tell you what they use, the source, and some of the other option that are available in your area.
Framer,
I'm glad to see you get a chance to enjoy Verona's very own Olmstead work. The park is maintained by the county, but I recommend contacting the Verona Park Conservacy (http://www.veronaliving.com/vpc/) since the town and county folks involved in Verona Park are a clueless lot. ...that's not a mistake, it's rustic
Jeff,
Thanks for the link. It's a nice park and they have alot to offer such as the Paddle Boats, the swings, the food stand. You see alot of people fishing there. I've seen alot of grandfathers with their grandchildren there fishing. There's always people taking wedding pictures there, especially on the stairs and bridge.
The playground is alot nicer with this new stuff. My wife told me last nighjt that she read that they were going to do all the parks with this stuff. She also told me that my neighbor bought a swingset on route 46 and they sell this stuff. My wife takes my son to Grover Cleveland park and she says that the playground has the same stuff.
Do you go to the park at all? I know you live so far neighbor. ;-)
We've probably run into eachother a million times and don't even know it.
I'll post a picture of my son and me on the paddle boat and him eating his Spiderman ice cream and also him on the stairs where they usually take the wedding pictures.
Joe Carola
Great pics Joe,
I'm over in the Afterglow area on Sunset Avenue, so we can walk to the park. I like taking different routes to check out the houses since the neighborhood is such a diverse mix of architectural styles. I think the boathouse is my favorite feature.
Did you go to the fair at the Children's Institute today? My nephew had his out of town grandparents visiting, otherwise I would have taken him to work the excavator they set up at the fair....that's not a mistake, it's rustic
Framer, I'm not sure if we are thinking of the same product, but here in Portland, Oregon (headquarters of Nike shoes) some playground surfaces are made from recycled shoes. Apparently old shoes are ground up and used with some form of binder to form a soft and spongy surface. Only downside I've heard is it is quite costly and in one well used park near our zoo the surface came loose from ground and looked like a loose throw rug. I'd love to see how it is mixed and applied. Seems like a great idea to form into interconnecting mats for gym use or play areas for children. And keep a few thousand worn out sneakers from landfill.