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May 2006
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Mulch match: Rubber stacks up well against wood

Rubber mulch may sound as aesthetically appealing as an artificial Christmas tree, but it has a few selling points. It can eliminate the need for annual mulching, since rubber doesn’t break down as wood does; it’s heavy enough to stay put; and you can use less of it than wood mulch: Rubber mulch need be only 1.5 inches deep vs. about 3 inches for wood mulch.

We tested Dupont Garden Products Long-lasting mulch (sold at Lowe’s) and RubberStuff Landscape mulch (sold online and at some Home Depots) against red-cedar wood mulch. Here’s how they fared:

Weed control. Rubber and wood did about equally well. No weeds grew through, though some crept up around the edges.

Staying power. We flooded all three mulches with an open hose. The wood rose up and floated off; the rubber remained. RubberStuff also claims not to blow away. When we held a leaf blower, set on high, 2 to 3 feet from all three mulches, wood flew all over the place. Dupont blew around a little and RubberStuff didn’t budge.

Mulch match.

RubberStuff

Dupont
Cedar wood mulch
COVER-UP RubberStuff and Dupont rubber mulch products cost several times as much per cubic
foot as regular wood mulch. But in CR’s tests, rubber was more likely to stay in place and to last far longer.
 
Weathering. We set up trays of the mulches on our headquarters roof, covered part of each, and left the rest open to the elements. After 32 weeks, wood and Dupont had faded slightly; RubberStuff had not. Manufacturers indicate that the color will last more than 10 years, but our tests suggest that some fading may occur.

The bottom line. Rubber mulch won’t provide soil with organic material, but it will control weeds and doesn’t need to be replaced as often as wood. It could be a sensible choice, especially around trees and perennials. Either Dupont or RubberStuff should perform fine. While they come in different size bags, Dupont costs about $13.75 per cubic foot and RubberStuff about $15. That’s more than wood, at $1.50 per cubic foot, but rubber lasts longer. Note that garden rubber mulch isn’t suitable for playgrounds: It may contain small pieces of steel or nylon. A spokesman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission said the agency has made recommendations, but there are no regulations yet.