New Playground with Rubber Bark™

Coastline Church in Carlsbad, California just got a little more kid-friendly with this new playground. It uses our signature Rubber Bark™ as groundcover, to help keep the kiddos bruise free, and able to play on the equipment safely. Rubber Bark™ is manufactured with recycled tires, and is virtually chemical-free. It has been tested for safety procedures, and is ideal for playgrounds. Interested in getting your own playground with some Rubber Bark™? Find out how to order here!

Our bark comes in great playground colors too! Try our blue, brown, redwood, black, or forest green.

Rubber Bark™ Works Well with Pools

Rubber Bark™ is great for outlining pools, ponds and other standing water sources, because it doesn't soak in water, like soil, or wood mulch, and it floats!

Check out customer Robert's new landscaping near his snazzy pool in San Diego.

This is just one of the ways Rubber Bark's intuitive design and purpose can work for your outdoor and landscaping needs.

More info is available at Rubber Bark's recently redesigned website. And make sure to calculate your costs for Rubber Bark™ using your space measurements with Rubber Bark's handy calculator.

Happy swimming!

What Rubber Bark™ Has Been Up To

Like we said in our previous post, we have been very busy bringing the best rubber mulch on the west coast to many people and projects. 

Along with our new website, we are in the midst filming an HGTV special that will be airing in March or April about Rubber Bark™! 

The Caltrans job in San Diego. 

We have also been supplying Gold County Fair with our helpful mats for its barns. Lassen County Fair will have some mats of their own by the end of the month as well.

And let's not forget the Caltrans job in San Diego. About 500,000 lbs of Rubber Bark™ is being used. 

These are all ongoing projects and we will be updating the buzz with exciting new developments on each.

To say the least, we have had a very good winter. When The Bellagio in Las Vegas buys Rubber Bark™ (it has for the last three years!) for its planter boxes inside the resort, we know we are going to more than make it through the season.  The Bellagio previously used sand, then wood chips, but they kept getting little flies/nats hatching in the planter boxes. However, since they switched to Rubber Bark™ the boxes have been critter free. 

Rubber Bark™ has also made it into several school districts in the past few months. Le Grande Union Elementary School, Planada School District, and Weaverville Union are now proud owners of some great ground cover.  

And lastly, Rubber Bark™ has supplied numerous cities for public projects, including  the Westside Recreation Center in Taft, the Yolo County Office of Education, Marysville, Dixon and Turlock.

Hello, We Have Missed You!

Hello all you faithful Rubber Bark™ buzzers! We have been mighty busy cooking up some great rubber ground cover deals, so our sincerest apologies for not bringing you the latest in the recycled rubber industry.

We have a new website for you though! Complete with a seamless ordering system, a new reseller's corner, and much more media about our signature bark. We hope you like it as much as we do.

Stay tuned for more updates about the most recent Rubber Bark™ happenings!

Aerial Photo of Rubber Bark™

Ever wondered what Rubber Bark™ looked like from high in the sky? Well, here is your chance! The Mather Federal Aviation Building in Northern California recently received this photo of its landscape improvements.

All the blue, green, and brown, surrounding the central white buildings is Rubber Bark™!  

Along with this photo, came a nice note:

"We were lucky enough to receive a recent aerial shot sent to us from Digital Sky Aerial Imaging this morning, as you can see, the landscape upgrades are almost complete, and look fantastic!  We have been receiving
a lot of compliments and accolades for the progress." 

It's always extra special to see large entities such as Mather Aviation go green with recycled products like Rubber Bark™. 

Nice new patio & garden with Rubber Bark!

Below are a few snapshots one of Rubber Bark's customers sent to us after he used about 14 bags of our signature mulch. Looks perfect for lounging on a breezy summer day!

Want to transform your backyard/front yard/patio/play space into a summer wonderland? Let us know! 

Want to see more photos of customer's transformations using Rubber Bark™ (plus all our community projects)? Go to our Flickr page! 

Rubber Bark™ by the pool

It's beginning to look (and feel!) a lot like summer, which means picnics, parties, and especially pool days. To reconfigure your backyard pool into something inviting (a garden oasis? a serene pool space?) some Rubber Bark™ is surely a necessary ingredient.

Not only does Rubber Bark™ easy to maintain, it is nontoxic, durable, and eco-friendly. Outline the yard with Rubber Bark™ in one of the various vibrant colors available, and it will surely add that boost and charm needed for those lazy summer days with friends.

No pool? No problem. Rubber Bark™ can act as your water oasis replacement with its ocean blue option! Many an outdoor space has been transformed by creating the illusion of the wet stuff with some strategically placed mulch. Check out a few of the photos below to get the idea!

Happy Earth Day 2012!

Yayyy! It is finally here, one of Rubber Bark's favorite days of the year, Earth Day!

Today, take a moment (preferably more) and thank good ol' Mother Earth for being the surly, unwavering matriarch that she is, and think about ways that you can help her out in her old age.

One way for certain, is the replace that old wood mulch with some Rubber Bark™. Rubber Bark™ keeps millions of tires out of landfills every year, because it is made of 100% scrap tires. We believe in the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra, heck, our company is based around the concept!

Not to spoil the specialness of the day, but every day at Rubber Bark™ is kind of like Earth Day, where we want to empower consumers to make responsible choices in everyday purchases. Getting some Rubber Bark™ is a great first step (or second, or third) on the path to living a more sustainable lifestyle. Plus is looks great, and of course, is safe for the kiddos!

So, happy Earth Day all you buzzers and Rubber Bark™ friends!

NSPX3- "Good vs. Bad Rubber Bark"

We came across this interesting tidbit (and video!) the other day when we were perusing the interwebs for rubber mulch related news and were so excited to see NSPX3 give a shout out to Rubber Bark™!

BAD BARK! 

The company was right in saying that there can be two very different kinds of rubber mulch in playgrounds throughout the country. Some rubber mulch companies can leave in harmful metal from the tires and, once dyed a certain color, can fade rather quickly. Some mulches also let their "true colors" show, with the nylon of the tires left exposed, which may cause skin irritation.

GOOD BARK! 

However, Rubber Bark™guarantees its color will stay true and goes through quite the rigmarole to ensure that no metals or other harmful substances are hiding in the rubber. Plus, Rubber Bark™ has a consistency to it, with its colors, size of the bark, and its texture, that other mulches may overlook.

Rubber Bark's other wonderful products

We spend a lot of time discussing all the benefits of Rubber Bark™ on thee ol' buzz (and there are many!), but because it's April, the month of Earth Day, we want to give a shout out to Rubber Bark's other wonderful products, all of which are just as environmentally friendly as our signature mulch.

Rubber Bark™ is great for animals, but so are Ag Mats, also made of recycled tires, and come in two varieties, flat or pebble top. Horses love these mats, as it protects their hooves against moisture on the ground, and is flexible enough to support their weight.

Then there are the fabulous outdoor tables and benches. They are also made of 100% recycled scrap tires (see a pattern here?) and are made to last at least ten years, as opposed to wood, which can deteriorate due to acclimate weather and use. No staining or preservatives needed, the sturdy outdoor furniture looks great in a community park or small garden.

The last of the recycled tires lot is infill crumb rubber. You may have seen it being used as a part of asphalt for roads, in outdoor tracks for synthetic ground cover, or any of the other numerous ways this durable product can be used. Considered as safe as it gets by the EPA, infill crumb rubber is not only a smart choice, its a eco-conscious one too, as no new resources are being used.

And last, but definitely not least, are Bender Boards. These futuristic landscape liners are made of recycled plastic, and add an aesthetically pleasing look to gardens, yards, edging, and walkways. They are water resistant (which means they won't rot, crack, or splinter!) and can take multiple meetings with lawn mowers and weed whackers. 

Countdown to Earth Day!

With less than a month until this year's Earth Day  we at Rubber Bark™ are getting excited to let our customers know about Rubber Bark's eco-friendliness.

Rubber Bark™ not only is a recycled product, made from 100% scrap tires, it also is durable, lasting more than 10 years. It reduces the customer's carbon footprint by almost 95%. That is a lot, especially in places such as California, where landfills are grossly full and resources (such as trees for wood mulch) are vastly over cut.

We believe that one of the ways that modern consumers can show support for recycling, their environment, and their own spaces is by supporting businesses that practice what they preach. Rubber Bark™ uses refurbished almond extracting equipment to make our wonderful rubber mulch, and we frequently donate to community projects.

We will be celebrating Earth Day the entire month of April (heck, we celebrate it all year-round). We don't want you to forget the actual day though either, so we figured a nifty countdown is in order.

Color Coordinating With Rubber Bark™- UPDATED

Most style magazines would tell a person not to wear too much of one color, to mix it up and find colors that complement each other. However, there is the rare exception (such as a signature black dress) that looks great BECAUSE it is monochrome. 

Case in point: Napa Auto & Truck Parts' new look. Napa added blue Rubber Bark™ to the edges around its building, and the end result is an eye-catcher. Blue on blue adds some fun to the environment, and definitely moves the eye across the space to the highlighted name. Something the Napa folks appreciate, to be sure. 


Here's what Jana, the CEO of Rubber Bark™, had to say about the decision: "Blue is not the typical landscaping color but this is a great example of how Rubber Bark™ can really add to a colorscape." 

If Napa Auto & Truck Parts were a person, it'd be on the "best dressed" list. 

Got some cool ideas for how to use color with your Rubber Bark™? Let us know! 


UPDATE: Guess what?! NAPA thought that the blue was a little too blue, and decided to one-up itself by sprinkling in its other signature color, yellow. What do you think of the results? VERY STYLISH! 

Check out more photos of NAPA's new look on Rubber Bark's Flickr page! 

Photos from the World Ag Expo

Here are some great photos of Rubber Bark's recent appearance at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. They are also available on our Flickr page, where all the rest of the wonderful Rubber Bark™ photos live as well.

Rubber Bark's New Starter Kit For All Your Landscaping Needs

Take a look at Rubber Bark's new starter kit! We are very excited to offer this new combination of products. 

 The starter kit includes one  pallet of Rubber Bark™ or 50 bags, four bender boards, with a 1 inch by 4 inch by 20 ft. size, plus 12 stakes to hold the bender boards. It also includes one roll of weed barrier cloth, that is a 3 ft. by 50 ft. roll and a 3 ft. by 100 ft. roll of weed cloth. And to top it off it includes shipping to anywhere in California.

This starter kit can work for a 400 sq. ft. area or a 20 ft by 20 ft area.

For just $899, your landscaping can be done in one swoop with premium products! 

Behold! The mighty starter kit!

Want to know more? Contact Rubber Bark™!

Ag Mats Keep the Children at Play and the Gophers Away

One of Rubber Bark's clients recently purchased our stall mats for a really great application. They used the mats underneath some artificial grass they were installing to keep the gophers from burrowing through the ground beneath the grass. 


Traditionally, people use crushed rock, which is more labor intensive to install and may be more expensive.  And in the end,  gophers can still come through the rock. 


Rubber Bark's mats, which are usually used for horse stalls, vet clinics, and warehouses (so this new technique is unique!) are gopher-proof and create a nice soft, flat surface under the artificial grass.

Are you interested in gopher-free landscapes? Contact Rubber Bark™ and learn more about our Ag mats and our other wonderful products. 

Rubber Bark's New Sales Exec and more info on the World Ag Expo

Check out the news release below about Rubber Bark's new sales executive Carin Ryan, and about her upcoming adventures, including attending the World Ag Expo next week, where she will bring Rubber Bark™ to the willing masses! 

Rubber Bark™ Hires Sales Exec; Earns Spot at World Ag Expo

Rubber Bark™ is excited to announce its inclusion at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA on Feb. 14 through the 16th, with its new sales executive Carin Ryan, showcasing the award-winning Rubber Bark™ products at the event.

Ryan joins the growing company at an optimal time; Rubber Bark is releasing its new weed cloth, a porous landscape fabric, to complement its rubber mulch.

“We want to make Rubber Bark™ a household name like Kleenex or Scotch tape so that when someone says our name, our logo and products immediately come to mind,” said Ryan about the decision to join the Expo and Rubber Bark™.

The expo, which is in its 45^th year, will have over 1,600 exhibitors from across the country.

Ryan said her influences for joining the environmentally conscious company stem from her background in the construction industry and her dedication to California businesses.

“Rubber Bark™ is a progressive, green company who is already leading their industry and I was excited for the opportunity to help them grow,” she said.

“I love where Rubber Bark™ fits into corporate America.  We’re small but mighty.  We’re an industry leader. We’re growing. We’re family owned and operated.  All those things really matter to me personally and bode well for the future of this company. “

“We are very happy to have Carin on board and bring her expertise to this new position,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn.

“We can’t wait for her to shine at the World Ag Expo. It’s a wonderful time for Rubber Bark™.”

Rubber Bark™ will be at Booth #4100 in Pavilion D, the Beef & Livestock Building, for the World Ag Expo.  Patrons of the expo will have a chance to win three yards of Rubber Bark™ or 15 rubber mats by filling out a survey.

Rubber Bark™ at the World Ag Expo in February!

We want everyone to know about Rubber Bark's spot at the World Ag Expo coming up in February. We are very excited to be a part of this great event! 

Come visit us at the World Ag Expo, which will take place in Tulare, CA from Feb 14-16. Our spot is Booth #4100 in the Beef & Livestock Building. You’ll get to meet our team and see all of our products, including our durable, eco-friendly rubber mats and our new landscape fabric.  And it’s another chance to win three yards of Rubber Bark™ or 15 durable, eco-friendly rubber mats when you complete a short customer survey.  

So mark it on your calendar and make sure to come by our booth sometime during the week. We'd love to see you. 

Video of Rubber Bark™ on Curiosity Quest Goes Green

Did you ever get a chance to watch Rubber Bark™ on the great PBS show Curiosity Quest Goes Green? Last year, the cameras took a trip to the Rubber Bark™ facility in Ballico and had a great time filming the Rubber Bark™ creation process while learning about Rubber Bark's environmental contributions by keeping millions of waste tires out of landfills. Here is a clip of the episode, with more to come in the next few days.

New Photos of Happy Feet 2 Promotional Display Featuring Rubber Bark™

Last month set designers put up a promotional display for the movie Happy Feet 2 in the Grove mall in L.A. and we have some photos to share!

 We are very happy with the results of the display, as the designers used or signature blue Rubber Bark™ to represent water surrounding ice floes and bergs with penguins dancing on them. Here is a link to our Flickr stream if you want to see them and more of Rubber Bark's contributions, events and displays.

Rubber Bark™ Introduces New Landscape Fabric, Gardeners Rejoice!

Yes, we are very excited to announce that a new product, a durable, sturdy landscape fabric with Rubber Bark™'s quality guarantee will be added to our wonderful list of outdoor products for the new year. Rubber Bark's landscape fabric complements our signature Rubber Bark™ mulch in numerous ways, including decreasing weeds and trapping moisture for soil and perennials while keeping out toxins. So, get your green thumbs ready, and make sure to get some weed cloth when you are ordering your supply of Rubber Bark™ from our website. Check out the news release below: 

Rubber Bark™ Streamlines Landscape Maintenance with New Outdoor Fabric

            Rubber Bark™, the leading west coast rubber mulch manufacturer, launched a protective weed cloth this week to its line of eco-conscious and budget conscious landscape products with the intent to streamline the process for customers to get both Rubber Bark’s signature mulch and the landscape fabric under one company.

Rubber Bark™ decided to include a weed cloth to its repertoire because of its importance in maintaining a beautiful landscape and its complementary features with Rubber Bark™ for many projects including gardens, playgrounds, edging, and yards.

            The weed cloth, which will come with the quality and guarantee of a Rubber Bark™ labeled product, acts a penetration barrier for weeds, and protects perennials surrounded by Rubber Bark™ from weed invasion.  Known as “geotextiles,” weed cloth is typically permeable fabric that has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce and protect drain systems. Rubber Bark™ will be carrying fabric made of Polypropylene in four different sizes.

Using Rubber Bark™ ensures the additional benefit of lengthening the life of perennials because it protects it from unnecessary sunlight yet allows for moisture and nutrients to pass through its pores and it provides an escape for trapped carbon dioxide, a toxic build up that can lead to sterile soil.  

             “It’s the perfect complementary product with Rubber Bark™,” said CFO of Rubber Bark™ Rob Nairn.  

“Rubber Bark™ is to weed cloth like peanut butter is to jelly.”

  Obtaining Rubber Bark™ mulch and weed cloth at the same location also allows for customer cost efficiency, as deliveries can be made in one trip and all the products needed for a weed-free project can be found in one place.

“Rubber Bark™ wanted to make it easier for customers to get both great products in one simple swoop,” said CEO of Rubber Bark™ Jana Nairn. 

“We are very excited to bring this new Rubber Bark™ product to our clients. It gives that extra protection some landscapes may need in weed prone areas.”