/ 8   inch ▁to ▁ 1 ▁in ch . ▁ ▁Adv antages ▁Rub ber ▁mul ch ▁provides ▁several ▁advantages ▁over ▁plant ▁material ▁based ▁mul ches . ▁ ▁For ▁land sc aping ▁and ▁garden ing ▁purposes , ▁both ▁n ug gets ▁and ▁buff ings ▁ins ulate ▁soil ▁from ▁heat , ▁allowing ▁a ▁ 2 ▁or ▁ 3 ▁degrees ▁F ▁higher ▁soil ▁temperature ▁difference ▁over ▁wood ▁mul ches . ▁Rub ber ▁mul ch ▁is ▁benef icial ▁for ▁soil ▁mo ist ure , ▁as ▁rub ber ▁is ▁non - por ous ▁and ▁does ▁not ▁abs orb ▁water ▁on ▁its ▁way ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁soil . ▁It ▁also ▁reduces ▁fung us ▁growth ▁and ▁plant ▁growth , ▁and ▁becomes ▁a ▁we ed ▁bar rier , ▁as ▁we ed ▁se eds ▁de h yd rate ▁in ▁the ▁mul ch ▁before ▁reaching ▁the ▁soil . ▁Ne ither ▁n ug gets ▁nor ▁buff ings ▁provide ▁any ▁hum us ▁to ▁compact ed ▁soil ▁types . ▁ ▁Another ▁advantage ▁over ▁plant - material ▁mul ches ▁is ▁its ▁el astic ity , ▁which ▁gives ▁it ▁a ▁spring y ▁quality ▁when ▁used ▁in ▁a ▁fairly ▁thick ▁layer . ▁This ▁makes ▁it ▁a ▁natural ▁choice ▁for ▁play ground s , ▁where ▁the ▁extra ▁spring iness ▁provides ▁additional ▁safety ▁for ▁children ▁when ▁they ▁fall ▁off ▁of ▁play ground ▁equipment . ▁Test s ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁rub ber ▁mul ch ▁is ▁superior ▁in ▁breaking ▁falls ▁to ▁traditional ▁b ark ▁mul ches . ▁The ▁International ▁Play ▁Equ ip ment ▁Man ufact ur ers ▁Association ▁has ▁cert ified ▁some