Material for pathways

yola · 21-04-2009, 07:55 PM

Now, I'm not a big fan of bark - mainly because the blasted birds dig it everywhere and I have to sweep it up - certainly at home! However, I've found this stuff http://www.dunweedin.co.uk/gallery_projects.html, which they have at Domi's riding school in the arenas in its cheapest form (plain grey/black).

It's chipped rubber - recycled from old tyres and I'm thinking of getting one of the more vibrant-coloured ones to use as paths at the allotment between my raised beds.

Does anyone know any good/bad/neutral reports of this type of product? I know it retails through B&Q in some of the more tame colours (am thinking of violet/blue which has to be bought direct)? Do you think it's just too unnatural and maybe I should just stick with bark or gravel?

Thoughts welcome

angieh · 21-04-2009, 08:21 PM

Have to admit that I have not heard of this product before Yola. I had a quick look at the website and they don't have answers to the two potential problems that pop into my mind. One, I presume that as it is a crumb structure, water would freely drain through it - which would be good and secondly, it's rubber - what happens if an animal swallows a bit of it, does it choke or is that not actually a hazzard they've come across ............ I don't have any problem with recycling rubber per se, my worry is that their website doesn't seem to have a FAQ section - I may have overlooked it however.

dandysmom · 21-04-2009, 08:32 PM

I like the green aspect of recycling tires, but wonder of it's safe to use around a vegetable plot ,,,any danger of toxic leakage? Too bad there isn't a FAQ section. My own preference would be gravel ........

calismum · 21-04-2009, 08:34 PM

Yola - a livery yard that I kept my horse at years ago used this on one of their all weather surface arenas. It was, IMO, a better surface in terms of drainage etc than the sand or fibrefill arena. There was a path from the tackshop to the wash area which used the rubber for the surface - comments would be it seemed to carry into the yard although I would have to qualify that by saying it was very heavily used at weekends and is perhaps not a fair comment.

The actual 'stuff' itself was made from old tyres/cables etc. It did tend to look quite worn after a while and became quite grey.

I didn't think about Angieh's comment and would also be concerned at how attractive, or not, it would be to small animals.

IMO I prefer a more natural product but it would. I think, depend where it was to be used.

angieh · 21-04-2009, 08:46 PM

There is a huge range of chippings and mulches made from other perhaps more "natural" sources, always bearing in mind that cocoa shell chippings should not be used where they can be a serious danger to dogs.

alexgirl73 · 21-04-2009, 09:07 PM

Well, dunno about allotments etc, but I have heard of a few people using this in their chicken runs instead of bark (easier to blast with a hose lol). I'm thinking about using it in mine.

alexgirl73 · 21-04-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angieh

Have to admit that I have not heard of this product before Yola. I had a quick look at the website and they don't have answers to the two potential problems that pop into my mind. One, I presume that as it is a crumb structure, water would freely drain through it - which would be good and secondly, it's rubber - what happens if an animal swallows a bit of it, does it choke or is that not actually a hazzard they've come across ............ I don't have any problem with recycling rubber per se, my worry is that their website doesn't seem to have a FAQ section - I may have overlooked it however.

it does have a FAQ section angie

When you click on product you want to know about (chippings for example) look to the right hand side and there is a box with different links on it.

angieh · 21-04-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexgirl73

it does have a FAQ section angie

When you click on product you want to know about (chippings for example) look to the right hand side and there is a box with different links on it.

Well spotted Alex - I did overlook that and those FAQs answered both my queries very well.

yola · 22-04-2009, 08:48 AM

DM - I like gravel but OH has a real problem with it (says you can't wheel a barrow along it)! It would be my preference too so I may have to work on him

But I do like the recycled aspect of this product and I also like the idea of having vivid purple pathways to match my gaudy shed

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