What tools do I need to invest in to work with poured in rubber professionally?

Installing poured in place rubber is a growing business. I have seen this once niche installation grow into a widely accepted application, not just in the playground industry, but into pools, walk ways, nursing homes, horse stalls, etc. 

So you have done a few playground rubber repairs, or maybe sealed a few playground surfaces and you are now considering going into the poured in business. Which tools should you be your first investment? Here a list of must have tools in the poured in business.

1. A good mortar mixer: Definitely not a concrete mixer. A mortar mixer will mix your rubber and binder more evenly than a concrete mixer. You will definitely need a mixer that can handle two bags as a lot of the applications call for a bag of black SBR and one color bag. Each one of these bags weighs 55 pounds. 
2. Drill paddle mixer: You will need this to dilute some of the binders for priming, but also to mix small batches for repairs.
3. Lots of latex gloves. If you have done this already, you know that if the binders get on your skin, they stay.
4. Xylene or lacquer thinner to clean your mixer and tools.
5. Some good rounded trowels as well as rectangular trowels. The rounded trowels are mainly for the wear layer.
6. Spray bottles to fill with soap and water to lubricate towels.
7. Digital fish scale to measure binder as well as rubber.
8. The right thickness pipes and lumber to use as gauge.
9. Good leaf blower to blow off loose granules when you are doing recaps.
10. Plenty of tarps to protect your rubber from impending rain.
11. knee pads. 
12. Orange fence and caution tapes to protect your work.
    
    

A note about stocking materials. It is always best to stock a healthy amount of buffings and base layer binder as the most popular wear layer colors, which include black, beige, green, blue and red. if you happen to get into the business of repairing running tracks, your reds and whites will be a must have. Finally, and this goes without saying it, a reputable supplier of rubber and binder. The supplier should not only be able to sell you the stuff but should be knowledgeable about the product and installation process. If you have any questions about playground rubber and binder supplies please call us at: 203-659-0456 or email us at info@trassig.com