Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance & A1 Rubber:
Building Safe, Creative Playgrounds with Upcycled Rubber
For nearly two decades, Liverpool-based Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance has partnered with A1 Rubber to deliver safe, creative and compliant playground environments across New South Wales.
Led by Manuel “Manny” Rojas, the company specialises in Australian-standards-compliant playground construction, using upcycled tyre rubber surfacing, Shockpad safety underlays and vibrant EPDM finishes to create engaging play spaces for children of all ages.
Quick Facts
Project Partner: Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance – Liverpool, NSW
Industry: Playground construction and landscaping
Specialisation: Australian-standards-approved playgrounds
Partnership: Nearly 20 years using A1 Rubber products
A1 Rubber Products Used:
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Shockpad impact underlays
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Opal EPDM rubber surfacing
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Playform rubber play elements
Key Applications:
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School playgrounds
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Childcare centres
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Residential play areas
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Community parks
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Recreational spaces
The Challenge
Designing and constructing playgrounds requires a careful balance of safety, creativity and durability.
Play surfaces must meet strict Australian Standard fall-height requirements, withstand heavy use and outdoor weather conditions, and still create spaces that encourage children to play, explore and interact.
For Manny and his team, delivering playgrounds that meet these expectations means working with materials that are reliable, compliant and flexible enough to support creative design.
The Solution: A1 Rubber Playground Systems
To achieve these outcomes, Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance regularly installs a range of A1 Rubber surfacing and safety products, manufactured using upcycled tyre rubber.
By transforming end-of-life tyres into high-performance surfacing materials, A1 Rubber helps turn a challenging waste material into durable products used in playgrounds across Australia.
For Manny, the versatility of the product range allows each project to be tailored to its specific design and safety requirements.
“Oh… all of them, man!” Manny laughs when asked which A1 Rubber products he uses most often. “It depends on the project.”
Key Products Used
Playform
A1 Rubber’s Playform range adds creativity and interaction to playground spaces through colourful three-dimensional rubber shapes.
Manufactured from durable rubber materials, these play elements include Australian animal designs, rocks and domes, encouraging imaginative play and physical interaction. Their soft, grippy surfaces provide safe exploration for children while adding visual interest to playground environments.
Playform pieces are widely used in:
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Playgrounds
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Early learning centres
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Recreational parks
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Indoor and outdoor play areas
Shockpad Underlays
A1 Rubber’s Shockpad underlays are engineered to provide critical impact protection beneath playground surfaces.
Installed beneath wetpour rubber or synthetic grass, Shockpads help ensure playgrounds meet Australian Standards for fall-height safety while delivering consistent shock absorption and long-term durability.
Key benefits include:
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Reliable fall-height protection
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Easy installation
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Long-lasting performance
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Compatibility with multiple surfacing systems
Opal EPDM
A1 Rubber’s Opal EPDM rubber granules provide vibrant colour options for visually engaging playground designs.
Manufactured from virgin EPDM rubber, the granules are formulated for the Australian climate and offer excellent UV stability and colour retention, allowing designers and installers to create bold, long-lasting surface designs.
A Passion for Safe Play
While Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance offers a wide range of landscaping services — including retaining walls, fencing, decking and general landscaping — playgrounds remain the company’s true specialty.
“I offer a full package of landscaping services,” says Manny. “Retaining walls, fencing, wetpour rubber, decking, playgrounds — and I’m all about safety for kids.”
From residential installations to larger commercial playground projects, Manny and his team focus on delivering safe, high-quality play spaces that exceed Australian Standards.
A Partnership Built on Trust
Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance has relied on A1 Rubber products since the company began operations.
“I’ve been using their products since I started,” Manny says.
“Sometimes I need a lot of product — a big range or large quantities — and A1 Rubber is always all right with me. They’ve been really good. That’s why I stick with them.”
Supporting Safe and Sustainable Playgrounds
Through partnerships with installers like Manuel’s Landscaping & Maintenance, A1 Rubber continues to demonstrate how upcycled tyre rubber can be transformed into safe, durable and creative playground surfaces.
By combining innovative rubber products with skilled installation, these projects help deliver playground environments that support safety, creativity and long-term sustainability.
Planning a playground, childcare space or recreational area?
Discover how A1 Rubber’s upcycled rubber surfacing systems can help deliver safe, durable and visually engaging play environments.
Contact our team to discuss product options for your next project.