How strong is the connection provided by connectors (plastic dowels) in rubber playground tiles (playground safety mats) and rubber granulate mats?

Some rubber granulate products – for example, rubber playground tiles (playground safety mats) and rubber granulate mats – can be connected using connectors, also known as plug‑in dowels or plastic dowels. In practice, however, these connectors do not provide a stable, permanent joint: they offer no resistance to tensile forces, so the tiles can be easily pulled apart in the installation direction. They also do not counteract the weather-induced volume changes of the tiles (expansion and contraction), which over time lead to wide gaps that often become colonized by vegetation.

While plastic dowels or connectors can prevent lateral shifting of individual tiles to a limited extent and thus stabilize the assembly when installed correctly, the overall connection remains weak. If a surface laid with tiles using connectors is subject to higher stability requirements, it is advisable to additionally bond the tiles along their lateral, flat edges. This bonding creates a permanent, force‑locking connection that better meets the stability demands.