Overview / Usage

When planning a new playground, you'll naturally want to select one that meets all of their demands and specifications. This includes installing high-quality surface material for your playground flooring, ensuring that children are safe and encouraged to play, learn, and have fun. But what playground flooring options are accessible? Are they all the same, or will some be more suitable? We've answered all of these questions and more in this article.

What Types of Playground Flooring Can You Find?

Here's a list of some of the most prevalent surface materials used in school playgrounds. The one you choose is entirely up to you, but looking through and researching each of them may help you make a more informed decision about which one you want for your areas:

Rubber Tile

The best playground flooring is rubber materials since they cushion mishaps and save life. Rubber playground flooring is excellent for environmental resilience, non-slip, and stress absorption. Parks and schools like rubber tiles. They are easy to put in, strong, and soft. Their range of hues and designs helps to create interesting patterns.

Pour-In-Place Rubber

The Cadillac of playground flooring is poured-in-place rubber. A two-layer system set on-site offers a seamless, continuous surface. Whether inside or outside, playground rubber flooring can endure severe conditions.

Grass

You might even choose to stick with the most natural play surface of all: grass. This is sure to give any outdoor area a gorgeous, natural appearance, and it's great for smaller play areas with low-to-moderate foot activity. Keeping a Reception or Infant playground fully or mostly covered by grass is an example of this, though keep in mind that grass' level of impact absorption is entirely dependent on the climate and type of soil beneath.

Artificial Grass

High-quality artificial grass, which has been increasingly popular in recent years, might be an ideal play surface. Modern installations are soft underfoot (and can be installed with a foam underlay for an even more comfortable play experience), long-lasting, and manufactured from weather-resistant materials. Because the grass will never grow, it will just require minor upkeep to keep looking its best. This means you'll have a clean, green environment ready for outdoor play all year round.

Sand

Sand is a popular choice for playground surfaces since it is inexpensive, simple to apply, and widely available. It's also great for a soft landing in the case of a trip or fall, and many children enjoy playing on it and might incorporate the surface into their games and activities. However, you must be prepared to perform extensive frequent maintenance because sand is easily moved and must be restored, and it can rapidly get compacted if things such as dirt are introduced.

Bonded Mulch

Bonded mulch, which can be formed from shredded rubber or genuine wood, is a popular surface choice due to its cushioning and slide resistance. It can also be put in a variety of colors to complement the aesthetics of your school's area, or in a "natural wood" appearance if you choose to match any theme, style, or even the equipment you already have in mind.

EWF

Finely ground wood is what is known as EWF playground-specific engineered wood fiber. It looks natural and doesn't cost a fortune. Fall prevention is good, EWF is biodegradable, affordable, and easy to maintain. It needs to be raked and topped often to maintain depth and safety.

What Is the Best Material for Playground Surfaces?

While there is no single "best surface" for a playground, there are a few elements to consider when deciding what surface is ideal for your pupils to use.

Ensure maximum safety for users: These are impact-attenuating surfaces that help to prevent major head injuries from falls.

Offer additional play value: These surfaces combine varied colors, textures, patterns, and floor graphics to give visual stimulation that encourage fitness and movement while also supporting imaginative, creative play in a non-prescriptive fashion.

Other factors to consider:

The free fall height of any playground equipment you've planned to have installed, as this will decide the surface material you need, as well as how much of it you'll need.

Site conditions, such as the overall climate, the subbase on which the surface will sit, and how well the land drains after it has rained.

The age, behavior, and quantity of users who are anticipated to be on the surface every day (you may decide to choose a different material for a Junior playground than for an Infant playground, for example).

The budget you have for any playground installation you're planning to order, because some surface materials are more expensive than others.

How much maintenance can your grounds team conduct when and where needed?

The overall appearance of the space after all installation work is completed.

Methodology / Approach

When planning a new playground, you'll naturally want to select one that meets all of their demands and specifications

Technologies Used

When planning a new playground, you'll naturally want to select one that meets all of their demands and specifications