When maintaining a playground, it is equally important
to ensure the
ground or ‘safety-surface’
is as safe as the equipment. Children need a soft place to land when they jump
or fall. If your playground already has a ground cover, or safety surface material, it’s a
good idea to get in the
habit of checking the safety surface material levels often to ensure pieces have not been kicked away or even thrown out by little hands.
With school starting back up
soon, children will on the playground in no time, so now could
be the best time to check ensure the playground has adequate levels of safety material
on the ground. If material
levels are low, now would be a good time to add more
safety surface to your playground or
perhaps consider an entirely new material.
Here is a list of the
Top-5 Best Playground Safety Surface materials to help make your
decision a little easier.
1.) Solid Rubber Surface
This is first on the list because it’s not only the
safest, but it requires the least amount of maintenance. Solid
rubber surfaces come in
two forms. The most
well known is “Pour-in-Place” which is poured over a sub-base and
the end product is a smooth, cushioned surface that comes in varying color
options. The other solid surface option comes in the form
of rubber tiles that fit together to make one solid surface.
These are popular options because they are slip resistant, allowing easy ADA access for wheelchairs and strollers.
What is the downside to the solid rubber surface? The solid
rubber surface material is one of the most expensive options in
playground safety
surfacing.
2.) Artificial Grass or Turf
Artificial Grass is a slightly less expensive
alternative to a solid rubber surface. It’s also a low-maintenance and an ADA wheelchair
accessible surface. It will
require an occasional rinse-off but water drains well from this surface, making
cleaning up a breeze. One benefit of Artificial Grass is new manufacturing techniques have brought with them a higher quality,
more-realistic grass texture products.The hard, plastic green turf of past
decades has been replaced with softer, real-texture options.
3.) Play Sand and Pea
Gravel
The affordability of playground sand and pea gravel is why these have
been popular playground cover for so long. Yet, these materials do not really
provide ADA accessibility. In order to ensure these materials provide any type
of fall protection, the recommendation is to have at least twelve inch depth at
all times. Also, be warned, some sand can contain harmful materials. In order
to avoid this, purchase only sand or pea gravel specifically made for
playgrounds.
Some sand can contain harmful
materials, in order to avoid this, make sure that you buy a sand specifically
made for playgrounds.
4.) Rubber Mulch (Nuggets or Shredded)
If you want the flexibility of a
rubber surface but not
the high price tag, then rubber mulch is the perfect solution. Rubber
mulch is made by grinding up recycled tires, providing a soft cushioned surface for children
to land. Rubber mulch (nuggets or shredded) comes in at a fraction of the cost of the solid rubber
surfaces. Noah’s sells playground-approved rubber mulch (nuggets or shredded),
which is typically coated or painted with non-toxic material. We do not
recommend or sell shredded black tire mulch.
5.) Engineered Wood Fiber aka: EWF
Engineered wood fiber is an affordable and
durable option for playground covers. It’s estimated approximately
50,000 playgrounds in the U.S. and Canada use EWF material. Engineered Wood Fiber is ground more finely than ordinary landscape mulch, is from virgin
wood, and has had the saw-dust removed. It provides a safe and natural
way to cover the ground while still providing an adequate amount of cushion and
protection for children.
Having a good material to cover
your playground ensures that children have a safe place to play, while also
offering protection from the ground itself. If you have any questions about these or any
other playground cover materials, please contact
us today.
