Play Area & Playground Surfacing Materials
Shock Absorbing Playground Surfaces
For Your Peace of Mind?
When deciding which swingset or playset to buy it is important to consider what type of playground surfacing materials it will be installed on?
That is the question that needs to asked as children will inevitably fall to the ground at some time or other from a structure designed for play! Head injuries and cuts and grazes as well as bruised arms and legs etc can be minimised by installing a purpose made play area or playground surface with materials that will absorb the shock on impact.
You may have heard that grass and sand are good enough as a playground surfacing material but with some research that I have done I can confirm they are definitely not shock absorbing!
Concrete and asphalt are not acceptable as playground surfacing materials as they have absolutely no shock absorbing properties! The only acceptable surfacing materials for public play areas and playgrounds fall into two categories, Loose Fill Materials and Unitary Synthetic Materials.
Loose Fill Materials
Fine sand or gravel are not reliable materials as constant impacting from children running and jumping will vary the density and depth of cover. In addition sand when wet loses it’s shock absorbing qualities Gravel besides being difficult to walk on could be displaced and present an additional hazard. Grass and turf are not reliable shock absorbers as anyone who has fallen from a height will testify!
Using Loose Fill Materials (Not to be used over concrete or asphalt foundations) The play area should be well drained and covered with a shock absorbing material such as unform wood chips, double shredded bark mulch or rubber chippings laid to a depth of between 6″ to 12″ These materials must be contained within a barrier to prevent displacement which would reduce the depth of the sufacing material. A fall from heights between 5′ to 12′ onto these materials is not expected to cause a life threatening head injury.
Over time these surfaces become compacted and worn along with the soil or dirt underneath and also subject to the vagaries of the weather-either wet and muddy or baked and cracked, thereby reducing it’s effectiveness.
To sum up Loose Fill Materials although relatively low in installation cost require constant regular maintenance and replenishment to maintain the original depth as well as clearance of debris which infiltrates loose materials.
What are Unitary Synthetic Materials? They are rubber or PVC mats or a combination of synthetic rubber materials such as urethane and rubber, that can be poured as a dense liquid and cures to form a single (Unitary) shock absorbing surface.
Rubber Mats can be laid on existing hard surfaces and either fixed with adhesive or clips. The advantages of a clip system is that tiles in a high wear spot such as the bottom of slidecan be replaced when necessary and the mats can be re-located to a new address. Using an adhesive which has the same bonding agent as the tile means it is permanent and resistant to theft. Otherwise they are low in maintenance.
A recent innovation is Active Sof’Shield Outdoor Playground Surfacing which can be laid directly over a level well drained hard surface without being secured to the foundation. The top layer is the Sof’Shield Outdoor Wear Mat laid over a soft impact underlayment of re-cycled foam on a geo-textile fabric. The poly vinyl unitary surface sections are glued to each other and contained within a secured edging. The Fall Height is incremental from 6 feet upto 12 feet by adding additional layers.
Maintenance is limited to pressure washing! (In compliance with ASTM F 1292-04 & F1951) Guaranteed for 6 years and covered by the Play Protection Plan
Urethane and Rubber, a combination material that is poured and forms a contiguous and consistent depth, resilient shock absobing surface, This material is not displaced by play activities, with higher initial costs but the lowest in maintenance. For a hard based construction such as concrete all traces of paints, sealers, form release agents, grease and oil contamination should be removed by shot blasting or power scarification to optimise bonding.
An asphalt surface is acceptable providing it does not have low areas that would hold water (May need a certified contractor, expert at preparing the foundation and laying a poured in place product) Urethene poured in place systems consist of a cushion course of black recycled rubber buffings (From re-cycled auto tires) mixed with a polyurathane binder. Followed by a wearing surface which may also contain virgin rubber pebbles which provide texture and colors as required.
For futher information on Active Sof’Shield Outdoor Playground Surfacing
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