Choosing a surface type for a playground used to be easy. Before the British Standard was introduced there were basically two surfaces found in most playgrounds, grass or tarmac, neither one the best choice for a number of reasons! Then a whole plethora of materials started to become available as the realisation dawned that safety was paramount in these areas designed for children.
Choosing the right surfacing for your project plays an important part in not only maintaining safety within your play area, but also by helping to stimulate play through senses, adding maximum play value and enhancing the existing environment.
This product comes from recycled wood chippings and has proved to be environmentally friendly. Available in a variety of colours this can be used to complement an area whilst providing safety and texture to the environment. Play Bark will require regular topping up as it breaks down (mulches) over time.
Rubber mulch looks like play bark but has some extra advantages. It has greater impact absorption. Compared to play bark, rubber mulch requires a thinner layer for the same impact absorption. It lasts for years and resists mulching. It is available in a wide selection of colours and does not attract pets or insects. Although initially more expensive than play bark this material is very durable and will last for years.
Play Carpet can go anywhere, over existing concrete, grass or bare ground, on flat surfaces or over irregular mounds. With a rainbow of colours and the option to mark out shapes and patterns this surface can provide safety whilst creating a whirlwind for the imagination with a texture and comfort similar to a carpet. It offers durability and vandal resistance and requires minimal maintenance over its long lifetime.
Wetpour is a recycled product and consists of a rubber crumb bound together and laid to various thicknesses to achieve the required impact absorption. It is porous and more importantly, lasts. Black is the standard colour but reds, blues, greens and yellows, plus a range of other colours are available. The trick is to consider how the surface can be a part of the play environment and incorporate games and shapes into your design, making it a real stand out play area.
