Playground Safety Surfacing: How Do I Choose Which Type?

When planning for a play structure, an athletic field, aquatic play, a dog park or any other recreational area, which surfacing can be the most confusing decision to make. There are so many different types and colors, it’s difficult to decipher which is right for your project. Check out this quiz to see which type of surfacing could be right for you. Still not sure that’s what you’d like? Read more below:

1. Engineered Wood Fiber

Engineered Wood Fiber has a natural, classic look of wood chips on the playground. However, our product has a fine layer component that allows for mobility devices, such as wheelchairs and crutches, to be used on it without getting stuck! With a low installation cost, this surfacing is great for projects with a tight budget. Due to compaction and natural decomposition, raking and an occasional top off to comply with safety standards.

2. Recycled Rubber Mulch

Our Recycled Rubber Mulch is made of 100% recycled tire rubber, is splinter free, and doesn’t decompose. It drains well, comes in various colors, and is impact-absorbing. Play curbs and wear mats extend the life of the surfacing resulting in fewer top-offs.

3. Recycled Bonded Rubber

This surfacing is similar to the Recycled Rubber Mulch, but is bonded together so displacement doesn’t occur. The surface is porous and large chunks are used to keep a natural look. The thickness of the single-layer surfacing is customized on site to meet your play equipment’s unique fall height and safety standards to save you money. The surfacing also comes in several solid and mixed color options!

4. Pour-In-Place Rubber

If you are looking to customize your playground’s surface with shapes or graphics, Pour-In-Place Rubber is what you’re looking for! PIP is composed of two layers – an impact-absorbing layer that is customized to meet fall height requirements and a half-inch layer of GT Impax wear course that comes in several bright colors. The two layers must be installed over asphalt, concrete, or compacted sub-base aggregate. Though this surfacing has a high initial price point, it is highly accessible, resilient, and low maintenance and will pay off in the long term.

5. Resilient Rubber Tile

Our resilient tile is interlocking and has new impact-absorbing technology for fall heights over 12’! Great for indoor or outdoor use, the tiles come in several colors and can be installed as a solid color or with a pattern! There is no specification for the foundation as long as it’s flat. This surfacing is ADA accessible and requires no on-site mixing.

6. Synthetic Turf

What could be better than a lawn you don’t have to cut and water? Our synthetic turf gives you the natural look without the high maintenance and expensive upkeep. Typically used on sports fields, synthetic turf can be used in nature-themed playgrounds or check out our antimicrobial turf for dog parks! With quick drainage and cooler surface temperatures than most unitary turfs, you’ll be lawnmower free before you know it!

7. Aquatic Surfacing

For any outdoor water area such as our spray parks, you need a surfacing that is slip-resistant, durable, and colorful! Luckily AquaBond is all of these things. Aquabond is UV, salt, and chlorine resistant and can be customized to fit the theme or design of your project!