Getting playground surfacing right can be a daunting experience.  There is lots to consider and more so now than ever, there are an abundance of playground surfaces and safer surfaces to choose from.

So what do you look for in a playground surfacing and suppliers, and where on earth do you start?  This is where we want to help, we have created this guide to give you all the information you need so you can make an informed decision based on your preferences and needs.

Each playground is different, making each outdoor playground surfacing project different.  We hope you will find everything you need here to guide you through the whole outdoor play surface buying process, in a simple and easily understandable format.

Which  of Playground Surfacing / Safer Surfacing

Perhaps the first place to start when choosing your outdoor playground surface is to look at all the safety surfaces available.  And there are many.  Below you will find a list of the majority of safer surfacing that is on the market for your children’s outdoor play areas, considering the pros and cons of each.

Synthetic Carpet System - PlaySafe

A synthetic surface developed for use in play areas.  As the name suggests this playground surface comes in rolls and is laid very similar to a carpet.  The base colour is normally green, but it is available in many colours. 

- Requires little ground preparation, reducing costs
- Worn areas can be easily replaced
- Reduced risk of friction burns 
- All weather use
- Can add play value with inlaid designs
- Drains the same as the surface underneath it, stays wet after rain
- May need brushing to maintain appearance

Wetpour Rubber  Playground Surfacing- PlayFall Wetpour

Wetpour rubber surfacing uses rubber granules that are bound by a resin which airs to create a porous, solid rubber surface.  Sometimes described as a spongy tarmac(!), this should give you an idea of what it is like.  Creates a firm surface with few joins.  Base colour is usually black, with other colours and inlad designs available.
- vandal resistant
- porous
- Sometimes uses high volume of recycled rubber
- Long term low cost of ownership
- can add play value by including inlaid designs
- suitable for wheelchair use
- smooth, even surface with few joins
- initial cost can seem expensive
- Black is the cheapest
- Requires engineered base – can add to cost
- Can fade if not installed by reputatble company

Tiger Mulch - Rubber Mulch Playground Surfacing

TigerMulch is a durable solid rubber mulch  surface for playgrounds that uses coloured recycled rubber.  The woodland colour of this surface resembles natural wood chip material.  It is made from recycled tyres and like the wet-pour rubber surface is bound together by resin.  Fairly new to the outdoor surfacing market it is currently onl;y available from a few suppliers.
- Quick to install
- Environmentally friendly – made from recycled tyres
- Does not need engineered base, can be laid onto compacted soil
- No weed growth
- Low Maintenance
- Slip resistant
- Accommodate tree and plant growth
- Limited colour choice
- Can not have inlaid designs
Grass/Top Soil

Natural Playground Surfacing

Found throughout the UK, this is one thing everyone can grow! Due to a recent change in the standards, grass can now be used as a safer surfacing for outdoor play equipment with a critical fall height (CFH) of 1.5mtr, providing it is well maintained.  Unfortunately, the term well maintained can be quite ambiguous.
- A natural surface
- In the right conditions suitable for low fall heights
- When existing is inexpensive
- Can turn into mud in winter – making it unusable
- Also can be dry in summer – affecting its ability to absorb minor impacts
- Must be maintained to remain suitable – this could be a continued cost
Sand
Sand is another natural playground surface that can be used as a safer surfacing.
- Children love this
- Offers a whole play value of its own – sand castles etc
- Continued brushing, raking for rubbish and fecis is required

- Rain can cause it to look unslightly and make it unusable
- Unsuitable for wheelchair use

Bark (Loose Impact Absorbing Playground Surface)

Another natural product, this uses the bark from trees to create the play surface.
- a natural product
- initail cost is inexpensive
- looks great in the right environment
- Requires regular topping up – think of this cost involved
- Not the most hygienic of surface – requires checking of rubbish and fecis on a regular basis
- Unsuitable for wheelchair access
- Must be topped up or moved back into high use areas
Rubber Playground Titles and Mats
Similar to the wet-pour rubber playground surface but comes in set tiles or mats.  Available in different thicknesses depending on the critical fall height (CFH) of the outdoor play equipment.
- ease of use
- longevity.
- Cheaper than wetpour
- Can be prone to vandalism , increasing cost for repair
- don’t offer the flexibility or play value of other surfaces
- Prone to lifting, causing trip hazards
Rubber mats (grass grows through)
These rubber mats have holes in-built into them, with the idea of the natural grass existing on the ground to grow through the holes.  The ultimate aim of these is for the rubber mats to not be seen, and for it to look like it is grass.
- -allows you to have the natural grass look with a safer surfacing installed
- cheaper than some other surfaces
- only suitable on low-traffic areas
- -if not done by reputable company materials are not of good standard
- -grass sometimes does not grow through as supposed to
- Mats often get trampled into ground, they would require re-laying as they are designed to sit on gop of ground – on-going cost

Please not this information sheet was created as a guide and although has been researched is ultimately the opinion of Creative Play.

How to Choose a Safer Surfacing Supplier

Like the choice of outdoor playground surfacing, there is a vast amount of safe surfacing suppliers. And choosing the supplier is as important as choosing the surfacing.  If you get the supplier wrong you could be losing a lot of money, and ultimately not have a suitable surface for your play area/school outdoor play area.
Here we give you a few things to consider when choosing your outdoor play surface supplier.

Whether choosing surfacing or play equipment supplier or both it is very important you choose the right supplier.  You want to be sure you are spending your money with a supplier you can trust.  But, how do you choose the right supplier?

A good supplier will have a good reputation, speak to previous customers about who they used and what they think of them.  Any decent supplier should be able to offer you testimonials from customers and also the opportunity to speak to them.  If possible visit sites that have been installed by the company so you can see the quality of products and workmanship.

A company that has been established for several years with good repeat business implies they have a good reputation and are respectable.  Check the financial status of the company, if a company is struggling it may make difficult for them to guarantee the products or worse not finish the installation.

Be sure to check that the playground supplier belongs to the key industry trade associations.  Good ones are The Association of Play Industries (API) or the Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA).  It is advisable that they also have staff trained by an independent body, such as the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII).  You can view any members or get more information online at www.api-play.org and www.sapca.gov.uk

All play equipment should comply to the British Standards EN: 1176 and surfacing should comply to BSEN: 1177.  These standards change so check they are compliant with current legislation. All of Creative Plays outdoor playground equipment, outdoor gym equipment, playground surfacing, safety surfacing conform to the highest European Standards.

Make sure all outdoor and school playground equipment and playground  surfacing has a guarantee for ware, tear, materials and workmanship.  A good guarantee shows a company is confident in their level of service and the products they offer. 

The company should have a dedicated Maintenance Department.  Without this it may be difficult to get spare parts or for remedial work to be done.  A company confident in their products and service will offer a maintenance contract to ensure you continue to comply with the standards and that your play area is suitable for its use. 

A good supplier should offer a free quotation service for you to find exactly what you are looking for and know all the prices prior to work commencing.  Check the small print, all companies will have terms and conditions but just be sure you understand and are happy with them. 

Due to the nature of installing outdoor play equipment and surfacing it is vital the site is checked prior to the installation commencing.  A full survey should be done to help prevent any issues that may arise.  Once installation has been completed, be sure to check it over with the installation team to confirm you are happy with everything – certainly do this before you sign anything.

A supplier should use their own in-house installation teams.  This will ensure everything is done to the company’s standard and should result in an overall better service.

If you are concerned about having people on site, near children, check their on-site staff are CRB checked.

As we are becoming more and more concerned about our environment it may be useful to check how environmentally-friendly the supplier is.  Some will offer timber from sustainable forests, or recycled rubber.  If these are important to you check with the supplier about their products and working practices.

Safer & Playground Surfacing Considerations

Here we list a few fundamental issues you should consider when choosing your outdoor playground safety surface.

Reasons for having a playground surface

Before you decide what playground surfacing you want, it is important to look at your personal requirements and find out what play surfacing you need.  Are you using the surface as a safety aspect for your play equipment?  Is the surface purely for all weather use? Do you require a play surface to brighten up a play area and have play value in its own right?

Safety Considerations

* Compliant with BS EN: 1177 all of Creative Plays surfacing conforms to this,
* Correct thickness / depth of surfacing is dependant on critical fall height of equipment, head impact criteria, nature of equipment (i.e. swinging) and existing surfacing
* Slip resistance
* Vandal resistance - although nothing will be totally vandal resistant the surfacing should work towards this

What is Critical Fall Height?

Critical Fall Heights (CFH) or Free Heights of Fall is the term used to describe the fall height from play equipment.   The depth and area of surfacing around equipment is determined by the equipments CFH. 

What is Head Impact Criteria?

The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is a measure of the likelihood of head injury arising from an impact.

Location of Playground

Sometimes there is little choice over where to site your playground equipment. In terms of what safety surfacing you choose access is an important consideration.  Some surfaces, such as rubber wetpour, requires mixing to be done on site and requires good access to the site.  If there is an issue with access it may be better to choose a carpet surface for example, as this is easier to install.

Installation of Surfacing

All safety play surfaces require different installation.  It is worth considering the ground preparation needed for each surfacing option, as this will have an impact on the cost.  The more preparation to be done, often means the more expense.  It is also worth noting that if a sub-base isn’t used the surface is likely to follow the existing ground.  This may mean your surfacing isn’t of bowling green standard, but this may not be important to you.

Budget

Unfortunately a budget is probably the most important factor.  You can decide on what you want but if your budget does not allow then you will have to adjust.  This is probably the starting point for any project; once you know how much you have to spend you can start to filter the play surfaces available to you.  It is important to not only look at the initial cost of the surface but also the long-term cots.  Consider the maintenance costs and durability of the play surface.

Initial Costs
* Cost of installation
* Cost of ground preparation
* Security needed at installation

Long-term Costs
* Cost of maintenance and repair
* Mowing, raking, clearing of debris, topping up of surface
* Likelihood of vandalism
* Durability of surface- how many years should it last

Outdoor Playground Equipment

Will there be any play equipment on your outdoor play surfaces? If you will be having outdoor play equipment it is important to consider what the Critical Fall height (CFH) of the equipment is to ensure you have the right shock absorbency of play surface.

Colours

If the colour of the play surface is important to you, you should research the colour options available.  Some surfaces are only available in one colour, others have a variety of choices but may be an extra cost.  In many surfaces there is an option to have inlaid designs which often add a play value, and are aesthetically pleasing.  Wet pour rubber and carpet surfacing should all allow for the option of graphics.

Environment

More and more of us are concerned about the environment.  If this is the case you should consider a play surface that is environmentally friendly.  For example, some wet pour rubber surfaces are made from recycled rubber.

Safer Surfacing – What Next?

You should hopefully now have all the information you need to make an informed decision on what safety surfacing you want.

Here at Creative Play we offer three of the best safer surfacing options available on the market.  If you require any information on these play surfaces or for any other advice please contact our Play Advisors on 01244 375627, who will be happy to help.