Playground surfaces are required to keep the children safe from injuries if they fall while playing. Mulch, tile and pour are three types of surfaces that are used for covering playgrounds.
Safety for the children is the highest priority at any playground. Most children get injured while playing when they fall from swings or other playing equipments. If the surface is hard, they are prone to get injuries, which could be serious too. The solution is to get the proper surface for the playground, which would prevent any injury due to a fall and not result in any serious implications for the children.
Mulch, Tile and Pour are the three kind of surfaces used for playgrounds.
Mulch Surface
Mulch is a type of material that is laid over the surface of the soil as a covering. You can usually see it placed around plants to prevent the evaporation of moisture, the freezing of roots and the growth of weeds. Mulch surface could also be applied on playgrounds to prevent injury if a child falls. Mulch covering is available in everything from wood chips, pea gravel, sand, bark, recycled vehicle tires, etc. The organic varieties of mulch covering need a fair amount of maintenance each year because of biodegradation and weather erosion, adding to the cost over time.
Inorganic mulches are the most cost effective. These are available in a variety of colors and are weather proof. Rubber mulch is the best option in mulch surfaces, it is durable, long lasting, easy to install, non-toxic and economical. Rubber mulch is made of recycled tires that help the environment also. It does not fade, wash or blow away and lasts for years.
Tile Surface
Several playgrounds prefer rubber tiles on the surface. Recycled rubber is pressed into moulds creating tiles of varied thickness and this provides protection during a fall. The thicker the tile the higher will be the price. Rubber tiles are durable and have an array of color choices. With an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene Monomer) surface made of virgin rubber, you can even get letters and logos of your choice imprinted on the surface. Although the end user can install the tiles, asking the contractor to do the task is always better.
Putting tiles on large playgrounds is never easy and it is better to leave the task to specialists. Being water proof and extremely durable, rubber tiles are always handy. They need nothing more than a pressure wash once or twice a year. Large in size, rubber tiles are usually heavy and shipping them will be expensive if there is no production facility near you. Offering the best combination of ease of installation, color combinations, price, ease of maintenance and wear life, rubber tiles are often the preferred choice of people.
Pour Surface
Pour surface is made of a color pigmented synthetic rubber bonded with a polyurethane binding agent.
Applied in one or two layers of rubber, it has to be applied over a subsurface of concrete asphalt or compacted stone. It is mixed and poured on the site just like cement. Trowel is applied on it to create a smooth surface. Bringing in your creativity, you can make whatever designs you choose. Although it is the most expensive of the three options, it is the most durable and long lasting surface. Like the tiles, you just need to pressure wash these surfaces. Pour surface is made of larger EPDM pieces which can collect dirt. So before you apply pressure washing, use a firm bristle brush to clean the surface.
You now know about a variety of playground surface that are available. What you choose depends on the size of the playground and your budget.
About the Author:The author is associated with All Rubber Surfaces, which specializes in preparing playground turf.
