Which surface creates the safest playgrounds… By admin | Published on December 2, 2019April 14, 2020 Playground Surfaces Safe playground surfaces are a serious business. With playset heights reaching the moon these days (upwards of 15+ ft), it’s critical to have a soft surface at the bottom – since what goes up will eventually come down. The reality is kids will fall, and injuries will happen. Minimizing those injuries is the key. Play, Inc. (DBA Practice Sports, Inc.) is a certified installer for a variety of surfaces and play equipment, such as artificial turf, rubber tiles, and poured rubber. We are the exclusive installer for SYNLawn throughout Nebraska & regions in Iowa, a well as playground equipment manufacturers such as Kompan, Swing Kingdom, and Playmart. This experience has given us the background to offer a professional review of the most commonly used surfaces – including our recommended surface – Synthetic Playground Turf. The traditional surfaces under play sets have always been: Pea Gravel Mulch / Wood Chips Gravel Sand Engineered Wood Fiber Within the past decade, product innovation has introduced new & safe playground surfaces: Artificial Turf Poured Rubber & Tiles Rubber Mulch Fall Height Ratings (for playground surfaces, before turf & rubber) The problem with loose-laid ground cover – Mulch, Gravel etc. Since these products are “loose”, they have tendency to be spread thin in certain areas. The inconsistent surface creates a variety of softness throughout a play area. Some areas may have a 6 ft fall protection, while others only have 1 ft protection. High traffic areas such as those circling the merry-go-rounds, under swings, or the bottom of a slide are especially vulnerable to displaced materials, exposing the hard ground underneath – right where you need it most. Not to mention the maintenance aspect, with constant raking to keep the materials spread even – and the clean-up around the site and inside the facilities. Mulch travels everywhere Soft Tiles & Poured Rubber for Playground Surfaces Rubber surfaces for playgrounds offer more consistent & much softer protection than loose-laid surfaces. These products offer some excellent visuals and complement a playground beautifully. However, these rubber play surfaces are not without issues. Because they are made from rubber, they naturally absorb heat. In the summer the surface temperatures can climb upwards of 120 degrees F. The surface temperature also affects the HIC (head injury criterion). Extreme low or high temperatures can both diminish the softness of the surface, reducing the HIC values up to 20%. Poured Rubber – beautiful & playful (courtesy of BEN Progetti benprogetti.it) Artificial Turf for Playground Surfaces Synthetic playground turf is one of the most consistent, effective and safe playground surfaces overall. The most expensive up-front, but over a period of 10+ years the benefits far outweigh the costs. Turf creates a visually appealing, low-maintenance, and consistently smooth & safe surface. With lower temperatures than rubber in the summer, and less abrasion for kids to roll around on. Turf now comes in variety of colors Fall Ratings for Playground Surfaces Playground turf can also achieve the highest fall rating, when paired with a foam sub-base pad, such as Playlite. When using a turf surface such as SYNLawn’s Play Premium, combined with the Playlite 1″ foam pad, a 10′ fall height is achieved. Combined with the 2″ foam pad, a 12′ fall height is achieved. Turf Trample Zones installed in high-wear areas In addition, SYNLawn offers turf that achieves a Class A fire rating with self-extinguishing properties. No other surface accomplishes this. Read a complete case study (with pictures & fire testing) of the Blue Valley School District in Kansas City, that switched all playgrounds the SYNLawn Artificial Turf. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 Omaha Area Turf Playground Surface Installations We recently installed artificial turf for 2 schools in Omaha, Nebraska. Montessori of West Omaha needed their “open play” area improved, which was constantly muddy and greatly reduced the fresh air the kids could get (unless the ground was bone dry), making the kiddos & teachers very stir crazy on damp days. Before Turf We installed SYNLawn’s Play Premium throughout the area, and the results have been great. Customer Testimonial “We are a small Montessori preschool that needed help making our playground not only look better, but be more useful. We could not keep our sod growing due to our heavy traffic so we ended up with dirt in the heavy travel areas. When it rained or snowed, the dirt turned into mud. That lead to us not being able to play outside for days at a time. I had tried to get estimates from several companies for artificial turf and either got no response or I could tell the company was not interested in quality. I was then referred to Chad at SYNLawn, I called and he worked around our tricky schedule to come out and take a look. He took the time to explain the entire process, as well as giving me samples of turf. Next Chad got us detailed estimates. I picked the best option for us and the process started quickly. The work began and it was exciting to watch the transformation. Unfortunately, it rained a ton during the process but the work was still done quickly. Chad and his crew were very kind and kept us updated. They had 48 pairs of little eyes watching them from the windows eagerly. When they were finished, Chad answered all of my questions. He also has followed up to make sure everything is working for us. This project has changed our playground so much for the better! When it rains, the turf drains almost immediately and we can go out and play. My only regret is that I did not do this sooner! Thank you to everyone that helped us with this transformation!” Christine Grothe, Director Montessori Academy of West Omaha, Inc. 18031 Oak Street Omaha, Nebraska 68130 After Turf After Turf Customer Review We also installed SYNLawn’s 958 under the monkey bars at another Montessori Children’s Room, to create a softer landing for the little ones when dropping down from the bars, and also help reduce scrapes and cuts from the mulch – not to mention improve aesthetics and eliminate weeds. Before During After “Thanks, the grass looks great!” Mary Boden Anderson – Head of School Montessori Children’s Room 7302 Burt Street Omaha, NE 68114 Key Benefits of Artificial Turf as a Playground Surface Here’s why we like artificial turf as one of our safest playground surfaces. Aesthetic Benefits Easily replaceable HIC tested TrampleZones Maintains consistent safety protection without the maintenance cost of replenishment (gravel or mulch) Non-allergenic Non-abrasive – softer touch than gravel, etc Aesthetics – natural grass appearance No grass stains Maintenance Benefits Relatively easy to clean Drains well – immediate use after rains Stable in all climates Cooler than some comparable surfaces and doesn’t radiate heat Qualifies for water rebates and LEED credits Contains recycled content and renewable resources Safety Benefits Solution for ANY fall rating and safety standards IPEMA certified & ASTM independent lab tested products The only artificial grass playground surface with CONSISTENT safety ratings over time Wheelchair accessible Additional Benefits Superior marketability to your customer’s customers Easily replaceable sections for high-traffic areas Putting green turf (or remnants) used for TrampleZone™ Greater creativity and design Enhances the appeal of our playground Brand Installed with Kool Glide seaming and adhesive ASTM tested and HIC tested products for all fall zones over the lifecycle of the product Superior quality standards for HIC and Gmax testing Poly Green 2” pad used 8 foot CSA approved fall attenuation Thanks for reading our review of playground turf & other surfaces. Contact Play, Inc. for a free estimate for your playground facility around Nebraska or Iowa. Chad, Cory, Tony, Jim 402-592-2000
