Playgrounds are an integral part of a city and used by parents for fun and activity with their children. The playgrounds have changed over the years to include better games and features. There are several factors that need to be considered when building a playground, one of the main factors is looking out for health hazards. The big decision is selecting a surface that suits the playground the most. In fact, a great deal of research has been conducted on different types of surface as well. For example, rubber surfacing in Sydney is very popular.
Some of the common surface materials include sand, pea gravel, tiles, wood fibre, rubber surfacing and many more. Good playground surfacing is necessary around swings, slides, and other playground equipment. The surface should not be unhealthy, it should be safe to use, aesthetic and take into consideration several factors like child safety, wheelchair accessibility, etc.
Types of Surfaces for Playground
There are many different types of playground materials and each has its pros and cons; this includes natural lawn, sand, pebbles and many more. They can be mainly classified into two groups like natural and artificial. Listed here are some of the popular surfaces options for a playground:
- Natural lawn: Lawn is something that grows naturally and is essentially a low-cost surfacing option. Some of the issues with natural lawn include the fact that there may be patches in the high traffic places as well as the wet and shady places. Besides which, lawn also requires a great deal of maintenance and might not be suitable in all seasons; it might also require aerating and re-sowing over a period of time.
- Mulch: This is a shredded organic material that is used around plants and other surfaces as well. This type of material often requires weeding and topping up on a regular basis. It is necessary to take extra care during installation since it can easily be washed away downhill if installed on a slope.
- Sand: This too is a natural option for surfacing and is more than just a surface. Sand has an additional play value since it can also be used for making sand pits. It is useful as a surface in the general play area and for the area with play equipment. If this is installed in the right manner it will not require a great deal of maintenance.
- Pebbles & Chips: This is a natural material that does not stay fixed in place and tends to move around a great deal. It can easily be contaminated with other material and also requires a great deal of maintenance. It is necessary to top up regularly and can easily be washed away downhill.
- Rubber Surfacing: This has been around for a very long time. Some of the popular applications of this type of surface include for running tracks, surfacing at residences and commercial locations and many more. This is a surface made from EPDN (virgin rubber) and recycled rubber granules. The way this works is it is poured over an existing surface or a cracked surface to create a perfectly even and usable surface. It is perfectly safe to use at a local playground and other recreational facilities.
Benefits of Opting for Rubber Surfacing
There are many benefits of opting for rubber surfacing for a playground. This is a non-slip material even when it is wet or covered with snow making it optimal for a playground. It is also safe to use and does not adversely affect one’s health. It doesn’t require a great deal of maintenance and eliminating the need to deal with issues like the growth of weed. It is also a deterrent from insects.
