Playground Surfacing
By Jeromy Morningstar

Is your church planning for a new playground anytime in the near future? If the answer is yes, then you would be well advised to include playground surfacing in your research from the beginning. All too often, a playground committee is focused on the playground equipment, while viewing the surfacing as an afterthought. When the surfacing finally does appear on the committee's agenda, there can be a few surprises in store. The surprises are often associated with the misconception that selecting a playground safety surface will be a relatively simple task. The truth is that, indeed, it probably would be a relatively simple task if it weren't for the regulatory standards, technical jargon, and sheer number of surfacing options that are available to the consumer.

In an attempt to make the process fun instead of daunting, we have prepared some information that will allow you to quickly focus on the category of surfacing that best meets your needs. Once this has been completed, the balance of the article will give you the tools you will need to ask the right questions in order to ensure that you purchase a quality product within your chosen category.

So, what exactly are the options anyway?
The different types of surfacing options can be generally broken down into two main categories: loose fill and unitary materials.

Sand, pea stone, wood fiber, and shredded rubber are the main types of loose fill materials used for playground surfacing. Each option within the loose fill category provides a number of advantages, including good initial fall protection ratings as well as low initial purchase costs. Natural loose fill materials, such as pea stone and wood fiber, offer one of the lowest initial purchase prices, while synthetic materials, such as rubber nuggets and rubber mulch, tend to be priced significantly higher. 

Most of the limitations associated with loose fill materials are related to after-sale cost considerations. Although loose fill materials provide one of the most favorable initial fall protection ratings, these materials, by their very nature, will shift and become displaced over time. For this reason, a proper maintenance program will be necessary to maintain the safety performance of your playground surface. A typical maintenance program would involve regular raking, leveling, and sifting of the loose materials to counter the effects of decomposition, compaction, and material displacement. Periodic inspections of the surface are highly recommended in order to detect and remove any potentially dangerous or unsanitary material that can become buried within the surface. Loose fill systems will also require replenishment from time to time in order to maintain their proper depth and corresponding fall protection capability.

When considering a loose fill surface, a few good questions to ponder would include:

* How often will the playground be used and by how many children? A playground that will see relatively little use from a relatively small number of children would not require as much maintenance as a heavily used playground

* Do you have the resources in place (both people and funds) to address the ongoing maintenance requirements?

* Will the playground be accessible to the public or will it be fenced off and used primarily by the congregation? A protected playground will require less maintenance particularly with regard to inspection and sifting for potentially harmful or unsanitary materials.

The second category is unitary surfacing and consists of two major types of products: poured in place (PIP) and prefabricated mats or tiles.

Poured in place (PIP) surfacing is a system comprised of rubber granules and specially formulated binding agents that are mixed, leveled, and finished on site by specially trained installation crews representing the manufacturer. Think of a soft version of concrete.

PIP offers many functional advantages, including low maintenance and low life-cycle costs. Since the material is unitary in nature, extensive maintenance is not required in order to maintain consistent fall protection. Additional advantages unique to PIP surfaces include the ability to conform to irregular shapes and grade changes within the playground and the ability to increase play value by incorporating patterns into the surface.

There are also limitations inherent in the PIP system that should be considered as well. Since PIP is manufactured on site, environmental conditions as well as the skill level of the installation crew are highly relevant to the final quality of the surface. The cost of a poured in place system tends to be at the top end of the spectrum, given that installation must be carried out by specialized crews.

Prefabricated tile or mat products are also a very popular surfacing option. Unlike PIP surfaces that are field manufactured, tile products are molded in a controlled environment prior to being shipped to the playground for installation. This manufacturing approach offers increased consistency, durability and reliability in the field. Being unitary in nature, tile or mat products do not require a high level of maintenance to maintain cleanliness and fall protection.

The cost of a tile product generally falls between PIP on the high end and loose fill materials on the lower end of the price scale. Although both tile and PIP systems are made with the same type of raw materials, the cost savings are realized in lower installation costs as well as the longevity of the pre-manufactured tile product.

Like all surfacing options, pre-manufactured tile products offer some limitations as well. When evaluating design potential, tile systems provide more limited options, as patterns must conform to geometric shapes rather than the free-flowing designs offered by PIP systems. Also, in the absence of a functional locking design, some tile systems can be susceptible to separation between the seams of the product over time.

Regardless of which surfacing option you are considering, there are a several questions that should be presented to help you determine the quality and functionality of each product offering.