When it comes to playground safety surfacing, rubber is king. It’s durable, provides good shock absorption and is relatively low maintenance. However, like all other safety surfaces, it does need regular inspection and a bit of maintenance to keep it looking its best and performing at a high level.

A rubber surfacing for playgrounds  surface is composed of two layers; a base layer and a wear layer. The base layer is a thick, springy, impact-cushioning material poured to a depth determined by the critical fall height of equipment and usually made from TPV (tire recyclers use this type of rubber to avoid contamination from other materials such as metal) or EPDM granules. The second layer is a more colorful, decorative wear layer that’s typically 1-5 inches thick and is made from crumb rubber from recycled rubber tires or other types of raw scrap rubber. It is then bound together with a polyurethane binder and poured on top of the base layer.

London Playgrounds: Choosing the Right Surfacing for Fun and Safety

Poured-in-place rubber is often the most expensive option for a playground, but it’s also one of the longest lasting options with a lifecycle of 10-15 years. A knowledgable contractor can help you create a budget for this type of installation that factors in the size of the area, the amount of surfacing needed, color and other variables.

Other unitary safety surfacing materials include rubber mats and tiles, which are similar to loose-fill in that they’re designed to be installed over a flat, compacted aggregate base. These options also need annual maintenance to ensure that the surfacing remains at an appropriate depth for adequate fall height attenuation. Loose-fill materials compress over time due to usage and weathering and will require replenishment to maintain the correct depth.