Well, as you are aware, there is a wide choice of surface available for children’s play areas – but what are the pros and cons?
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Grass is a great natural surface, and from a safety point of view, it can absorb minor impacts adequately. However, weather affects the suitability of grass – too wet, and it’s a mud-bath; too hot and dry and you might as well have concrete! Maintenance is another key factor with grass – endless mowing can quickly eat up maintenance budgets.
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Sand is another favourite – especially with children! It provides great play value, but can be a nightmare to keep clean and tidy, and has the ability to turn up in the most unusual places! Again, maintenance costs can creep up – you need to constantly check the area for buried rubbish and other nasties – children are not the only terrors attracted by sand!
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Bark is another natural product, and although it is slightly more manageable than sand, it does not rate highly on the hygiene score, and will create maintenance costs of regular cleaning and topping-up.
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Wet-pour is a product that as indicated by the name, is wet when installed, but then sets to a porous, solid surface. It provides a strong, durable, low-maintenance and impact-absorbing surface which can be laid in any shape and size with no joins, and comes in a variety of colours, all of which make it a perfect choice for children’s play areas.
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Rubber Tiles are pretty easy to lay and their lifespan is usually good, they are cheaper than wet-pour, and so may suit a low-budget project. However – over recent years, they have been the target of a lot of vandalism and so you could find yourself facing the costs of repair. They are also prone to lifting, which will cause a tripping hazard, and may become costly in terms of on-going maintenance. Also – they do not offer the flexibility in terms of design, colour and play value of wet-pour products.
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Carpet is a fabric like treatment that is generally good value, although wear and tear can be a problem in busy play areas, and to maintain its appearance, regular brushing is required – so on-going costs can become an issue. This surface is also prone to vandalism – another area of creeping costs, and on-going repairs, which can detract from the overall appearance.
