Factors to Consider When Opting for a Playground Surface
When you will take a look at climbing frames, slides, swings and any other type of playground equipment that there is a material being applied to them and that is known as a playground surface. There are many different materials that you can find once you will be looking at a playground surface. It is some of the materials of a playground surface that will be more suitable compared to others depending on the application that you will have for it. The price and the quality of the materials will also vary a lot. There are some materials in the market that can meet national standards while you can also find others that might fail.
By determining the community’s needs and requirements then you are also able to choose the right playground surface. When taking a look at some community that they will want to prefer a poured rubber seamless surfaces. There is a wide range of colors that you can find for this one. There are also some though that will be wanting to have that more natural look. You can use wood fibers or wood chips in order to make sure that you will get the feel and look of the areas surrounding. Whenever you are choosing a material then see to it that it’s the one that will pass the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) standards. You need to make sure of this one as this is the standards for safety, wheelchair accessibility, and purity. When choosing a supplier then see to it that they will be able to show you this certification.
If you take a look at materials that the playground surface has then you can also find a number of different types. These materials can included engineered wood fiber bulk, foam poured in place/indoor tiles, artificial turf systems, gravel, bark mulch, rubber mulch. A material that is soft enough to cushion falls is a thing that you need to consider when looking for a playground surface. It is the material that should have the right firmness in order to meet the requirements of the ADA ( American’s with Disabilities Act ). This will make sure that they will allow easy mobility of children with wheelchairs.
The engineered wood fiber is one of the materials that are able to meet national safety standards. It is the finished product that should meet ASTM international standard F2075. This is the test that is in order to determine various properties like as particle size, particle aspect ratio, and any toxic chemicals or metal.
Whenever it is an engineered wood fiber that you will choose to get then they are also the one that can come in a complete system. It consists of a geotextile fabric to separate the soil from the wood fibers. A roll-out drainage system is what the engineered wood fiber comes with.