How to Prepare a Surface for a Play Structure?

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Whenever I pick up my daughter from school, there are many kids having fun on the playground. They are incredibly active on the play structure. Climbing up and down on the metal chains, sliding down on a slide, (sometimes, they are even running uphill on the slide), and jumping from one playset to the next.

I begin thinking without a proper surface on the ground, it could just take a fall for a child to get a severe injury. In fact, there is a study that shows over 40,000 kids end up in the hospital each year due to falling from a playset.

How to Prepare a Surface for a Play Structure? You need to fill it up with an adequate amount and the suitable type of loose fillings. This way, there would be enough cushion to absorb the force when a child falls.

Kristie, a mother to three beautiful children, who is also one of our bloggers. She wrote a post on “Kids Friendly Backyard without Grass.” This piece is also an excellent resource, but it is not particularly relate to the playground where playsets are installed. Hopefully, this post could give you a better idea on what do look for when preparing a playground surface with play structure.

Once again, I’m not an expert on this topic. I’m only sharing this based on my personal experience, and the research I have done. So please use your judgment accordingly when reading this post.

Select the Right Site

When it comes to the safety of a child, it’s always better to be safe now than sorry later. Below is a checklist for picking the right site for a playground:

  • It should have absolutely no contact with the low-hanging branches or utility power lines.
  • Must be free of tree stumps, roots, large rocks or bricks.
  • Fill up any holes in the ground.
  • Not only the playground is big enough for the playset, but it should also be far away from other structures such as your house, trees or the fences in your backyard.
  • The ground is level as sloping could make the playset unstable. But make sure to account for water drainage.

My backyard has a huge slope, a few trees, and a shed, which could make it unsuitable to safely install a huge play equipment.

6 Steps to Prepare the Playground Surface

At this point, a lot of people would jump right in to install a playset and then pour loose filing onto the playground. However, they neglect to consider the drainage problem.

Without proper drainage, the play area could be filled with standing water and mud holes. If you are using wood chips or mulch, this could saturate them.

With only just one inch per hour of rainfall, it could easily flood a 4000 square feet playground surface with 2400 gallons of waters. Not only a soaked playground would be unsafe for a child to play, but the standing water would lead to health issue such as getting West Nile disease from a mosquito bite.

Even though most playset is waterproof, but they are not meant to be soaked under water for an extensive period. Therefore, a playground with improper drainage could lead to expensive repairs.

I did some homework, and here are the steps to prepare the playground surface.

  1. Remove all the huge rocks and sharp debris such as branches from the site. If your chosen area has existing grass, mow them as short as possible.
  2. Install the playset.
    • Make sure the poles of the play structure is installed deep enough into the ground so that it would be sturdy. You should review the manufacturer’s instruction regarding that.
    • The play equipment needs to be 6 feet from other structure such as fences, shed, house, trees, or poles.
    • If there’s a swing, you should leave even more space for its front and rear movement. The distance should be at least twice the height of the swing when measuring the top bar to the swing seat.
  3. Place a geotextile fabric on the ground. This layer prevents weeds and grass from penetrating to the surface above. It also keeps the stone and dirt from contaminating the loose filling.
  4. Place drain strips on the geotextile fabric. These strips would work like pipes which carry the water out of the playground area. Make sure to install them with a downward slope so that the water can flow out of the system.
  5. Pour the right amount of loose filling such as wood chips, mulch, engineered wood fiber or others. This is crucial in absorbing the force should a child fall to the ground.
  6. Then install a border around the playground. It would help to contain the loose fillings within the playground while reducing other debris such as rocks and stones from entering it. However, make sure you leave some exit spots for the drain strips in outflowing the water.

There is also another method to address the drainage problem of a playground which is to use a perforated PVC Pipe and stones. However, according to The Fibar Group, a company that specializes in installing playground surfaces, their system of using draining strips could save over 45% of installation costs. [1]http://www.fibar.com/Playgrounds/systems.htm

What is the Best Ground Cover for a Playground?

Grass surface does not provide adequate shock absorption against fall.

Pea Gravel or Sand

Most of the surface of public playgrounds that I have seen are either sand or pea gravel. I guess the reason is they are relatively inexpensive. Both pea gravel and sand are very light, and they can get blown away easily.

Pink Sports Shoes Of Woman On Gravel

Some families expressed that pea gravel is an excellent fit for garden decoration, but do not offer adequate protection when a child falls on it. According to the study posted on BMJ Journals [2]https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/6/2/141, when comparing to other loose-fill materials, pea gravel has the worst shock absorbing performance. It is a poor choice to safeguard a playground surface, and should not be used for play structure that is over 6 feet in height.

Although sand could provide some cushion when a child falls on it, some parents find it messy to cleanup afterward. Also, they would become hard and slippery when wet, so it’s not advised to play in a playground immediately after the rain.

One downside I really dislike is that animals would use the sand as their toilet. This could bring sanitizing and health issue to a child.

When choosing the type of sand, you should find ones that is low dust, safety tested and nontoxic. You should fill the sand loosely rather than compact them. Loose sand can act as a cushion for landing.

I just had a walk in a public playground yesterday. I notice that amount of sand at the bottom of a slide and swings is a lot less than the other areas. The sand in the high traffic spots gets kicked out to other places in the playground.

Therefore, you should use a rake to loosen and level the sand regularly. You also need to refill the sand frequently to make sure it could still provide enough protection to a child.

Wood Mulch or Chips

Similar to sand, they are natural elements and also a popular choice for playground surface.

They are sturdier and heavier than sand, so it’s less likely to be blown away. Wood Mulch and wood chips are comparatively inexpensive, easy to find and install.

Although they do not invite animals, they could attract roaches or other insects. Mulch and chips are biodegradable, so you need to top up with new ones every couple of years.

Since they would absorb moisture, so they would become hard under cold conditions. This would weaken their ability in providing a cushion against a hit on it.

Engineered Wood Fiber

Some studies have shown that rubber materials could leach out toxic chemical over time. Therefore, parents could feel more safe about wood fiber as they are made primarily from natural virgin wood by-products and are environmentally friendly.

I would say this is an upgrade version of the wood chips. Manufacturers tend to control their size and type of wood chips carefully. As a result, there shouldn’t be other organic material, twigs, debris or anything extra that is not suppose to be there.

You should select ones that meet the ASTM standard, where ones that are wheelchair accessible.

Engineered wood fiber is also a cost effective choice. The cost is approximately $2 per square foot.

Rubber Mulch

The usage is similar to using wood chips. You simply pour the right amount to the surface and rake them into position. They are definitely not a natural solution. But keep in mind that some are made from old tires, which is also a good way to reuse the recycled materials.

Unlike wood chips, they do not decompose. Since they do not absorb water, you do not need to worry about mold or insects problems.

Rubber mulch is roughly five times heavier than wood chips. As long as you keep them in the playground, the frequency to refill them should be less than wood chips. You just need to rake them into position regularly as they tend to pile up in areas such as beneath swings and foot of slides.

The same study posted on BMJ Journals also stated that shredded rubber (affiliate link) is clearly superior to other loose-fill materials when it comes to performance of shock absorption.

There is a bonded version of rubber surface, which requires less maintenance than shredded rubbers. There shouldn’t be any need to rake the rubbers or refill them since they are solidly bonded to the surface.

However, they could be more expensive than the loose filling rubber mulch. It would be around $15 per square foot for bonded rubber mulch and only $10 per square foot for shredded rubber.

Poured-in-Place Rubber

It is actually the safest choice. There are a number of benefits of using a pour-in rubber.

  • The shock absorption is more uniform across the playground surface, as the material would not be loosely moving around.
  • You can spot for dirt and sharp items easily. If you use loose filling materials, it would be difficult to find out what is exactly laying beneath them.
  • Animals would not be using it as their toilet
  • It is long lasting and low maintenance.
  • Wheelchair friendly.
  • There are many color choices. I have seen some playground even have beautiful drawings or symbols on it.

However, installing a pour-in rubber surface could be quite expensive. It wouldn’t be a DIY project for most people. Hiring a professional installer is generally needed.

The pour-in rubber surfacing typically has two layers.

  • Impact attenuation layer. This is the base layer which primarily consists of tire buffings. The thickness required would depend on the height of the play structure. To give you an idea: A two-inch base layer is typically good enough for a playset that has 5 feet in height.
  • Wear Layer. The top layer is generally made out of EPDM granules. It is a colorful layer which coats the base layer. The two layers are to be mixed together with a binder. This is the colorful layer that coats the base layer. Both layers are mixed with a binder solution. Then the installer would use a hand trowel to smoothen it gently. There shouldn’t be too much force applied to the pour-in rubber when doing it. Else, it would compact the materials and reduce the cushion to protect a child.

Although this surfacing is low maintenance, (well, there’s no raking of loose materials), you should remove any debris regularly. I would use a leaf blower to get them off. (Here’s a cordless leaf blower I’m using)

Also, you would need to thoroughly clean it with water or sanitizing solution every once in a while, as there could be bird droppings, juice, chewing gum, grass stains. [3]http://www.sportsurface.net/files/1614/8770/6002/PIP_Maintenance_Guide.pdf

 

How Much Loose-filled Materials are Needed?

According to the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission, [4]https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/324.pdf, if you are going to fill the playground with wood chips, wood mulch, engineered wood fiber, or shredded rubber, then you’ll need a minimum of 9 inches for play structure up to 8 feet high.

If you are going to use sand or pea gravel, then a minimum of 9 inches for play structure up to 5 feet high

Then for a playset that is less than 4 feet tall, use at least 6 inches of protective surfacing.

The loose-filled materials would get moved around, and compressed as children are stepping on it. Just to be on the safe side, it’s better to have at least 12 inches of protective surfacing at the initial filling. Once again, you’ll need to refill them and rake them into position regularly.

How Thick Should the Poured-in Protective Surface be?

I was reading the Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook, but I wasn’t able to find that piece of information in their guide. They suggest you in checking with the manufacturer or installer in making sure the product meets the ASTMF1292 safety standard. In this report, it should show the specific height where the surface could protect against injury.

So I did some more research and I came across a playground installation company. [5]http://nofault.com/2018/04/is-poured-in-place-rubber-safety-surfacing-actually-safe/. On their website, they stated that with a depth of 6.5 inches, their poured-in-place rubber products are tested and proven to provide fall protection up to 12 feet.

Keep in mind that the materials could be different among manufacturers, so it’s important to check with them with all your safety concerns.

Final Thought about Preparing a Surface for a Play Structure

A minor scratch could be a good growing up lesson for my daughter, but I certainly would not want a severe injury for her.

Out of all the protective surfacing options, I would definitely stay away from pea gravel and sand.

I just do not feel pea gravel is adequate to absorb the falling shock, while I’m not confident how to stop the animals in using the sand as their toilet.

I prefer the poured-in-rubber. It is highly durable, slip-resistant which could provide a significant cushion against falling on it. Admittedly that there are other cheaper choices, but the price margin could make sense since there is a lot less ongoing maintenance, while the longevity of this surfacing tends to last very long.

This could be a fantastic choice for busy parents who want their kids to have fun safely while minimizing the tasks on their to-do-list.

 

 

Disclaimer: This content of this website is for general information, and do not intend to provide any specific advice. Although I’m trying my best in providing accurate information, I cannot guarantee they are error-free. Information displayed on this website could be subjected to change. For any medical-related question, you should always consult with your family doctor. For product related question, you should consult with the actual manufacturer.

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