Best Playground Safety Surfaces For Children’s Play Spaces
Updated on: March 12, 2024
In a space dedicated to freedom and energetic play, playground safety is paramount. When installing new play space coverings, finding the best playground safety surface for your play area will be one of your biggest priorities.
Regardless of weather, wear and tear and footfall numbers, safety surfaces for playgrounds have got to perform.
The Importance of High-Quality Safety Surfacing For Children’s Play
We want children to play freely, have fun and get lots of exercise however we know that will inevitably mean trips and falls will occur at some point.
Regardless of the sensible precautions we take, some children’s accidents are unavoidable so it’s important to install the right safety surfacing, so pupils are protected from serious injury as they play.
Statutory Requirements
Safe playground surfaces were first recommended by the UK government back in 1978 when the Department of Environment ‘strongly recommended’ their use.
Further recommendations by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in its 1993 Playground Safety Guidelines and the Health and Safety Executive mean safety surfaces are a standard recommendation for UK playgrounds.
How to Choose Playground Safety Surfaces
Protection
The best playground safety surfaces offer superb: fall protection, slip-resistance, weather-resistance, and durability. Whilst budget will always be a factor for consideration, when thinking about safety it’s essential to weigh cost against longevity.
Cost
A cheaper surface that doesn’t endure heavy use won’t remain safe for long. Patches of erosion and broken surfacing will quickly become a hazard so higher spends for solutions which offer better durability are a good investment.
Safety Standards
Any playground safety surfacing installed in children’s play areas should meet the following standards for play equipment in the UK:
- Standards BS EN 1177 and BS EN 788 for playground equipment testing.
- Standard BS EN 1176 for the installation of impact absorbing playground surfacing
Use
Playground designs vary greatly so there are a range of surface types to choose from. The 3 main types of safety surfacing for UK playgrounds are: grass, loose-fill materials, and synthetic surfaces.
Some types of safety surfaces are designed for use under equipment of specific heights whilst others are better suited to large areas of play space so it’s important to research all the options carefully.
Playground Safety Surface Coverings
Many playground surfaces are covered with a safe surface material, such as thermoplastic playground markings.
We’re a leading supplier of playground safety surface coverings, such as playground markings and anti-slip sports coatings.
Our playground markings are both educational and fun. Available at a range of price points, our collection of surface coverings enables you to finish your outdoor space with innovative designs that inspire children to get active and engage in stimulating play.
By reducing the impact of any falls or trips, playground safety surfaces play an important role in keeping play fun for all children whilst giving adults peace of mind.
When topped with colourful playground markings, grass, or other soft surfaces, you can create a welcoming outdoor space that’s safe and fun for children to use.
Let’s take a closer look at how the best safety surfaces for children’s playgrounds compare.
Best Playground Safety Surfaces For Children’s Play Spaces
Best Grass Surfacing for Safety
The low resistance to heavy use and adverse weather traditional grass offers means it is being quickly replaced by non-slip, artificial grass.
Artificial grass is a contemporary material that’s designed to be weather-proof and strong. It will stand up to use in busy play areas and won’t turn to mud. Many play spaces choose to include an additional layer of cushioning underneath the grass to soften falls.
A popular option is to develop dual designs which have some areas covered with artificial grass and others with soft flooring.
Best Loose-fill Surface for Safety
Natural materials, such as wood, sand, and recycled rubber, are often used underneath play equipment. Although lots of natural materials offer protection from falls, they will need replacing much quicker than synthetic surfaces.
Recycled rubber is one of the most popular options for safety. It is shredded and mixed with a type of polymer glue to create a material called eco mulch.
In its new form, the rubbery material can be used in a range of ways to protect children from injury if they fall off play equipment.
Best Synthetic Surface for Safety
Wet pour also known as rubber tarmac is the most popular choice for playground safety surfacing.
Synthetic construction means rubber tarmac offers the best endurance and comes in a range of colours. As a contemporary material, wet pour is designed to be versatile and slip resistant.
The option to install wet pour in a range of depths means it can be used for lots of different types of playground designs. Though it is worth noting that thermoplastic playground markings cannot be installed over the top.
Top performance means rubber tarmac is not the cheapest option, but the long-lasting, safe surface will deliver a high return on investment.
Best Playground Surface Covering
Contemporary play areas are bright, appealing spaces so unless you install grass, it’s highly likely you’ll want to top your safety surface with decorative markings and sports courts.
Thermoplastic is the most durable playground surface coating option. It’s an unrivalled, contemporary material that’s anti-slip, weather-proof and highly resistant.
The safe and hardwearing material delivers a vibrant finish that will last for many years to come. Thermoplastic is available in 26 different colours so it can be used to produce a wide range of exciting and imaginative designs for children.
It’s quick to apply over solid surfaces like tarmac and comes with a 4-year warranty.
Although thermoplastic is the most expensive type of safety covering for play areas, it lasts 10 times longer than traditional playground paint so is a superb investment that will repay itself over and over.
Our other options for playground safety coverings include:
- Methacrylate Cold Plastic (MMA)
- Anti-Slip Playground Paint
- Sports Coating
See all our options for our Surface Coatings and browse our wide range of playground marking designs.
Jess Sparks
Jess is deeply committed to supporting our mission of positively impacting UK outdoor play environments to promote healthy lifestyles in children.
With a CIM Level 6 Diploma in Sustainable Marketing, Jess channels her passion for sustainability into her marketing role, using her skills to promote eco-conscious practices and raise awareness for our initiatives.
Jess’ experience within the industry is instrumental in driving engagement and supporting connections with those who require ultra-durable, high-grade playground markings both locally and internationally.
