There’s a lot to consider when resurfacing a playground, from cost to practicality and durability – but safety will always be a primary concern. If you’re looking to refresh your school or nursery playground in the near future, we’re investigating which surfaces are the safest to help you decide which option to go for with school playground surfacing.
Prevention is better than cure
For open play areas – particularly where sports and games take place – it’s vital to choose a coarser surface that limits the likelihood of children slipping over. In this instance, we would recommend either a fine or medium-textured asphalt or a resin surface.
- Fine asphalt will help to minimise grazing when children do fall, whereas medium textured asphalt will mean they’re less likely to fall in the first place.
- Resin is a good compromise, as it has anti-slip properties yet isn’t quite as harsh on knees and shins as medium textured asphalt! It’s also a low maintenance option, but does cost a little extra to have installed.
Anti-slip properties are vital on access ramps, too: in the winter they can become very slippery, even if they’re constructed using asphalt or resin. We would recommend using a specialised anti-slip safety surface for these areas.
Impact absorbent surfaces
Sometimes, accidents happen – they’re not always avoidable. Plus, not every playground injury occurs when a child slips over. Sometimes they’ll trip and fall of their own accord, or fall off a climbing frame or similar. It’s in situations like these that wet pour ‘soft fall’ rubber surfaces come into their own.
Ideally suited to nurseries with smaller playgrounds, for trim trails or to surround other playground equipment, wet pour rubber acts as an impact-absorbent barrier, helping to minimise injuries.
Speak to the playground surfacing experts
Choosing the right playground surface can be tricky, but here at A&MT Contractors, we’re able to install all of the surfaces mentioned above – and advise you on which one would best suit your school or nursery’s needs. Learn more about our playground surfacing options today or contact us for a quote.
