The Best Playground Surfaces
Safety is an important part of building a playground. There are many laws covering the specifics of playground safety. These vary depending on the city or county where the playground is located. Among the details to consider is the type of surface below the playground structures. Gone are the days of playground equipment being cemented into concrete or placed on a grassy lawn. Safe playgrounds are now surrounded by what are called loose fill materials. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pea Gravel
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Pea gravel, or small round rocks the size of peas, is a common loose fill material for playgrounds. While rocks may not seem like the ideal choice to break a child's fall, pea gravel is actually effective at absorbing shock. B4UBUILD.com recommends using 9 to 12 inches of pea gravel under playground equipment. Children should be instructed not to eat the pea gravel or throw it at each other.
Wood Chips
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Wood chips are another possibility for filling a playground area. Wood chips from many types of trees can be purchased as mulch in gardening centers and spread under playground equipment. Some woods chips are made specifically for playground use. Wisegeek.com lists wood chips as one of the safest playground materials.
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Recycled Rubber
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Recycled rubber and PVC has become an environmentally conscious choice for playgrounds. Rubber, often from old tires, is shredded to make the mulch for playgrounds. The result is a bouncy, soft surface. Recycled rubber is also used to make play mats that can be placed under playground equipment. Treehugger shows an example of these mats. Recycled rubber playground surfaces can be bought over the internet or at gardening centers or hardware stores.
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References
- Photo Credit playground image by tim elliott from Fotolia.com
