Whether you’re looking to a Playground Rubber Safety Surfacing daycare center, or community park, one of the most common questions we receive is “what is the best playground surface?” At MRC we always recommend poured-in-place rubber surfacing or synthetic turf for many reasons. They are durable, low-maintenance, comfortable to play on (almost a spongy-like surface), and most importantly, extremely safe. These surfacing types are shock-absorbent and meet critical fall height requirements as set by ASTM.

Poured in place rubber surfacing is soft, durable and doesn’t splinter. One of the chief complaints about popular playground surfaces like wood chips and even pavement is that splinters can get into kids’ eyes, skin, and shoes. Poured in place rubber is also designed to be highly shock-absorbent and is able to absorb the force of a 10 foot fall.

Why Rubber Safety Surfacing Is a Must-Have for Modern Playgrounds

Other loose-fill surfacing options include recycled tire mulch, engineered wood fiber, and playground sand. These materials are installed at a thickness and depth that meets safety standards for the area in front of slides and swings. However, these materials tend to migrate down the slope of a playground and over time the coverage becomes thin. This creates less material between a child and the hard ground underneath, leading to serious head injuries.

Solid surfacing includes bonded or poured rubber, interlocking resilient tiles, and synthetic turf. These unitary surfaces are more expensive than the loose-fill option but they last much longer and require less maintenance. Additionally, they often have more design options for shapes and colors. These surfaces also have a lower HIC rating, which is a measure of the potential for serious head injury.