When choosing the outdoor flooring option for a children’s play area, safety must be prioritised.
As kids often run around when playing, they ought to do so on a sturdy surface where they would not get injured.
This makes the flooring of a children’s play area critical and probably the most important aspect to consider when building a playground.
Whether it is an indoor or outdoor play area, there is a wide range of quality flooring options to consider.
Besides, if the appropriate flooring is put in place, a playground can be transformed into a functional space for more activities, including outdoor lessons and PE sessions.
Here, we will look at six different outdoor flooring options suitable for a children’s play area.
1. Artificial Grass
Synthetic grass can do wonders to a children’s playground. It can create an alluring and pleasant outdoor space for children to enjoy.
As children will always fall to the floor, sometimes intentionally, artificial grass is soft enough to cushion their fall. It also ensures children can sit on the floor under the sunshine.
If you plan to make the playground more functional, especially for sporting activities and outdoor classes, synthetic turf is a great flooring choice.
Another benefit of artificial grass is that, unlike natural grass, it does not need regular maintenance like weeding and will not get slippery or muddy. Top-quality faux grass is designed to ensure moisture drains away quickly, making it a safe option.
2. Rubber Mulch
Another solid but safe outdoor flooring option for a children’s play area is rubber mulch. They are made from recycled pieces of rubber bonded together by sophisticated polyurethane.
If you are a parent looking for a low-maintenance flooring option with a soft surface that can cushion falls, then rubber playground mulch can be a fantastic choice. Rubber mulch can reduce the potentials of children suffering injuries while playing.
It is low maintenance because it can serve as a weed barrier, meaning it requires little in the way of upkeep.
3. Play Sand
Sand has always been the favoured choice of outdoor flooring for children’s play areas. It is affordable and can absorb falls better than most other flooring options.
If you choose sand as the flooring for your children’s playground, ensure it is not shallow. Shallow sand cannot absorb falls properly, so have several inches of it and spread out evenly.
You will also need to check the depth regularly and always replenish areas that are becoming shallow.
4. Composite Decking
Although composite decking is used in residential settings, they are also viable options for flooring some parts of a playground.
With a composite decking installation used as a sidewalk, you can transform the entire play area into a ravishing and inviting destination for children.
A composite decking installation is also important because the decking boards are slip-resistant and splinter-free, meaning that children’s safety is assured.
It is an ideal flooring option for pathways, demarcating boundaries between playground sections, and its visually appealing look makes it a fine decorative feature.
Composite decking boards have premium durability and are also eco-friendly.
5. Engineered Wood Fibre (EWF)
This is increasingly becoming a popular material used in public playgrounds. It is slip-resistant, attractive and provides a good cushion that absorbs falls, making it one of the safest outdoor flooring options for children’s play area.
Although it is more expensive than mulch, sand, natural grass and some other flooring types, it is generally considered a better option because it is specifically designed for playground safety.
In fact, it is generally believed to be the safest option to use under playground equipment and can absorb impacts of up to 12-feet if well-maintained at a 12-inch thickness.
6. Tarmac with Thermoplastic Markings
Tarmac is one of the most used surfaces for school playgrounds in the UK and some other parts. It is cost-effective and ideal for large play areas.
There are a lot of benefits you can get from using tarmac to floor children’s playground. It is durable, requires minimal maintenance, and you can get creative with the designs.
Considering it is a play area, and more particularly if it would be used in schools and nurseries, you can create playground markings that increase the number of activities children can do.
You can make the children’s play area more colourful with beautiful thermoplastic markings on the floor. Children can be in their play zone and continue learning with several educative markings that keep them active.
All the outdoor flooring options for children’s play area that have been listed have different benefits. However, these are some of the best, and you can choose whichever suits you and your budget more.
