Outdoor Play Equipment Surfaces...

Safe surfacing standards for commercial play installations are laid down in the standard EN1177. Safety surfacing is compulsory for climbing frames for children and commercial play systems which offer a risk of falling from over 1m. This is not the case for residential installations where the majority of our customers decide to build their Rainbow directly on to the lawn in their back garden. Very often the intention here is to add a safe play surface at a later date. Rainbow recommends a safe play area of 6' around the entire outdoor play equipment or structure.

For those who do choose a safety surface or for systems where EN1177 is applicable we offer 3 alternative play surfaces:

1. Ecoscape® Shredded Rubber

Shredded rubber bark is a popular option for those wanting a long lasting, loose fill surface which does not need topping up over time. It also comes with a 10 year manufacturers colour loss guarantee. Rubber Mulch provides a number of significant benefits:

Easy Installation
Shredded rubber is easy to install and is delivered in 10 kilo bags direct to you property. Ecoscape® ordered in conjunction with a Rainbow Play System will be installed free of charge on the day of the play frame installation. Shredded rubber can be laid over most existing surfaces and it is important to spread the rubber on top of a weed suppressing membrane. The rubber in your play area needs to be retained by either excavating and back filling the hole to the level of the surrounding ground or bordering the area with to create a pit above the ground.

10yr warranty against colour loss and is metal and fibre free (no pneumatic tyres used)

Coverage
The shredded rubber has been tested to meet the critical fall height of 3m with a depth of 5cm when laid on a loose sub base. We would recommend a depth of 5cms for residential play areas and 7 - 10cms for commercial play areas.

Supplied in easy to manage 10kg bags.

Use of a geo textile material onto soil, old bark or stone is highly recommended to restrict weed growth.

Sourced from a ROSPA member
"Shredded solid rubber (not chunks) elongated in shape giving better layering and dimensional stability. Ecoscape® shreds are elongated and less likely to be swallowed, if they are swallowed they have been ingestion tested and have been classified as toy safe."

Shredded solid rubber (not chunks) elongated in shape giving better layering and dimensional stability. Ecoscape® shreds are elongated and less likely to be swallowed, if they are swallowed they have been ingestion tested and have been classified as toy safe.

2. Ecoscape® Bonded Rubber

Ecoscape® bonded rubber is a blend of Ecoscape® rubber mulch combined with a binder, mixed on site and levelled out to provide a more attractive and cheaper option than some 'traditional' synthetic and rubber surfacing options. As this is based on Ecoscape® shredded rubber you have the same choice of colours to fit your environment. Rustic finish which is perfect for that natural look.

Ratio required to mix properly would be 2kg of binder to 10kg of shredded rubber.

Please contact your local office regarding the depth required for your play area/equipment.

3. Ecoscape® Rubber Kerbstones

Made from recycled rubber. Sets off your play area with a soft retaining kerb and keeps any loose fill safety surface in place. Easy installation. Kerbs are pre drilled with three holes on the underside, simply tap stakes into the ground and position the kerb over them. Supplied in 1m lengths at 125mm high and 50mm wide.

4. Artificial Grass

Why not have that lush green grass all year round? Available in a number of grades/lengths dependant on usage with multi directional polyethylene grass. Great water drainage via holes in the latex backing, this artificial safety grass is a durable product which requires no maintenance. Imagine creating that safe environment for your child with the added benefit of no muddy shoes or dirty clothing.

No more mowing	No more watering
No more weeding (weed resistant)	No more muddy patches
No more fertilizers or pesticides	Ideal for pets
Helps hayfever sufferers	High UV resistance, always green (8yr warranty)

The list of benefits goes on and on.

Firm sub base is required which will involve a weed membrane, 3 inches of type 1, blinding layer of sharp sand and another weed membrane

5. Rubber Grass Matting

This is becoming a very popular way of meeting the BSEN1177 surfacing standard as these achieve a critical fall height of 3m and can simply be laid and pegged on grass and therefore eliminating messy and sometimes expensive ground works. The mats measure 23mm thick, 1m wide and 1.5m long. They can be used as a complete surfacing solution (residential or commercial) or placed strategically (residential only) around areas of wear and tear such as swings and slides.

6. Playground Bark

Playground bark is an extremely popular material in both residential and commercial applications. Initially it is very cost effective, but it does need topping up over time as it degrades and rots. Play bark is made from pure pine bark with a particle size of 18 - 35mm and is attractive appearance with minimal white wood. Reddish brown in colour it has rapid drainage during wet weather and is produced from 100% natural and environmentally friendly sources. It meets the industry regulations for safety BSEN1177 and fire BS4790 and the recommendations are 10 - 15cms for residential play areas and 20 - 30cms for commercial play areas. As play bark is a natural long lasting product, but you may find (due to decay and amount of use) that you may need to top up you play area every 3 - 5 years. Can be ordered within 3 - 4 working days. Existing bark or stone is recommended to restrict weed growth. Critial fall heights for 1.33m and less is 100mm and for 3m and less is 300mm.