10 Reasons to Choose Synthetic Playground Surfacing
Synthetic playground surfacing are products including bonded rubber mulch, rubber wetpour, artificial grass, and rubber grass mats.
Why choose these playground materials for your developments over more ‘natural’ choices? Rubber is a natural material, but it is the engineering and manufacturing processes that really make all the difference in ensuring longevity and safety.
1. It lasts longer
By replacing natural bark with bonded rubber mulch, your playground surface is going to last much, much longer. Natural bark will deteriorate, get wet and muddy, and has to be topped up often. By installing products such as our JungleMulch, your playground surface is going to be around for a much longer time. This is especially true considering our 5-year product guarantee and 2-year installation guarantee.
2. Appearance
3. More colour choice
The key benefit of choosing products such as RubbaSmart or JungleMulch is the vast choice of colour you have available. Not only can you choose any colour of the rainbow (and more!), if required we can also create a special blend of two or three colours that perfectly fits your requirements. If you want a bright and colourful play area with patterns and shapes, you should definitely choose synthetic surfacing.
4. Safety
5. Maintenance
Natural playground surfacing has an incredibly high maintenance level – especially if it is being used for Critical Fall Height protection. Natural surfacing has to be topped up regularly, or swept back in to place, causing expense of both time and money. However, Synthetic playground surfacing such as our JungleMulch has a much, much easier maintenance schedule. To clean wetpour and rubber mulch, we recommend the occasional wash and sweep to keep it looking good. Rubber grass mats have an even easier maintenance schedule – all you have to do is cut the grass!
6. Sustainability
7. Play value
Children take value in the whole playground – and that includes what’s on the floor! A synthetic surface that has a bit of bounce, grip, cushion and texture provides so much more value to play time. For example, incorporating wetpour wear pads into a mulch ‘background’ adds that little bit extra ‘wow’ factor that children really value.
8. Creativity
Children love a play area that stimulates their mind and helps them create a whole world of imaginative play scenarios. A playground designed in the right way will help children’s minds grow and develop and by choosing a synthetic surfacing, you can help encourage this process. By choosing something like RubbaSmart wetpour, your design team can be really creative with the playground, really benefitting the children who’ll be playing there.
9. Accessibility
Accessibility is one of the most important things to consider in play areas – no child should feel left out from the fun. Natural surfacing is not suitable for children with disabilities at all – it hinders their access and can cause difficulties when it gets wet or muddy. In contrast, synthetic playground surfacing – especially rubber mulch and wetpour – creates a far better environment. The surface is smooth and even, and if necessary we can install a slight ramp at the edges of a playground to ensure easy access for wheelchairs and buggies alike.
10. Economic factors
When you add together many of the previous nine reasons, you’ll realise that by choosing a synthetic playground surface, you’ll be making a very economical decision. Instead of spending money every single year on maintenance and upkeep of your natural surface, you can spend a little more upfront and save massively in the long term!
So in summary, our top 10 reasons to choose synthetic playground surfacing are:
- It Lasts Longer
- Appearance
- More Colour Choice
- Safety
- Maintenance
- Sustainability
- Play Value
- Creativity
- Accessibility
- Economical Factors
If you have any questions or would like to talk to a member of our team about any of the products mentioned in this article, give us a call on 01564 742811 or get in touch via our handy contact form.
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