Designing Playgrounds for Rainy Weather with PlaySmart

Are you looking for a playground design that is effective against rainy weather?

Rainy playgrounds are a constant in the UK. Therefore, PlaySmart has some recommendations to help you design your playground as safe and wet-resistant as possible. This blog aims to provide you with our top surface options to ensure safety on any playground, no matter the weather.

RubbaSmart Wet Pour Safety Surfacing

RubbaSmart Wet Pour Surfacing in Rainy Playgrounds

Vibrant yellow track around playground equipment with black safety surfacing. A racing track for children's car toys

Wet pour is the classic safety surfacing solution for play areas. PlaySmart’s wet pour solution, RubbaSmart, is a high-quality wet pour rubber surface. Available in a range of colours, thicknesses and designs, it has wet poured surfacing that is durable, low maintenance play surface. PlaySmart are happy to support you from design and layout to installation and aftercare.

Applications of RubberSmart

RubbaSmart rubber playground flooring is suitable for schools, parks and public places. Our surfacing team usually installs it over existing surfaces such as concrete or tarmac. Or, if required, we can lay a sub-base.

Where to use RubbaSmart:
  • Children’s play areas
  • Multi-use games areas
  • Parks and recreation grounds
  • Outdoor gyms
  • Pathways
  • Seating areas
  • Splash pads
  • Domestic gardens
Key Benefits of RubbaSmart
  • Perfect for playgrounds where a colourful designs and patterns is required
  • Suitable for playgrounds and play areas with equipment
  • Slip resistant surface and no trip edges
  • Can be laid on tarmac and concrete
  • Low maintenance
Safety of RubbaSmart

Although we pride RubbaSmart’s aesthetic values, safety is an absolute priority for our playground surfacing.

RubbaSmart is above all a safety surface and can be specified at varying thicknesses in order to provide a range of Critical Fall Heights from 20mm (0.7m CFH) to 130mm (3.0m CFH). Additionally, we can repair or top up the wet pour with a reskim layer to fix the wear-and-tear of playground activity.

EPDM MulchSmart: True Colour, Natural Look

EPDM MulchSmart for Rainy Playgrounds

Vibrant Green EPDM Mulch Garden Installation

New arrival! EPDM Mulch is now available in the UK through PlaySmart. Made from Virgin Rubber Shred, meaning the colour does not rub off over time and there are no carbon particulates or toxins released from regular activity, EPDM MulchSmart is a great low-maintenance option for a range of playground uses. We especially recommend this surfacing for nurseries and Pre-Schools where traditional SBR recycled rubber mulch or loose fill is not suitable. This is because its range of vibrant colour blends that kids love, stay bright throughout the life of the surface.

Key Benefits
  • True Colour Virgin EPDM rubber will not change in colour or rub colour off onto clothes and skin
  • No harmful toxins released
  • Durable, all weather surface
  • Very low maintenance
  • Excellent slip resistance offering full wheelchair and buggy accessibility
  • Suppresses weeds, but accommodates tree and plant growth
  • Minimal sub-base required, saving money
  • Quick to install, with minimal disruption to the ground and site
  • Available for install at a range of fully certified depths to provide fall protection to suit your requirements.

SmartPave - SUDS Protection for Rainy Playgrounds

SmartPave playground installation with red mixed rubber surfaces around wheelchair accessible roundabout

Our SmartPave range is perfect to suit your pathway surfacing needs. This is because we offer two variations of SmartPave. The most popular is also the best option for rainy conditions. This is because it is a water-permeable surfacing system using a blend of naturally decorative aggregates and recycled rubber granules from used tyres. Addittionally, the other variation is a resin-bound gravel that has a range of benefits as a professional, durable option.

Both variations of SmartPave are suitable for pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian traffic on pathways and rural trails with smooth surfaces meeting accessibility requirements for wheelchair users, prams, and buggies. Our resin-bound gravel is also suitable for driveways.

The specially formulated moisture-curing polyurethane binder combines black rubber recycled granules and decorative aggregates. We chose this formula because it produces a firm surface with good grip and resilience. When constructed on a suitable base, the surface is fully porous and meets the requirements for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS).

Our resin-bound gravel uses the highest quality aggregates and specially formulated resin binders. It forms an attractive, even surface that is an excellent alternative to traditional paving methods, such as loose gravel. The resin is a cold-applied system, with a unique hybrid polyurethane formulation that is environmentally friendly, while also being solvent and odour free.

SmartPave Applications

Our key recommendations for SmartPave Application are:

  • Footpaths
  • Eco-trails
  • Cycle paths
  • Tree pits
  • Canal and river paths
  • Cemetery paths
  • Driveways

Our three standard colours for our SUDS SmartPave are Red, Gold and Silver. However special colours can be ordered subject to lead times and minimum order quantities.

SmartPave Black and red aggregate sample
Red
SmartPave Black and orange aggregate sample
Gold
SmartPave Black and Yellow aggregate sample
Silver
Safety Guarantees for SmartPave

We have had SmartPave independently tested for slip resistance and porosity by safety experts. Therefore, these certificates are only applicable when you purchase all parts of the system directly from PlaySmart. This means that you get the best guarantees when we install your surface or the installer utilizes our instructions and techniques.

Once the surface is installed and fully cured, it is inert and non-toxic. Additionally, the water permeable surfacing uses large quantities of recycled tyres, giving it excellent environmental credentials. Our resin bound gravel uses a hybrid polyurethane which is environmentally friendly and both solvent and odour free.

Key Benefits of SmartPave
  • Doesn’t require a newly engineered base
  • Low maintenance
  • Quick installation process
  • Environmentally friendly due to use of recycled rubber tyres
  • Fully drained system

Are Rainy Playgrounds a Safety Concern for Your Visitors?

We continue to innovate and promote only the best products that ensure quality and safety. Learn more about our surfaces in our product range. Additionally, get in touch today and our advisors will be more than happy to help. You can also give us a call on 01564 721811

Best wishes, the PlaySmart team!

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