Summer Safety Surfaces – Protect Play this Season
The heatwave doesn’t need to cause any issues for your safety surfacing! With the correct surfacing solution your playground can stay fun for visitors all year round.
How to Protect Your Natural Grass from the Heat
Natural grass lawns and play fields are very vulnerable to the changeable extremes of the British summertime weather. Sun exposure can lead to yellowing and balding, and heavy rainfall can cause flooding and floppy ground. Here at PlaySmart UK we offer durable, sustainable solutions to help protect established grass without losing the natural quality of real grass.
HybridGrass Solutions
HybridGrass uses synthetic fibres alongside natural grass, to create a green surface all year round. Using biodegradable plastic fixing pegs, we fix the grass rolls to the ground without causing any damage to the natural surface. It is a very popular solution for both commercial and domestic areas.
EcoSmart Grass Mats
During the warmer months there is high potential for grassed areas to be impacted by the sun, such as causing grass to die and drying out the ground. With EcoSmart grass matting, it ensures that the ground is protected and children are safe. We recommend the use of our 30mm SmartPlay system for any play equipment with a CFH requirement over 2m.
Artifical Grass
It is becoming increasingly popular for multi-use sports pitches to use artificial grass with it’s low maintenance and all weather properties.
How to Prevent Sun Damage to Artificial Surfaces
This year we are seeing more and more clear skies with very hot sun. Although great for outdoor activities, this can cause a variety of damages to your surfaces. With risks of cracking, fading, or even melting, it is more important than ever to protect your surfaces from the summer heat. PlaySmart’s flooring options are designed to beat the heat and avoid costly flooring repairs and playground maintenance.
Artificial Grass Temperature Resistance
All weather pitches for various shared spaces use artificial grass. It has become the preferred choice for turf for local authorities and new build developments. One of the key questions to determine the quality of synthetic grass is: ‘To what extent does artificial grass get hot in the sun and does this cause damage?’
Direct sunlight even on the hottest days is not enough to melt or bend the high quality artificial grass blades and, unlike natural grass, plastic will never wilt! However, magnification from unlucky placement of windows and reflective surfaces can cause small patches of damage if not addressed.
When planning where artificial grass lawns are appropriate, always be on the lookout for these sorts of hazards and react accordingly. If this does unexpectedly occur, replacements and artificial grass flooring repairs are simple due to the easy installation process. But as always it is best to plan ahead to avoid these issues that can add extra cost to your surfacing budgets over time.
Longer-Lasting, Summer-Proof Rubber Surfacing
Rubber playground flooring comes in many forms that can have varying resistance to weather conditions. Rubber playground flooring can be used to create wonderful patterns with vivid colours that you don’t want to fade over time.
EPDM mulch is an excellent solution to issues of UV colour fading and bleaching. We use virgin rubber shred and high quality binding agents in our EPDM. This is because these materials last longer with minimal playground maintenance or rubber repair required. Therefore, PlaySmart’s RubbaSmart, JungleMulch, and various other summer safety surfaces are available with an EPDM protective layer. This reduces UV colour damage, extending the surface’s lifespan.
Are your Surfaces Safe for the Summer?
For tips on creating a safe play environment for kids this summer, visit our seasonal outdoor playground hazards blog.
Are you ready to explore your surface options with PlaySmart? You can book a call with our team or request your Free Quote today Simply visit our contact page and fill out our handy form.
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