Embrace modernity and creative design with a smart choice for all-round flooring for your outdoor space. Water absorbent, non-slip and long-lasting, a bonded or bound aggregate solution fits seamlessly into any playground design to improve safety, aesthetics, and even sustainability.
Bonded or Bound Surfacing?
The main difference between bonded and bound surfacing is in the installation process.
Bonded surface installation involves the resin or other binding agent being spread across the surface before the chosen aggregate material is placed on top. This gives a rougher texture and often uses larger shipping or shred, providing extra grip and slip protection.
Whereas bound surfacing is made from a pre-mixed solution that is spread across the site in one go, distributing the granules of rubber and other aggregates evenly throughout the surface. This often gives the surface a glossy, smooth look and can be more durable and long-lasting.
In each of these processes, the surface compaction process is important to ensure a flat surface where the material is evenly distributed across the space and will last for longer than loose-fill surfacing.
Cork Flooring- Corkeen
With natural shock absorbent properties, cork is a great sustainable flooring option. Corkeen is made from 90% natural cork, with only 10% binder used to create a unique surface solution. A modern surface solution, the cork granules used in Corkeen are a great alternative to rubber options for a unique surface design.
Cork as a surface material has unique properties. Including being hypoallergenic, durable and having amazing shock absorbent qualities that make it a safe surface for active play and heavy activity.
The surface engineering of Corkeen uses a two-layer structure of a hard-wearing surface layer and softer, shock-absorbent lower layer. These work together to distribute pressure throughout the surface as each granule takes a portion of the force. With bound granules, air is able to pass through the surface to an extent, making it breathable, but also improving shock absorbency as air is able to move alongside the cork and binder material easily to further reduce the impact of a fall or hard step on the surface.
Recycled Rubber Playground Surfacing- JungleMulch
A natural play bark alternative with greater durability, JungleMulch bonded flooring uses rubberised mulch with larger chippings. This creates a unique texture for pathways, playgrounds, and tree surrounds. The natural-looking material is a great design element that blends in with surroundings while being a sustainable choice as all the rubber is sourced from recycled rubber tyres.
The size of the granules however can cause some issues. Although rubberised mulch is a more shock-absorbent material than natural play bark and held together with more strength, over time play area rubber chippings can come loose, especially when picked at by young children. As well as requiring maintenance, the chippings can also become choking hazards for young children when they come loose.
Playground may also experience blackening of the rubber as the rubber mulch colours wear off from the surface of the larger chippings over time. Known as carbon black residue, this can be hazardous if ingested.
Therefore, we recommend regular inspection and maintenance of the surface, and choosing a virgin rubber alternative in play areas with young children. This rubber mulch maintenance, however, is very simple, involving sweeping or a gentle wash with a low-pressure hose if required.
Virgin Rubber Surfacing- EPDM MulchSmart
EPDM rubber crumb play surfacing is a bonded play surface known for greater tensile strength than wet pour or recycled rubber. This provides the surface with unmatched durability from colour and rubber wear.
The fine rubber granules used in EPDM surfacing create a smoothly textured surface and have extra safety protection due to the added tensile strength of the material. The rubber crumb is able to absorb more energy on contact with the surface, spreading the impact through the layers of rubber. Due to this shock absorption, EPDM is recommended for high-traffic areas or under playground equipment where greater critical fall height protection is required.
Each granule is coloured, meaning that it doesn’t fade and the higher tensile strength and purity reduce the risk of carbon black residue. The peroxide vulcanized binding solution keeps the EPDM protected from UV colour damage as well as fully weatherproof.
Aggregate Gravel Surfacing - SmartPave
SmartPave options are a unique resin bound paving option perfect for pathways, walkways, and even driveways. Composite resin bound aggregates of natural and synthetic materials is formulated to provide the best grip and with two varieties with unique hybrid resin polyurethane binders, SmartPave is guaranteed to benefit your surface.
The black recycled rubber gravel aggregate version of SmartPave is SUDS compliant, a permeable resin bound gravel surfacing option with moisture-curing polyurethane binder recommended for urban and built-up areas. A SUDS, or Sustainable Urban Drainage System, is an environmental zone where the water cycle is prioritised due to drainage and standing water issues due to impermeable ground, wet climates, and limited vegetation.
SmartPave works with the natural system of water drainage better than other types of driveway surfaces and paving like impermeable tarmac and concrete by allowing water to pass through the compacted rubber and decorative aggregates into the groundwater supply, benefiting the local ecosystem while reducing risks of puddling, surface runoff, and flooding.
The variety of shapes used in an aggregate paving material add to the unique properties of SmartPave. Water is able to pass into the surface quickly to prevent puddling, while draining through the material comes at a varied pace as it works through different shapes and sizes of aggregate, preventing water-logging of the surface material below.
Which Surface Option is Right for You?
PlaySmart provides a variety of bound and bonded surfacing designed with unique properties and benefits to suit any requirements. Discuss your options today with our experts by booking a call or get your Free Quick Quote with our handy contact form.