Rubber Outdoor Play Area Design Ideas

Rubber is an incredible tool for surface design and landscape architecture, bringing new life to any outdoor space.

Wet pour rubber surfacing creates solid, secure, and safe flooring for any activity, making it an incredibly popular choice for professional rubber surfaces. Another amazing rubber surface material available from PlaySmart, EPDM MulchSmart, can be used to create a unique, fun pattern with vibrant non-fade colours children and adults with love.

PlaySmart is a top rubber surface supplier and installer that provides expertise on long-lasting safety surfacing with our collaborative process dedicated to bringing our clients’ flooring ideas to life! Here are just some of the ways PlaySmart can turn rubber surfacing into creative sports, leisure, and play area designs to meet any requirements…

Installing Designs in Wet Pour Playgrounds

The wet pour installation process involves on-site mixing of the materials that are poured and smoothed out on a stable, flat surface. The groundwork requirements will differ for each site depending on an in-depth survey of the soil type, underlying materials and drainage requirements identified by the pre-installation surveys conducted by our experienced team.

The poured rubber flooring solution is often applied evenly across the play surface as a base layer for other rubber surfacing materials like EPDM or JungleMulch. However, when applied by itself in a wet pour design using a range of colours, each section is installed in isolation and left to set and solidify before the adjoining colour is applied. This ensures a clean wet pour surfacing pattern with defined patterns, which is important for creating clear designs and sharp lines.

To reinforce the colour vibrancy and longevity of wet pour rubber designs, EPDM crumb or precision surface designs can be applied to areas of the playground or across the surface. This provides a layer of higher tensile strength material to absorb shocks to the surface and secure areas of weakness at the edges of each block of wet pour.

Adjoining layers of wet pour rubber surfaces in black and brown

To reinforce the colour vibrancy and longevity of wet pour rubber designs, EPDM crumb or precision surface designs can be applied to areas of the playground or across the surface. This provides a layer of higher tensile strength material to absorb shocks to the surface and secure areas of weakness at the edges of each block of wet pour.

Wet Pour Rubber Colours and Themed Playgrounds
Natural colours used in a wet pour rubber playground design

Natural Colours

For a natural-looking playground or leisure area that blends into the surrounding environment to create a calming space, natural colours of rubber are available.

Traditional black is not the only option for an understated surface, the dark browns and reds in our autumnal colour blends work to create a calming aesthetic that works for a variety of purposes.

Spaces with wooden playground equipment often want to incorporate the concept of nature into every aspect of the playground design. To create a contrasting colour story that maintains the influences of nature, shades of green rubber are a popular choice to offset the browns of natural wood equipment and furniture.

Vibrant Colours

For a play design idea that acts as an attraction for a local playground or gathering point in a larger leisure site, vibrant colours are a great choice.

With our range of vibrant, non-toxic colourants (see our EPDM rubber colour and material brochure for more information and full colour chart), landscape pattern ideas can become a central part of the identity of any park or outdoor area.

Theming playgrounds and leisure areas around a local identity or the site’s purpose can help put a unique stamp on any space. A popular choice for holiday leisure sites is a beach or sea theme, while many children’s’ play areas embrace an adventure theme with pirates or fairy-tale characters. For inspiration on what a rubber playground design can do for your area why not explore our play surface gallery?

Poet's Park Vibrant Rubber Playground surfacing in residential area

Rubber Pattern Ideas for Play Inspiration

EPDM crumb applications and wear pads can be used as part of designs for play areas that inspire games and activities. Play markings like hopscotch patterns, number lines, running track lines, and more can be installed on larger wet pour rubber surfaces to provide space to play for children of all ages.

Wet Pour Repairs and Refurbishments

Over time, some flooring designs and colours can begin to fade to black, leaving behind a dull rubber surface. If the surfacing quality is still acceptable for the needs of the site, livening up the flooring doesn’t have to require a whole new flooring installation. EPDM rubber design applications are great for refurbishing and redesigning an existing wet pour rubber playground space, creating divides between sections, pathways, or themed areas for different purposes.

In addition to fading, wet pour rubber can wear away and recede at the edges after several years of use. This may impact the design and accessibility of the area if not given correct reinforcement with a wet pour rubber repair kit applied to overused or weak points of the surface. EPDM mulch wear pads or edging strips are a great solution for creating an accessible playground and providing appropriate reinforcement but also bring a pop of colour to darker or faded wet pour designs.

For more on the benefits of EPDM mulch reinforcing colour for playground designs visit our expert article: Guide to Surface Installation: Securing Play Area Edging.

Explore your Options for Professional Rubber Surfaces

If you are looking for a reliable, professional surfacing company for your outdoor flooring project, PlaySmart is the place to go.

Get your Free Quick Quote today or book a call with our experts using the contact form at the top of the page.

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