Assessing what playground flooring would be most appropriate for your project can be tricky. Seasonal play conditions impact teh effectiveness of surfacing. Therefore, Playsmart recommends that you should consider how different types of weather affect different playground surfaces.
Measuring each material’s temperature in extreme weather relies on observing how the product absorbs and releases various amounts of heat. Natural surfacing products like woodchips are similar to the air temperature of that day. Whereas synthetic products like concrete absorb and retain heat. Therefore, creating a hotter seasonal play environment.
The UK weather tends to be slightly rainy, and muggy with grey skies. Therefore, extreme temperatures don’t tend to be a major concern of Playsmart. However, on the odd day when we do see heavy snow or 25-degree heat, it’s important to ensure that seasonal play flooring is up to scratch.
Winter Seasonal Play
In the winter time the occurrence of rain, frost or even snow can leave your play area flooring in a mess. We recommend a post-winter check-up on loose products like wood chipping. This is because as the wind might have scattered the bark about. Additionally, you should service rubber playground mats, as they tend to curl up and can later become a trip hazard. The material rubber is a good thermal insulator and therefore rubber surfaces tend to freeze over in wintry conditions. Also, you should sweep or power-wash these surfaces to restore the appearance and porosity for Spring.
Summer Seasonal Play
Summer brings a whole different list of factors to consider for playground flooring. With each different type of flooring reacting differently in the sun, the level of sunlight your playground gets is important. Sand is one of the higher conductors of heat and therefore gets warm very quickly. On an extremely hot day, this could have the potential to cause 2nd degree burns for users. This is especially true if they touch it with their hand or feet.
Wooden chips are one of the safer options. This is because they use a fibrous material which is more resilient to the heat. Choosing what Playsmart product to use is all dependant on the playgrounds sun exposure. Therefore, a smart choice of shading helps to tackle hot playground flooring during the summertime.
The Best Seasonal Play Surfacing
The team at Playsmart are dedicated to providing a high quality that meets the customer’s needs. We consider every element of your playground flooring installation, including seasonal play conditions, so you don’t have to! It can be tricky finding what is best for your playground build. So we hope this article today has helped you consider how the natural elements might affect the playground surfacing.
Do you want more information on PlaySmart’s range of surfaces? Explore our website for more details or request a quick quote with the handy form on our content page.
