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Playgrounds are an essential part of each
child’s world and are a crucial part
of community planning considerations. A
playground should take into account the
topography of the site (including proper
drainage and elevation), as well as the
relationship to adjacent streets, street
structure and pedestrian access.
The goal for any good playground is for
it to be unique, attractive, functional
and above all safe. Protective surfacing
under and around all playground equipment
is the most critical safety factor in any
playground environment. Falls from the equipment
are the most common type of injury and while
playgrounds are getting safer a larger percentage
of playgrounds are not considered safe.
So which of the ground coverings is the
most reliable and cost effective for your
community? There are many different options
to consider when looking at the protective
surfacing for your playground environment.
The most important aspect is to determine
what your maximum protection you need based
on the critical height of your playground
equipment.* The playground equipment manufacturer
would have this information.
We have looked at the pros and cons of
available safety ground materials from the
standard wood chips and mulch to the more
technologically advanced rubberized mulch
chips and poured-in-place rubberized mats.
While the long-term duration of the rubberized
chips and mats is appealing, many will find
that the extreme cost for the community
may seem high.
We’ve broken down costs from initial
installation to a projected 10 year cost
analysis which would include any yearly
maintenance costs.
Call us at Blade Runners if you have any
questions on the right Tot Lot solution
for you.
|
TYPES |
PROS |
CONS |
Initial
Install
Cost
|
10
yr. Cost Analysis for 500ft. tot lot |
| Wood
Chips (8-12 inch standard) |
- ADA
, ASTM, and CPSC certified
-
100%natural – no chemicals
-
More natural appeal
-
8 year expectancy with proper maintenance
|
- Harmful
objects can hide in material such
as rocks, branches or other
-
Kids can kick, throw and swallow
-
Can attract insects and will decompose
over time.
- Requires
maintenance.
-
Can be sharp and uncomfortable
|
$600 |
$2,400 |
| Engineer
Wood Fiber: Often referred to as Tot
Lot Chips
(8-12”)
|
- ADA
, ASTM, and CPSC certified
-
100%natural – no chemicals
-
More natural appeal
-
8 year expectancy with proper maintenance
|
- Same
as above: Main difference from wood
chips are the chips are reground
to be softer with fewer sharp edges.
-
More expensive than regular wood
chips – same durability
|
$900 |
$3,100 |
Playground
Carpet Mulch
(8-12 inch standard)
|
- ADA
Accessible
-
Passes all safety standards if at
appropriate depth
-
Softer
|
- Harmful
objects can hide in material such
as rocks, branches or other
-
Kids can kick, throw and swallow
-
Can attract insects and will decompose
more quickly over time.
- Requires
maintenance - yearly.
-
Can cause more mess
|
$900 |
$3,100 |
Rubber
Tire Chips
“Soft Rubberized Mulch”
(4-6 inch standard)
|
- Lifetime
guarantee
-
Will not attract insects
-
Non Toxic
-
Uses recycled rubber products
-
Dries quickly
|
- Not
always ADA Accessible – can
sink
-
Can be thrown, displaced
-
Use reputable company that has completely
removed any metal from rubber
-
Harmful objects can hide in material
|
$4,000 |
$5,000 |
| Tiled
Rubber Mat (2.5-3.75”) |
- Consistent
shock absorbency– not displaced
-
Highly ADA compliant
|
- Air
and water cannot permeate as easily
encouraging habitat for rodents
-
Shrinkage, cracking of surface
-
Safety height drop can be limited
due to thickness
-
Excessive cost to establish level
tot lot
|
$8,000 |
$8,000 |
Poured-in-Place
Technology
(recycled shredded tires covered with
layer of granular rubber bound with
polyurethane binder)
2inches is standard thickness
|
- Permeable
to air and water
- 2-5
year manufacture guarantee
-
20 years life expectancy of product
-
ADA compliant
|
- Shrinkage,
cracking of surface
-
Surface got hard
-
Repairs hard to get in timely manner
-
Requires testing
|
$8,000 |
$8,000 |
| TYPES |
COSTS |
| Wood Chips |
$.59/sq.ft |
$19/sq
cubic yard |
| Soft
Rubberized Mulch |
$3.6
per sq. ft. |
|
| Poured-in-place |
$8-10
per square foot |
|
| Tiled
rubberized mats |
$9 per square foot
|
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* The Critical height for
a surfacing material is defined as: THE
MAXIMUM HEIGHT FROM WHICH THE INSTRUMENTED
METAL HEADFORM, UPON IMPACT, YIELDS BOTH
A PEAK DECELERATION OF NO MORE THAN 200
G'S AND A HIC OF NO MORE THAN 1,000 WHEN
TESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE
DESCRIBED IN ASTM F1292.
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