Playground Flooring Pros and Cons
Deciding between different flooring options for your playground surface can be daunting. Should you choose rubber tiles over artificial turf or a mix of both? If these are questions you struggle with, this post aims to share some pros and cons of both rubber playground tiles and artificial playground turf to help you choose the best option for your playground needs.
Regardless of which playground flooring option you use for your project, rest assured that Perfect Surfaces’ entire product line is premium-grade and durable enough to withstand any playtime abuse that kids can inflict on it!
Playground PlaySafe SHOCK Tile Pros and Cons
Perfect Surfaces’ PlaySafe SHOCK rubber tiles are manufactured with impact-resistant and slip-resistant rubber, making them comfortable and safe for kids to play on. The innovative X-Connector system makes SHOCK play tiles easy to install with a tight and secure connection over any solid, level surface, and the tiles are durable enough to tolerate heavy foot traffic and extreme-use areas like playgrounds.
Another benefit of rubber SHOCK play place tiles is that they can be swept, vacuumed, machine scrubbed, sponge mopped, or hosed off to ensure a clean and long-lasting surface. Using a neutral pH cleaner & degreaser, like CleanBreak, with a sponge mop and water is recommended for deeper cleaning. The one drawback of SHOCK rubber tiles is their higher price point when compared to cheaper products in the market—although the initial investment of SHOCK rubber park tiles pays for itself quickly when you factor in the maintenance and replacement costs required of lower-quality tiles that require treatment to perform to a similar level and are prone to degradation.
Playground Artificial Turf Pros and Cons
Artificial turf already provides a safer and more comfortable playing surface than natural grass or sod- but when artificial turf is combined with PlayPad foam underlayment, children’s joints are protected, and the risk of injury due to impact decreases dramatically, thanks to the fall height protection provided by PlayPad foam. Artificial grass also requires minimal maintenance and drains faster to dry faster than natural grass, allowing kids to play again soon after it rains or snows.
Artificial turf is available in many different colors and can be customized to meet the design needs of almost any play area. The realistic look and low maintenance costs make artificial playground grass with PlayPad padding a great value for both indoor and outdoor playgrounds. A potential drawback of installing artificial turf might be the added cost of preparing an adequate sub-base for turf installation; however, this additional cost is easily balanced in the long run with little maintenance cost on the turf- no need for wasteful water, harmful fertilizer, or time-consuming mowing again!
What is the Best Playground Flooring? Rubber Tiles or Artificial Turf?
Depending on your design goals and budget, you may choose rubber play tiles or artificial play turf. Rest assured that both products are great options if you are looking to create a fun, safe, and comfortable play area that will outlast the competition and meet (or exceed!) your fall height requirements.
However, for those play spaces that wish to feature a more interactive play surface, we recommend our PlaySafe SHOCK tiles, which can be installed to create games such as hopscotch, snakes and ladders, and twisters. The tile color and installation pattern can also be customized, and SHOCK tiles can be installed with PlayPad foam beneath to meet critical fall height requirements. Artificial turf is equally desirable if you are interested in reducing the cost of maintaining your lawn while creating a realistic-looking, durable, and safe artificial grass surface in your playground. With PlayPad, even artificial turf can meet fall height requirements!
