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Home- Swing sets
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Using a
Play Surface for Your Own Playgrounds
The aspect of playground equipment that
is most neglected in backyards is the type of surface on which the
playground equipment sits. Almost all public playgrounds, especially
schoolyards, have some form of protective surface. However, it is quite
uncommon in backyard playgrounds. Most injuries that occur in backyards
are a result of the failure to protect the playground surface.
Most playground equipment in backyards are set on dirt or grass,
however, neither surface offers adequate protection from injuries due to
falls, even short falls. Some of the more common injuries that occur as
a result of this failure include fractures of the arms, and lacerations
and contusions of the head and face. There is no legitimate reason for
failing to protect your children in this situation. Playground surfaces
range in cost from affordable to expensive for the ultimate in
protection.
Surface materials which you may use in your backyard include wood chips,
shredded bark mulch, engineered wood fibers, fine sand, coarse sand,
fine gravel, medium gravel, and even shredded tires. The depth of this
material should correlate with the critical height of the playground
equipment. In order to determine this critical height, check with the
manufacturer of the playground equipment or a person who is
knowledgeable in this field.
Rather than using loose fill surfaces, you may also use specified rubber
playground tiles, rubber mats and playground surfaces which are
poured-in-place. There are several manufacturers who sell a wide variety
of shock-absorbing materials for playground use.
The most common surface materials for playground use are loose-fill such
as sand, pea gravel, wood chips and shredded bark mulch. The advantages
of loose fill surfaces are that they are inexpensive and easy to obtain
from a local garden center or home improvement store.
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