Poured in place looks lovely, but can fail if you live in a freeze/thaw state. We went with bounce back tiles from a company based out of WI called Great Mats - they're interlocking, which is nice. Depending on what you order, they actually sit on top of a surface (ours is concrete, but we previously had them sitting on compacted soil) allowing rain/melt to drain from the playground, which is nice.
The company recommends gluing them down, but I'm so grateful we never did, because we've moved them three times over the years!! It's a lot of work, but if they were glued down that never would have been possible.
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H. Allen
Vine Street Child Care
WDM, IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2023 10:43 AM
From: Elizabeth Ravitch
Subject: Playground Surface Materials
We have always had wood mulch (ASTM certified) on our playground. The previous director believed that it was the safest surface for the playground. The problem is that we have to add more every few months to maintain our state's standards for depth. This can cost thousands of dollars. I am considering changing the playground's surfacing. I would love feedback from those of you who have "poured in place rubber" or rubber tile surfacing on your playgrounds. Do you feel that the kids are protected from serious injury when they fall? If you have had it for a while, are there continuing maintenance costs? How hot does it get in the summer? Thanks in advance for your help!!
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Elizabeth Ravitch
Director
Kol Emet Preschool
Yardley PA
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