What is Playground Flooring made of?
Playgrounds have come a long way. The famous Toa Payoh Dragon Playground in Singapore has sand for its flooring. But playground flooring has come a long way since then. In Singapore, our playground flooring has changed. It used to be mostly sand, but now we use EPDM rubber flooring.
How is Playground Flooring made then?
There are 2 layers when installing a playground. The first layer, or the underlayment, is made of styrene-butadiene rubber or SBR.
SBR is synthetic rubber that is usually recycled. Common applications of SBR rubber will be like your tires and shoe soles. This is due to it natural properties such as good abrasion resistance and crack resistance.
SBR is used as an underlay due to many of its properties. SBR has great elasticity. It will soften the ground with great elasticity, keeping people safe if they fall from a height. This will prevent any fatal injuries.
It too has heat resistant. Making the top layer of playground flooring cooler. We don’t want our children to burn their body when their body touches the floor.
Top layer of the playground flooring
There are 4 common types of material that is available for the top layer for playground flooring.
EPDM Granules as Playground flooring:
EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer. It is the most widely used playground flooring in Singapore. It is synthetic rubber made by Ethylene, Propylene, and Diene Monomer, as the name suggests. It appears in granule form. It has been a popular choice as the top layer for playground flooring due to its many great properties.
1) It is good for its shock absorption. This is due to its elasticity. With great elasticity, it is safe when falling from a height.
2) It is chemical-resistant and non-toxic. We want our children to play in a safe environment. Toxic flooring doesn’t scream a safe environment. That is why EPDM is non-toxic and makes it safe for kids.
3) It is customizable. Having a customizable ground design allows the playground to have a theme. It allows for better imaginative play for the children. The pirate king in a pirate ship or the warrior in the mighty jungle. All in the playground with a little spark from the floor to simulate the play in the children’s heads.
4) It is resistant to UV rays and color fading. A lot of playgrounds are at outdoors. While playground flooring faces the elements of weather. With the UV rays from the sun, most floorings will colour will fade over time.
EPDM Mulch as Playground flooring
EPDM Mulch is EPDM but pulled into strains. EPDM Mulch has the same properties as EPDM Granules. It offers the same protection for playground flooring but has a different look. EPDM mulch looks elongated and loose. This gives playground flooring a natural look.
Artificial Grass Carpet as Playground Flooring
Artificial grass is uncommon for playgrounds in Singapore. However, it is popular in other countries. With SBR as underlay, artificial grass carpet is a lot softer than say natural grass carpet. Artificial grass carpet is woven while natural grass carpet is using natural grass. Natural grass has roots that hold the soil together, making the floor compact over time. With a more compact floor, floor gets harder. We can customize the grass pile with artificial grass. This lets us choose how soft we want the top pile to be.
Artificial grass is also better at prevent allergies compared with natural grass carpet. Natural grass carpet is made of natural materials. However, this means it can have inconsistencies. Weeds and bugs may grow in natural grass. This may trigger allergies. Artificial grass as a playground floor is made of plastic blades. It will be consistent in material and uninhabitable for bugs as the blades are plastic.
Artificial grass is less favorable than EPDM. This is mainly because it costs more upfront. Also, it can become hotter at the surface than EPDM.
Wood chip mulch as playground flooring.
Wood chip mulch playground flooring consists of wood chips. It creates a soft surface that cushions falls. Usually from cedar wood, giving a natural wood smell.
However, it is not a popular option in Singapore as it is not as durable in shelf life as compared to EPDM. Wood Chip Mulch comes from natural organic wood chips. It breaks down over time into natural organic material. Faster in a hot and humid climate like Singapore. Thus, maintenance and attention are needed for playground flooring.
Currently in Vix Marketing, we offer EPDM, EPDM Mulch and Artificial Grass. You may want to consider the different options for playground flooring. Schedule now for a complimentary consultation with our flooring specialist. We will guide you to get the correct playground flooring for your own playground.
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Vix Marketing Pte Ltd
623 Aljunied Road, #03-04
Aljunied Industrial Complex
Singapore 389835
Opening Hours:
Monday -Friday : 9am to 6pm
Tel: (+65) 6744 2880 / 6289 2883