Play areas; for the children, it’s a place of fun and adventure where anything is possible.
For the parents, there are the possibilities of scraped knees and bumped heads to contend with and safety will always be at the forefront of their minds.
Whether the play area in question is a public park run by the Council, a school playground or even in the family area of the local pub/restaurant, minimising risk and the safety of the children that will be using it will come first and the floor surface that is used will be chosen with care.
There are a number of things that need to be considered, including;
- Safety
- Durability
- Aesthetics
- Price
With safety being the most important factor in the decision making process, hard surfaces like concrete or packed earth are no longer options, and with 70% of playground accidents resulting from falling, it is vital that the surface is an impact absorbent material, such as pine nuggets or softwood chip.
Critical height is the ‘maximum fall height from which a life-threatening head injury would not be expected to occur’ and will need to be considered when applying a floor surface to the play area.
When using wood chips or wood mulch, to protect from a 1.6m drop, you would need an uncompressed depth layer of 100mm to absorb the energy of the fall.
It is also important that the play area looks good and fits in with the surrounding areas aesthetics. Wood chip or bark add a more natural, earthly feel to a play area as well as being safe and durable against weather conditions, and they do not become slippery underfoot unlike some rubber alternatives.
TMA Bark’s Play Range bark comes in various materials and price scales, our products being sourced from sustainable sources with Certificates of Test available to view on our website, so you can buy with confidence.
We range from high quality pine nuggets, right through to the more economical range of softwood and hardwood chips, meaning no matter what your project budget is, we have a playground surface solution for you.
Contact us today to discuss the best wood chip solution for your project on 01362 638441