The majority of injuries that occur in a play area are the result of children falling to the ground from structures, so it's important to have a good surface that will absorb the majority of shock from a fall. Two surfaces that are fantastic shock absorbents are pour-in-place surfacing and tiled surfacing. There are other surfaces that are great shock absorbents such as rubber and wooden mulch, but for the sake of this blog, I want to focus on the tiled and pour-in-place surfaces.

Pour-in-place surfacing is a two-layered surfacing system. The bottom layer, or basemat layer, is made out of 100 percent SBR recycled rubber and polyurethane.  The top layer, or surface layer, is made out of EPDM recycled rubber and polyurethane. Recycled rubber is a fantastic shock absorbent; because this surface is two layers, there is double the shock absorbency making children safer when playing.

The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certifies this surface as safe to use around critical fall heights and meets all the playground regulations put in place by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This surface is not only great for safety, but it's a perfect way to customize your play space with one-of-a-kind designs and unique colors.



Tile Surfacing consists of 2x2 foot squares bound together.  The squares are made with recycled and virgin rubber and must be installed over a crushed gravel or concrete base to reducing weathering and maximize the shock absorbency ability.  The tile surface prevents debris from entering the play area and makes for an easy clean up of any mess. This surface is approved by the CPSC government organization and is properly installed with varying widths depending on critical fall points around a play structure.

Both of these surfaces are ADA accessible, making is easy for children with special needs to experience all the thrill and excitement of playtime.  These two surfaces are amazing shock absorbents, which prevents children from serious injuries when falling.

If you have any questions about surfacing, please call BYO Recreation at 1-800-853-5316 and one of our professionals will be happy to answer all of your questions and assist your shopping experience. You can also visit our site to learn more information about pour-in-place and tile surfaces.

Check back throughout the month of June to learn more about other surfaces such as rubber and wood mulch and artificial turf surfacing.