If you’ve been to your share of jungle gyms you have probably seen many different types of playground floor surfaces. At most playgrounds you’ll find sand, gravel, rubber mulch, wood fiber or wood chips covering the floor surfaces. At some of the less equipped jungle gyms, concrete, asphalt, grass or soil may be found. It’s a no-brainer that one should avoid the latter group of floor options at all costs. Yet, among the former group of loose fill flooring surfaces, it is tough to find the best option for a playground; they all offer their own unique benefits. But, what if I told you there’s a solution that trumps all of these flooring options? Let me introduce you to rubber outdoor playground matting.
Outdoor Playground Matting is Available in Four Fun Colors!
Better Protect Children from Injury with the Installation of a Rubber Playground Floor
Outdoor Rubber Playmats are Easy to Install using the Included Pins
Opting to use rubber tiles for a commercial or residential playground surface is becoming quite common today, and for good reason. First of all, it must be mentioned that rubber flooring is an ideal surface for any application, primarily because of its shock-absorbency qualities and grip surfaces. When stacked against other playground surface options rubber tiles outshine the competition and then some.
To understand the versatility of outdoor playground matting, let’s compare rubber tiles to some commonly used playground surfaces:
Rubber Tiles vs. Sand: Sand feels nice under one’s feet and provides a decent cushion for most falls. It also does not harbor the growth of mold or mildew. Rubber tiles offer such features as well. Yet, unlike sand, rubber mats respond well to humidity and moisture which permeate through the mat—away from kids’ feet—to dry. Sand, unlike tiles, is also a target area for animal waste.
Rubber Tiles vs. Wood Chips: Wood chips display a cozy aesthetic, provide acceptable cushion, and are much easier to maintain than sand. However, wood chips are organic materials that mold or mildew could grow upon. They are prone to decomposing and can attract animals and insects to this playground area that looks like their home. Interlocking tiles neither foster the growth of mold or mildew nor harbor rodents or insects.
Rubber Tiles vs. Rubber Mulch: Now, this matchup may seem like a toss-up, but rubber tiles actually have a slight edge. Rubber mulch won’t foster the growth of mold, offers excellent cushion, and responds well to moisture or humidity. The Achilles’ heel of mulch is the fact that it—as well as sand and wood chips—is a loose fill playground surfacing. Loose fill surfacing can conceal things like sharp objects, pesky insects or fecal matter. Playground tiles offer a nice flat surface that exposes any potentially hazardous foreign objects and reigns as the most ideal residential playground surface.
Put rubber outdoor playground matting in the ring with any other playground surface material and the versatile rubber tiles will outperform any of them easily. The tiles are incredibly easy to install and maintain and will last the abuse of scurrying sugar-fueled feet. Rubber matting offers unmatched safety features such as a 6-foot rated fall height and excellent traction. When considering playground surfaces, go with the champ: outdoor rubber flooring tiles!
