Coatings for playgrounds: the types and subtleties of choice

The playground should be not only comfortable, but also safe. That is why issues related to the coverage of the playing area are given special attention. For years, the land was covered with sand or grass was grown, but these days they have been replaced by more modern technologies.

Psychologists many years ago proved that children develop most harmoniously in conditions when they are not limited in questions of acquaintance with the world around them. Children need adequate conditions so that they can improve their interpersonal and physical activity, and it is the playground that plays a big role in this.

There, children exercise their communication skills well and can actively move, run and jump. But many parents surround their children so much with care that, in fear of injury, they prohibit the child not only from climbing the facilities of the grounds, but also moving freely.

The commissioning of equipment for gaming areas is subject to the regulations and is carried out in strict accordance with the requirements of GOST, which, among other things, regulate the use of certain coating materials.

According to the GOST R 52169-2012 document, sites must necessarily have a shock-absorbing coating. The degree of shock absorption is calculated according to special criteria, taking into account the maximum height with which the baby can fall and not break - it is this parameter that is used as a basis for determining the optimal type of coatings on the sites.

The law prohibits the arrangement of children's areas with asphalt and concrete pavement - these materials do not have the necessary resilience, which can cause serious damage if children fall - the coating must be safety-proof.

The grassy lawn, which was usual in previous years, is also unsuitable - its degree of elasticity largely depends on the period of operation, degree of wear, and also on weather factors (for example, with arid air, a decrease in temperature, and also after rain the parameter significantly decreases). In addition, the use of materials with a high abrasive effect, such as crushed stone, pebbles and other bulk materials, is not recommended at the sites.

Only special floor coverings are allowed for use on the pads.whose level of elasticity does not depend on atmospheric factors. In addition, they must have a long operational period. Materials used must be anti-skid and cushioning. The material must meet sanitary and hygienic standards, it should not contain harmful substances and emit volatile toxic elements when using.

If everything is clear with the sites in public places, then the owners of their own cottages often equip a children's corner in the old manner, falling asleep with river sand. The undoubted advantage of such coverage is its value. In addition, the sand is considered to be durable and rather soft material, which ideally copes with its main task - it absorbs a strong blow, reducing the likelihood of injuries, wounds and bruises.

But the use of sand has its drawbacks:

• quickly transferred outside the selected playing area;
• can get into baby's eyes, nose and mouth;
• sharp sticks, glass and other debris may be hidden in the sand;
• cats and dogs often use sandy areas to cope with their natural needs;
• in rainy weather, the sand quickly absorbs moisture, becomes heavy and, by its consistency, resembles a mud mixture, and it dries very slowly.

The lawn is no less popular with homeowners - the grass, resistant to trampling, looks aesthetically pleasing, is pleasing to the eye and creates a good mood for adults and children. This coating is distinguished by high environmental friendliness, naturalness and good amortization properties.

At the same time, the grass needs constant care, it should be often watered, cut, collect garbage, and also sown on trampled or burnt areas. In addition, worms, slugs and other unwanted insects often hide in the grass. Another problem associated with natural lawn is weeds. In order to get rid of them, it is often necessary to resort to chemicals that can damage the baby, cause asthma or the development of allergies.

It is also not necessary to use gravel or crushed stone as a covering material - when falling, a baby can get hurt about its protruding parts and get a strong abrasion. Bulk materials are often scattered throughout the site far beyond the gaming zone. However, if you are still determined to use stones, then it is better to give preference to run-in granite, which is less traumatic.

More advanced homeowners switched to modern types of coatings.

It is often used for arranging running and cycling paths, as well as on children's and sports grounds. From a technical point of view, tartan is a crumb of synthetic rubber. This is a hypoallergenic material, which is highly environmentally friendly, and the dyes used are always of natural origin.

The material consists of two layers: the lower one, made of granulated rubber crumb of a black shade, and the upper one - colored. These two layers of coating are bonded to each other with polyurethane adhesive. Traditionally, such coatings are made in green, but may be in brown, bright blue or yellow shades.

The advantages of the material include:

• resistance to abrasion and trampling;
• the safety of the material;
• resistance to temperature extremes;
• easy cleaning

The disadvantages are associated with high material and labor costs for the arrangement of such a platform - the cost of materials is high, and installation requires the use of professionals.

Such materials are special modules that are connected according to the collapsible principle, while fasteners are connected through small locks.

This is a fairly cheap material, besides, manufacturers often arrange promotions and give discounts, especially in the off-season. Products withstand a wide temperature range, the coating does not lose its performance characteristics under the influence of rain and snow, and also transfers loads up to 200 tons per square meter. Plastic models are durable, they can serve faithfully for more than a dozen years. In addition, the arrangement does not require special skills and tools, and cleaning of such material is simple and convenient. It is an ideal choice for summer cottages, small house plots. Plastic coatings provide the child with maximum protection and safety.

But this coating is quite hard, and this should be taken into account, because when falling, the baby can be very painful.

These are practical polymeric materials that are distinguished by resistance to trampling, good tolerability of low temperatures, and geometric stability.The plates have a ribbed surface, so the child cannot slip on such a coating and fall. A nice bonus is the price, which is quite affordable compared to many other materials.

A very good option for arranging playgrounds is a rubber safety tile, which, from an operational point of view, is not inferior to a taratan coating with only one difference: seams are formed between modules of rubber tiles, which when laid on an uneven base can cause a loose adhesion of panels. To prevent this from happening, a special primer based on polyurethane glue is first applied to the surface, and the modules are thoroughly rolled over the coating with a roller and tapped with a special mallet. The installation process requires time and effort, although no special equipment is required for installation. It is important that in the event of damage to such a coating, you can simply replace one module, and not dismantle the entire coating.Rubber tiles are resistant to adverse atmospheric factors and chemical reagents.

The disadvantage is due to the fact that such a tile passes water, therefore, it is necessary to mount the coating at a slope of 2-3 degreesso that the water does not stagnate under the rubber, creating ideal conditions for the reproduction of fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms.

This is a rather interesting roll coating that visually imitates real live grass, but does not have its characteristic drawbacks.

Buying such a coating is quite beneficial and practical, children like to run and lie on the grass, but at the same time it does not have to be watered, mowed, fed with organic and mineral fertilizers. Plastic grass does not wipe and does not fade in the sun, it does not rot under the influence of high humidity. In addition, it does not stain clothes, unlike this.

Such a lawn is made only from environmentally friendly materials.There are drawbacks - the grass must be regularly combed, as it can accumulate debris, sharp pebbles, twigs and sticks, in addition, it is heated in the sun, which often brings discomfort, especially if children like to run barefoot. When purchasing such a material, special attention should be paid to the height of the grass - too low does not give the necessary springing effect, and too high can impede the movement of crumbs around the site.

The original version of the arrangement of sports or children's playground is considered decorative chips. This term is called soft sawdust or small wood chips, which can not injure the baby. At the same time, this coating is very easily blown off by a gust of wind, it can stick to clothes, and in the rain it quickly loses its properties, and it “will not survive” the winter - every year this coating has to be updated. The modern market offers a wide range of coatings for every taste and budget. But in a limited budget, you can try to make high-quality coverage with your own hands.

In general, to create safe and comfortable children's and sports sites, it is optimal to combine different materials. For example, for organizing a small football field, synthetic turf is made, and for bicycle lanes it is better to impose ordinary asphalt or fill them with high-quality concrete. And around the swings and gaming complexes, lazilok lay a rubber cover. Thus, for each zone, a maximum functional and safety environment will be created, which will allow you to arrange a properly planned territory and save money spent.

Whatever coating you prefer, the main criterion of its effectiveness will be the safety of the child, which is why it is necessary to give preference to soft, environmentally friendly materials from proven manufacturers. Well, if the surface of the playing area can be easily looked after - nothing should prevent sweeping up garbage and washing the material.

It is advisable to avoid small plates, since with their intensive use between the seams may appear gapsin which a child can get stuck and fall. Optimal lay seamless coverage.

You should not use stuffed flooring - over time, nails may come to the surface and injure the child. It is important to take into account the age of the child, since this largely determines the degree and type of activity of the baby. Of course, one should not disregard the natural and climatic features of the region and, accordingly, the resistance of the coating to high and low temperatures, the ability to preserve its functions after wetting.

In the next video you will find instructions for self-laying coating of rubber crumb.