Playground Surfacing Lifetime Cost
There are many factors involved in determining the lifetime cost of a playground surface. How long the material is expected to last while still providing consistent critical fall height protection? What time and costs are involved with inspecting and maintaining the surface? Are there costs associated with downtime due to maintenance, weather, or other factors?
Lifetime Cost
Winners
Lifetime Cost
Losers
Generally speaking, the cost of loose-fill surfacing is significantly lower than unitary surfaces so if you just consider the costs of the materials and labor to install, they are probably much lower. The big reason we rank them lower is that to be effective at protecting children and providing accessible to all, they need to be raked VERY regularly. Add the time and costs for this constant maintenance along with consideration for how poorly these surfaces perform in cold weather or after rain and you get a better feel for why we rank unitary surfaces higher.
