Compare Playground Surfacing Options

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As a supplier, installer and designer of playgrounds, we are happy to share our perspective on the primary playground surfacing options for your review. Through our family of brands including XGrass synthetic turf solutions, Play It rubber surfacing, Mulch Outfitters EWF playground mulch and VersaCourt court tile systems, we can assist you in selecting the ideal surface for your space, budget and other needs.

XGrass Playground Surfacing Material Comparison

As a general rule, unitary surfaces (with the exception of rubber tiles), tend to outperform loose fill materials on every criteria aside from the time and cost to install.

Material	Material Type	Safety Certified	Cleanliness	Maintenance	Accessibility	Aesthetic	Install Cost	Lifetime Cost
Synthetic Grass Systems	Unitary
Poured in Place	Unitary
Bonded Rubber	Unitary
Rubber Nuggets	Unitary
Rubber Tiles	Unitary
Engineered Wood Fiber*	Loose-Fill
Landscape Wood Mulch**	Loose-Fill
Sand**	Loose-Fill
Pea Gravel**	Loose-Fill

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Disclosures

*Engineered wood fiber is a special type of wood mulch designed specifically for playgrounds to comply with ASTM and ADA standards for impact attenuation and accessibility. Most landscape mulches are not designed to comply with these guidelines.

**Pea gravel, sand and some mulches often meet compliance standards for impact attenuation, but rarely comply with accessibility requirements in the ASTM standards and are not recognized as ADA-approved materials.

Legal Disclaimer: The information contained in this document and website is provided for informational purposes only. The selection of the ideal surface for your playground may contain other factors not covered in this “General Overview” and you should consult a professional before specifying a particular surface.

Material Comparison