How to choose and install rubber tiles for a playground?

The covering of playgrounds should ensure the safety of children's active games. It is necessary that the material absorbs impact, does not slip, while it is made of environmentally friendly materials and has good wear resistance. All these requirements are fully met by rubber plates.

The technology for the production of rubber coatings for children's sports corners is based on the recycling of used car tires. To begin with, they are crushed to a size of 1–5 mm, special fillers, as well as polyurethane, are added to the resulting mass, then they are heat treated and pressed under high pressure. The result is a dense, wear-resistant and very long-lasting material. Thus, two tasks are solved at once: the production of a safe cover for the play area and the recycling of recyclable materials, which is important for the environment.

Typically, two basic technologies are used:

• hot pressing;
• cold pressing.

In the first case, the molding of the tile and the polymerization of the crumb occur simultaneously. The board obtained in this way has a low density, due to which it has good drainage properties. This procedure takes no more than 15 minutes. Cold pressing presupposes a longer exposure, when the initial mixture is first pressed and only then placed in an oven for 7–9 hours. Such products have a higher density, but the price for them is significantly higher.

Rubber tiles have become a real hit, and the reasons for this are obvious:

• high abrasion resistance;
• the tile does not chip;
• does not crack or deform under the influence of blows;
• retains its original appearance for several years;
• has a long service life (it can serve up to 15 years, moreover, in the open air and, accordingly, under the constant influence of unfavorable atmospheric factors);
• water resistance (the material does not absorb and does not accumulate moisture, as a result, does not form mold and does not contribute to the growth of fungi);
• a rough surface causes an anti-slip effect, so the material is optimal for laying near pools, and in winter ice does not form on the coating, therefore it is often used for arranging steps;
• high shock-absorbing capacity (the surface of the tiles upon impact acts on the principle of a spring, thereby significantly minimizing the risk of injury);
• ease of use (the product is easy to clean, for which it is enough just to periodically rinse it with water from a hose);
• resistance to direct sunlight, temperature fluctuations and aggressive environments;
• manufacturers offer a wide range of crumb rubber in a variety of colors and shades.

The operational characteristics of the coating significantly depend on the size of the material. The modern market offers tiles with parameters from 1 to 4.5 cm, and the purchase of a specific model depends on the functional purpose of the future coating.

• The thinnest tile, 1 cm thick, is suitable for arranging the local area, walking areas and car parks. Such a tile is attached to a pre-leveled base made of dense material (concrete or asphalt) and fixed with durable polyurethane glue.Despite the small thickness, the wear resistance of the product does not suffer, so the coating can be laid on any site where there is no constant industrial or simply increased load.
• Tiles of 1.6 cm and 2 cm are optimal for areas with significant point loads. These areas include the areas near the pool and under the equipment, as well as the coating is used in the arrangement of bike paths. This tile is also mounted on an asphalt or concrete pavement with a polyurethane adhesive.
• Tiles with a density of 3 cm are distinguished by their high resilience and, therefore, high injury safety. In addition, the material effectively absorbs noise and vibration, so it is usually used to decorate sports areas, as well as running and cycling paths, play areas. This type of slab requires an even, dense base, however, it may not be ideal: with small cracks, potholes and chips.
• The 4 cm model is used for children's areas with increased safety requirements. This coating exhibits extremely high shock-absorbing properties, provides ideal vibration and sound insulation. The advantages of the material are that it can be mounted on any loose base: from crushed stone, pebbles or sand.
• The thickest tile, 4.5 cm thick, is practically unparalleled in its custom features. It is used for areas with high loads of any type.

From a design point of view, tiles are chosen for individual tastes. As a rule, the colors of the surrounding houses adjacent to the play area are taken into account. The most popular are dark tones of red, blue, brown, green, as well as terracotta and a little less often black. However, manufacturers are constantly releasing tiles in new shades and can even customize their products. As a rule, within each site, rubber tiles of several shades are combined.

As for the form, there is also a great choice here:

• square - this is a fairly universal type of tile that is suitable for decorating any type of site;

• wave - such a model resembles a typical sidewalk, each new layer is mounted with a slight offset from the previous one;

• brick - outwardly similar to the paving stones familiar to everyone, has a rather laconic configuration and is good for arranging narrow paths;

• cobweb - got its name due to the peculiar pattern that is formed when 4 tiles are fastened.

If the tile is placed on a solid base, then as part of the preparation, it is sufficient to clean it of coarse debris. But the preliminary work with the soil requires more trouble.

To begin with, you should remove all the weeds, preferably together with the roots. Then it is required to completely remove the top layer of earth 15–20 cm, after which the vacated area must be thoroughly tamped.

Cover the surface with fine gravel so that the height of the pillow is 5–7 cm for a regular track, 8–10 cm for a playground and 20 cm for a car.

The next layer is a mixture of cement and sand. Crushed stone should be filled with this composition. You can, of course, do without cement, but it gives special strength to the formed coating.

After that, the surface is leveled and the tiles are installed.

There are several rules mandatory when laying rubber tiles on a sports or playground.

1. Installation of curbs is mandatory.
2. For coatings laid on a solid base of concrete or asphalt, it is imperative to make a small slope of 2-3 degrees to ensure the drain of rain and melt water. It is not necessary to do this on unpaved surfaces: moisture itself penetrates through the rubber and is absorbed into the ground in a natural way.
3. If the tile is mounted on a sand mixture without adding cement, it is necessary to use a coating with bushings that adhere according to the tongue-and-groove principle.
4. If, during the installation of tiles, a free space has formed between them and the borders, you should lay it with pieces of the base material.
5. After laying the tiles, the finished coating should be covered with plenty of sand - the free-flowing material will fill all the small joints and cracks.

When arranging a playground and choosing a rubber coating, it is better to give preference to products from manufacturers who have won a good reputation in the market. Several domestic companies can be distinguished among the leaders of this market segment.

• EcoSplineEcoSpline - a Moscow company operating on the market since 2009. The company's product line includes tiles of various sizes and shades, and the products are sold not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.
• "Dmitrovsky plant RTI" - also a Moscow company that is engaged in the processing of tires and the manufacture of rubber covering tiles. The product line, in addition to the coatings for the listed sites, includes anti-slip pads for outdoor stairs.
• "Good business." A company with such an optimistic name is located in the Tver region. It has been successfully producing and selling tiles for children and sports areas for more than 10 years, which are distinguished by exceptional wear resistance, practicality and durability.
• Ecostep. It produces tiles using a patented unique technology, which ensures the receipt of the highest quality product, while the range includes not only standard board options, but also panels with patterns.

See the following video for instructions on how to install the rubber tile.