Pacific Recreation is the leader in providing Hawaii with recreational and park service design and products. We have completed projects for federal, state, and city governments; as well as schools, communities, churches, private residents and many more. You can count on Pacific Recreation for all your court, park, sports, playground design and equipment needs. We are based on Oahu but we have sold products and have completed projects on all the neighbor islands.In the world of playground surfacing, there are two primary types of surfacing systems - loose-fill and unitary. Loose-fill systems include sand, pea gravel, Engineered Wood Fiber (or EWF), and rubber nuggets. Unitary systems would be Poured-in-Place rubber (or PIP), rubber tiles, and artificial turf. Most clients prefer playground surfacing that is designed to combine high levels of safety with minimal maintenance requirements.
Poured-in-place rubber forms a solid base across the entire playground. It is slip-resistant when either wet or dry, and meets safety standards for the prevention of head injuries. Another benefit of poured-in-place rubber is that it can be shaped and colored to easily meet a variety of playground designs. Shredded rubber performed best in tests done by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. It consists of high-density rubber shredding spread over the playground.
Artificial turf systems seem to be the current craze. Not all artificial turf is suitable for playgrounds, however, because without a thick enough rubber pad, it will not provide enough protection against falls. Good quality artificial turf will last for many years. They combine the best of all desired by clients. As a unitary system, it offers little or no maintenance.The final type of playground rubber surfacing is rubber tiles. They bridge the gap between the poured-in-place rubber and the shredded rubber, providing more safety than the poured-in-place rubber and they are easier to maintain than the rubber shreddings or nuggets.
Choosing a suitable surfacing material for a playground can be a difficult task, as there are many factors to consider including initial price, durability, safety, and the maintenance required. A careful comparison of all the possibilities is necessary to ensure you make the best choice for your playground.