Understanding Safety Playground surfacing

Safety Surfacing, often called “soft-fall” safety surface, is essential to playground design. It plays a vital role in reducing injury risk, and several factors must be considered when choosing the right solution.

FAQs

Why do you need to think about playground safety surfacing?

Most play equipment allows children to scramble and climb, jump and explore above ground level, which can lead to falls. Therefore, it is essential to provide a safe landing surface.

What types of safety surfacing are available?

Playground safety surfaces typically fall into two categories:

• Organic (natural) materials, such as mulch, bark chips or sand, are cost-effective and blend seamlessly with natural environments. They tend to stay cooler in summer conditions but do require more frequent maintenance to remain compliant with safety standards.
• Non-organic (manufactured) materials, including rubber surfacing, synthetic grass, soft-fall tiles and safety mats, offer greater design flexibility with integrated colours, patterns and embedded play features. These surfaces typically involve a higher upfront investment but deliver lower maintenance requirements and long-term durability. However, they can retain heat and become hot to the touch in direct sunlight, which may influence surface choice in warmer climates or fully exposed areas.

Which is the best playground safety surfacing for your project?

Different soft-falls for playgrounds have different strengths; the best choice depends on your budget, maintenance preferences and design goals. It’s important to balance safety, durability, appearance and usability, especially in high-traffic playgrounds or educational settings.

ORGANIC PLAYGROUND SURFACE

Mulch/Bark Chip

Lower cost and higher maintenance. Blends in with surroundings and softens the appearance.

Sand

Medium/lower cost and higher maintenance.
Great for coastal locations, can be heat affected.

NON-ORGANIC PLAYGROUND SURFACE

EPDM/Rubber

Higher cost and lower maintenance with options for pattern and colours.

Synthetic Grass

Medium cost and lower maintenance.
Grass look with less pattern.

Why Moduplay?

As the country’s largest manufacturer of commercial playground equipment, Moduplay delivers playground safety surface solutions that support safety, durability and long-term performance. Our experienced design team works closely with you to assess impact zones, compliance needs and usage demands, ensuring the surface fits your project from the ground up.

Explore our playground products to see which types of equipment pair well with soft-fall, or visit our projects to see real examples across Australia. Contact us to learn more, or download specifications and safety standards from our e-Library.

For planning support and site-specific advice, start your Play Journey with us.

The Moduplay Design Team has vast experience selecting the best safety surfacing options for your project and will gladly help you achieve the Best Possible outcome with the various options.