Playground ground cover mats can be installed over a wide range of ground surfaces, including concrete, wood, grass, and dirt. Depending on the surface interlocking playground mats will be installed on, you may need the assistance of a polyurethane-based glue or a geotextile layer. Indoor playground surfaces may be installed just by connecting the tiles together. On the other hand, due to the weather conditions and environmental factors found outdoors, an outdoor playground floor over environmental surfaces, such as grass and dirt, will require extra steps to ensure its safety. Whether the playground be indoors or outdoors, interlocking playground mats are easy to install with little to no extra equipment.

How Do You Prepare the Ground for a Playground?

You prepare the ground for a playground by creating a flat and level surface for the installation of playground ground cover mats. Rubber interlocking playground ground cover mats can be installed over many different surfaces, including grass, dirt, concrete, and wood, and depending on the type of ground surface the interlocking playground mats will be placed on, it will be prepared differently. For instance, hard surfaces, such as wood and concrete, do not need much preparing unless a polyurethane-based glue is used to install the playground ground cover mats. When using glue to install interlocking playground mats, it is important to remember that glue installations can only occur on hard surfaces and cannot be used on surfaces like grass or dirt. Although interlocking playground ground cover mats do not require the use of glue to install, an outdoor playground floor may benefit from the use of a polyurethane-based adhesive as it may experience changing weather conditions. For a glue installation, it is important to remove any debris or rocks to ensure a secure hold and an even surface. Large objects, such as rocks, can obstruct the adhesive and create an uneven playground surface. For surfaces like grass and dirt, there are a few more steps in preparing the ground for the installation of outdoor safety flooring for playgrounds. Because these surfaces are in an environment where they may see plant growth, it is important to use a geotextile weed barrier to prevent any plants from growing through the playground surface. Furthermore, uneven depths of a dirt surface can create an unstable and uneven playground surface; therefore, you must compact the dirt to create a flat and level surface.

How Do You Install Outdoor Rubber Flooring?

You install outdoor rubber flooring with the use of plastic connector pins or with a polyurethane-based adhesive. Rubber interlocking playground ground cover mats generally do not need an adhesive to install as the weight of the mats as well as the border around the mats are often sufficient to keep the tiles in place. Despite this, many may want to use an adhesive due to the changing weather conditions the outdoor playground floor may experience. Abrasive weather conditions can cause the playground ground cover mats to shift or move out of place, but a glue installation will provide a long-lasting outdoor playground floor that will not be affected by moisture and weathering. One stipulation in using glue is that it can only be used on hard surfaces, like concrete, so that the glue has a solid surface to adhere to securely. An outdoor playground floor over grass and dirt can be installed simply by connecting the tiles together with the small connector pins. Playground ground cover mats over grass and dirt surfaces require the installation of a geotextile layer to ensure a safe, level, and even playground surface.

• (a) Can You Put Rubber Mats on Grass?

  You can put mats on grass with the use of simple materials, including small connector pins, a geotextile barrier, and a border. Because grass surfaces can experience some plant growth, it is important to add a geotextile layer over the grass to prevent it and other plant matters from shooting through the rubber playground ground cover mats. Geotextiles are not a solid material, but rather a breathable and permeable fabric that will allow moisture to flow through them, preventing the pooling of moisture on the playground surface. Case in point, “Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain” (Wikipedia.org). While a geotextile layer is a permeable material, it is still solid enough to prevent the growth of plant matter through the outdoor playground floor. Once a geotextile layer is put over the grass, you may start laying the playground ground cover mats. Connect the mats with the connector pins and keep adding tiles until you have reached your desired size. It is also important to install ramps as a border not only to prevent trips and falls over uneven surfaces, but also to help keep the mats in place since adhesives cannot be used on grass.

  (b) Can You Put Rubber Tiles Over Dirt?

  You can put rubber tiles over dirt by compacting the dirt and adding a geotextile barrier underneath the tiles. Before any compacting, remove a layer of dirt with the depth being the thickness of the playground ground cover mats, plus a minimum of 4 inches as the dirt will be placed back into this area. In the area that has been dug out, compact the dirt into a firm and level surface. Dampen the dirt uniformly to prevent the wind from blowing dust and to help with the compacting, but be careful as to not use too much water as it will become muddy. Once the dirt has been compacted, lay down a geotextile surface over the level dirt. This will prevent weeds and other plant growths from shooting through the playground safety surface. Once the geotextile surface has been laid, refill the excavated area with the dirt that has been removed and compact that dirt as well. Once this final layer of dirt has been compacted, it is time to lay down the playground safety surface tiles. Connect the tiles using the small connector pins that go into the holes that line the sides of each tile. Finally, attach ramps to the perimeters of the rubber playground safety surface to prevent children from tripping over as uneven surface and to help keep the tiles in place.

Interlocking playground mats can be installed both indoors and outdoors with the use of little to no equipment. Indoor playground surfacing mats can be installed simply by connecting the tiles together until you have reached your desired size. Contrastingly, outdoor safety flooring for playgrounds may be installed with the assistance of a polyurethane-based glue to help keep the playground ground cover mats in place in the face of changing weather conditions; however, glue may only be used on hard surfaces, such as concrete and wood. Environmental ground surfaces, including grass and dirt, require a geotextile layer to prevent plants from shooting up through the rubber playground mats. Furthermore, the dirt must be compacted to create a level surface for the playground tiles. Overall, depending on the surface on which the playground ground cover mats are installed, the ground will be prepared differently for a playground.