What to Build Your Climbing Frame On
Climbing Frames are the ultimate outdoor toy and are a fantastic way to keep children active! There are a wide range of materials which are suggested as children’s playset flooring and safety surfaces and it can be difficult to choose which one is best.
Many climbing frames are designed to be stand alone structures so they can be built straight onto lawn or grass in your garden. Installing your playset on grass is far safer than installing it onto a hard surface like concrete. You may think it will be safer because concrete will make a flat level surface for your climbing frame to stand on but concrete is a big no no for children’s play area flooring!
High impact absorption safety surfaces are available which are used in many children’s play areas surrounding playsets, climbing frames and other play equipment. Popular safety surfaces include wet pour rubber, rubber bark and rubber chippings. Wet pour rubber provides a soft spongy flooring with high impact absorption properties which protects children from serious injuries should they take a tumble. Concrete may sometimes be laid down beneath wet pour rubber to create a flat surface to install the wet pour onto but concrete alone should never be left underneath children’s play equipment.
The depth required for any safety surface to do its job properly will be governed by the critical fall height of individual climbing frames and play equipment. The critical fall height is dependent on how tall the highest play platform featured in the playset is.
Many cedar climbing frames available from Climbing Frames UK including the Stonefield Lodge and the Sandpoint climbing frame, feature play decks which are 1.5m high. 1.5m is approximately 5ft high. 5ft tower climbing frames from NI and PlayCrazy will therefore also require the same thickness safety surfacing. At this height, critical fall height regulations state that a safety surface of atleast 60mm is required. Of course if your climbing frame is installed in your own garden, there is no law that states you must install a safety surface. However, it is still highly advisable to take safety precautions.
Other cedar climbing frames also feature playhouses and platforms which are 1.2m high, including the Atlantic and the Ridgeview Deluxe climbing frames. A safety surface of a minimum thickness of 40mm is suggested, governed by critical fall height assessments.
For help and assistance with the installation of your climbing frame or safety surface, contact the climbing frame installers today for an unbeatable quote! Our experienced team of climbing frame builders and surface installers provide a fast and professional installation service.
