Making the decision to add a playground structure to your property this summer is a fun and exciting prospect. It's also one that requires a lot of consideration in terms of the construction and safety of the design. One of the things you need to think about is what kind of border you're going to put around the playground area. For longevity and safety, you may be considering rubber border material. Here are a few things to think about before you order.
How Tall Should The Border Panels Be?
Before you can choose a border for your playground, you need to know how tall they have to be. This height should include not only the height above the ground, but also how deep the playground surfacing is going to be. For example, if your city requires a playground surface to be at least four inches of rubber or foam surfacing and the borders to extend at least three inches beyond the surface, you'll need edging that's at least seven inches, if not taller. If you choose edging that's installed below ground level, you'll need to add that distance below ground level to your height calculation.
How Can You Be Sure Of The Height Around The Border?
If your local government requires an inspection and routine monitoring of the height of your playground borders and base, you aren't going to want to worry about the human element involved in measurement. You can make this easier by opting for a border material that has measurements pre-stamped on the surface. They're placed in areas that are unobtrusive, so they won't detract from the look of the playground, but they'll make routine inspections much easier.
How Can You Be Sure Of How Much Border Material You Need?
Before you buy your border material, you need to know how much of it you'll have to have. To determine this, measure the entire perimeter of the playground area. Then, determine the length of the border panels you'll be using. Divide the total perimeter by the length of the border panel so that you know how many panels you need. For example, if your playground border is 200 feet and your border is five feet per panel, you'll need 40 border panels to complete the entire border. Order them all at once so that you have consistency in the batch and can complete the structure in one pass.
How Are Rubber Playground Borders Installed?
Start by lining the borders up around the entire perimeter of the playground space, along the edge of the surface covering. Most of these borders are designed to interlock, snapping together securely. This design makes it easy to install them, but it also makes it easy to expand them if you decide that you're going to extend the perimeter of the playground later.
Once the border pieces are connected, use the security stakes to lock them in place by driving them into the holes at the top of the border pieces. A rubber mallet is best to use for this so you don't damage the surface or the stakes used to lock them in place. Contact a company, like PLAYGROUND BORDERS DIRECT, for more help.
