Play Flooring

1. PlayTiles
2. Safety, Impact Absorbing Upholstered Safety Floor Cushions.

An alternative to upholstered flooring that is particularly attractive to clients in public environments like shopping centres etc. where children are not likely to remove their shoes is our Playtec PlayTiles. They are solid colour 15 mm thick 250 x 500 mm tiles injection moulded plastic and can be used indoors or outdoors, where there is a need for highly durable, anti-slip surfacing (The attached pdf illustrates the 15 mm thick PlayTile in a shopping mall environment). PlayTile also available in a 25 mm thick, 500 x 500 mm tile, this option can provide fall heights of up to 2.5 metres (when using shock pad under the tiles). These are not stock tiles supplied to order only. More information available on request.

The PlayTiles connect together to create a safety surfacing that unlike wet pour rubber or rubber tiles, allows us to offer more vibrant colours that are hard wearing and can be cleaned and even relocated should the need arise in the future. For best results, the tiles must sit on a flat, hard surface. The tiles interlock securely together and are not stuck down to the floor.

These are used directly on the ground to provide a relatively soft, non-abrasive safe floor area.

Assess your needs

Australian Standards provide detailed safety guidelines for playground safety flooring and liability insurers require operators to consider critical fall heights in their play areas and determine what kind of safety flooring is needed for impact attenuation, cleanliness and hygiene. What is required will change depending on individual circumstances. Playtec manufacture impact absorbing floor cushions that can be moved as the need arises and importantly, they have sealed foam surfaces that can be cleaned and will not absorb spills.

Safety Standards – Quality of foam & Fire and Fall Height Certification

Don’t confuse our upholstered safety floor cushions to the Chinese made, interlocking foam floor tiles or gym style floor pads, commonly promoted in educational supply catalogues etc. The foam floor tiles in particular are cheap in price, but inappropriate and non-compliant when used in a business application. You will find foam tiles significantly inferior in three important areas:

• Foam tiles don’t comply with Building Code of Australia (BCA) Fire Hazard properties

• Foam floor tiles don’t offer any impact attenuation as required by Australia Standards

• Foam tile surfaces are not sealed. They can smell, stain and soil and are impossible to sterilise.

Playtec floor cushions use a high safety grade of closed cell foam that lasts longer, does not absorb smells or moisture and are designed to cushion falls. They come with an Australian, independently tested fall height rating of up to 1.8 metres; this is often more than enough for the average soft play area. A reputable supplier will always be able to provide impact attenuation tests for the flooring at no extra charge. These independently done tests provide peace of mind, so should there ever be an accident, you can prove that you have done all that is ‘reasonable’ to meet safety fall height standards.

Furthermore, the Playtec foam and PVC fabric used in the manufacture of the safety floor cushions comply with Building Code of Australia (BCA) Fire Hazard properties for play equipment in Class 2 – 9 buildings and again we have Australian (i.e. not dubious overseas tests), done by reputable independent certifiers to ensure you have peace of mind in the event you are asked by council, insurer or engineering inspector for evidence of compliance.

Two styles of floor cushion

Playtec manufacture upholstered safety flooring in two ways either with or without a timber back. A fully upholstered floor cushion (i.e. without timber back) is light and portable, making them suitable for applications where they are regularly pulled up, moved or stored away by one person. The addition of a timber back has the advantage of ensuring the floor pads stay flat on the floor (i.e. no curling edges or trip points), they last longer and look better overtime. The timber backed floor pads can still be lifted for cleaning underneath and can be moved without problems; they are just heavier.

Two thickness options

There are two standard thicknesses available, 20 mm for general use where you have fall heights at a maximum of 500 mm. If fall heights are greater than 500 mm we recommend our 40 mm thick floor cushions. They come with an accredited fall height rating of up to 1.8 metres; this is often more than enough for the average soft play area. The table below is a guideline to cost.