Playground Flooring

The safest surface depends on how high a child could fall from the equipment. Rubber grass mats are widely used in gardens because they cushion falls and stop the ground wearing hard. For public or commercial play areas, choose a surface tested to BS EN 1177 for your equipment's fall height.

Two multi-packs in this collection, the 12 x 16mm swing safety mats and the 4-mat grass pack, are described as complying with BS EN 1177:1998. Other listings do not state a standard. If your project must meet a specific fall height, email support@welcomestep.co.uk with the equipment details before ordering.

Choose 22mm mats for higher equipment and areas that get heavy, regular use, as the extra thickness gives more cushioning. The 16mm mats are lighter and suit low equipment and play paths. Both sizes are usually 1m x 1.5m, so they can be laid side by side.

Cover the whole area a child could land in, not just underneath the equipment. For swings, that means the full arc in front of and behind the seat. For slides and frames, extend the mats around every side children can climb or jump from.

Rubber grass mats are designed to be pegged into grass or soil, so they are not the right choice on concrete or paving. On hard ground, use interlocking tiles or artificial grass instead. Interlocking tiles lock together, so they stay put on a flat, hard base without pegs.

Artificial grass gives a soft, clean, mud-free surface for general play and suits gardens where real grass wears away. On its own, it offers less cushioning than thick rubber, so under taller equipment it is usually combined with a rubber or foam layer. The 1m x 1m astro turf tiles are 18mm thick and interlocking.

Each mat is usually 1m x 1.5m, which covers 1.5 square metres. Measure the play area, including the landing space around the equipment, divide by 1.5 and round up. Packs of 3, 4, 6 and 12 mats make larger areas easier to order.

Peg each mat into the ground through its holes, using several pegs per mat, and lay the mats edge to edge with no gaps. Many listings include pegs. Once the grass has grown through, the roots help hold the mats in place as well.

Yes, once the grass has grown through, you can mow over rubber grass mats as normal. Set the mower to a normal cutting height rather than scalping the lawn, so the blades stay clear of the rubber. Mowing regularly keeps the grass even across the mats.

Indoors, interlocking EVA foam tiles are the usual choice because they are soft, light and easy to wipe. The EVA tiles here are 10mm thick and come in packs that join like a jigsaw. Rubber grass mats are for outdoor use and are not suited to indoor floors.