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It is possible to avoid injuries and bruises to a child only by constantly sitting at home. But this will deprive him of communication with peers, games, physical activity, that is, it will do more harm than good. Technological progress has brought innovative rubber coatings to the building materials market. They are increasingly found in urban infrastructure due to their undeniable advantages.
1. Rubber tiles
There are several types of rubber tiles, but they are all a mixture of crumb rubber and polyurethane adhesive. The crumb can be obtained from recycled car tires with the cord removed or made from EPDM synthetic rubber. Polyurethane adhesive in the polymerized state is harmless to health. Synthetic EPDM rubber is heat resistant and odorless even when heated up to 150°C. To create a color scheme, various dyes are added to the mixture. All components do not harm the environment. Materials for playgrounds are subject to special requirements for environmental safety.
Technology of laying rubber tiles
Laying rubber tiles can be carried out on soil, sand, concrete screed or asphalt. In any case, preliminary preparation of the coating is necessary. The site is marked and in soft soil the top layer is removed to a depth of 20 cm to create a pillow of gravel and sand. The bottom of the pit is carefully leveled and generously filled with herbicides so that sprouted plants do not damage the coating. It is possible to pour concrete screed.
Rubber borders of the desired color are installed around the perimeter. After the concrete has hardened, you can proceed with the installation of the rubber coating. If it is planned to use an existing concrete or asphalt base, then it is enough to completely clean it of stones and dirt, fill cavities and potholes with concrete and be sure to install rubber curbs around the perimeter of the site.
2. Seamless rubber coating
The absence of seams in the coating of the playground simplifies and facilitates its cleaning and cleaning of debris, and moisture does not get into the joints and grass does not germinate.
The seamless rubber coating is monolithic and is made of crumb rubber. This type of coating is cheaper than rubber tiles, it is especially well suited for children’s and sports grounds, treadmills, pool areas. The most commonly used colors are red, brown and green.
Laying such a coating is easier in the sense that there is no need to cut, fit and join the tiles. However, the mixture of crumb rubber and glue must be laid evenly, which also requires a lot of skill.
Technology of laying a seamless rubber coating
Предварительно площадку грунтуют смесью полиуретанового клея и уайт-спирита в соотношении 50/50. Резиновую крошку и клей перемешивают в большой емкости при помощи электродрели со специальной насадкой. Смесь порциями наносят на загрунтованную и высохшую поверхность, выравнивая шпателем. Следующая порция должна немного перекрывать предыдущую в месте стыка, чтобы не образовывались швы. По мере затвердевания покрытие прикатывается тяжелым катком.
3. Rubber crumb
The term “rubber crumb” is synonymous with “seamless rubber coating”, it’s just a matter of how a particular manufacturer or seller prefers to call their product. In general, the purposes of these types of coatings, as well as the methods of their installation, are identical.
The material is crushed to a certain level rubber, most often obtained from recycled car tires with a cord removed or EPDM synthetic rubber. The first option is not the best, although less expensive. Outdoor sports fields in the summer heat can smell like rubber. It is better to use synthetic rubber, although it is more expensive, but saving on materials can be very expensive in the future.
4. Tartan coating
For the arrangement of sports fields and treadmills, tartan coating is used. It provides the best grip on the soles of sports shoes and excellent bounce of basketballs and volleyballs. Tartan does not slip even in heavy rain, tartan-covered running tracks guarantee high sports performance, because runners, jumpers, players can fully realize their potential. The main difference between tartan coating is that it is made only from EPDM, a synthetic rubber that does not decompose under solar ultraviolet radiation, is non-allergenic and non-toxic. It also cleans up dirt easily.
Tartan coating technology
Tartan covering two-layer. The bottom layer is filled with a mixture of ordinary rubber crumb from recycled tires. After it hardens, a layer of tartan is poured on top. Such a “pie” ensures long-term safe operation of the tartan coating.
5. Rubber coating in rolls
Simplifies the creation of a seamless rubber coating using ready-made rolls. They also consist of crumb rubber, polyurethane binder and coloring pigment. The finished mixture at the factory is laid out on a molding table and sintered into a single whole under the influence of temperature. A distinction is made between hot vulcanization at 140°C and cold vulcanization at 80°C. The second option is more expensive, but such a coating is more uniform and durable. And after cooling, the roll is rolled between rollers to obtain the same thickness. A multi-layer roll coating is also produced, where the lower layer is more porous, and the upper one is colored and less prone to abrasion. Rolls are available in different widths, lengths and colors.
Technology of laying rubber coating in rolls
The base is prepared as usual and primed. Then the starting section is smeared with glue, the edge of the roll is laid on it and rolled with a heavy roller. Then glue is applied to the next section, the roll is unwound on it and the process is repeated until complete installation. If necessary, the next roll is glued nearby, their edges are also smeared with glue. The result is a smooth, seamless surface.
Examples of laying rubber coating on playgrounds
How to choose rubber flooring for a playground
The shock-absorbing coating is selected based on the information on the critical fall height indicated in the passport for the equipment under which it is installed. The type of flooring, seamless or tiled will depend on the playground designer or customer.
GOST requirements
There are various GOSTs and Building Codes and Rules for rubber coating for playgrounds. For example, GOST R 52168-2012 “Equipment and coatings for children’s playgrounds. Design safety and test methods for slides. General requirements”, are used mainly for design and further operation.
The main requirement for a synthetic shock-absorbing coating is that its damping characteristics correspond to the height of the equipment from which a fall is possible. There are also requirements for the hygiene of the materials from which the coating is made.
Technologies
According to the manufacturing technology, the impact-absorbing coating may vary. The coating can be in the form of tiles made of rubber crumb or polyurethane foam made at the factory, or in the form of a seamless coating, the components of which are mixed and laid directly on the playground. Rubber coating laying technologies are described above.
It can be laid on various bases, both on fine gravel, sand, and on even asphalt or concrete surfaces. If the surface to be laid has a large number of irregularities, then the consumption of rubber crumb increases, which leads to an increase in material costs. Therefore, before laying the coating, the surface must be leveled.
Before applying rubber crumb, the base is coated with a primer, and then the crumb is mixed in a container with glue. As a rule, this process takes place directly on the object.
Popular questions and answers
Answers to the most frequent questions of readers are given by experts: Leonid Boynichev. CEO of BERSO и Dmitry Ryabov, an expert on the certification of attractions and playgrounds of the Serkons Group of Companies.
What thickness of rubber coating is optimal for a playground?
The company is engaged in the improvement of public areas from design to full implementation. The thickness of the rubber coating depends entirely on the equipment installed on site. Landing radii and fall heights are calculated: the higher the equipment, the greater the thickness of the rubber coating. It depends on the height of the fall from the equipment, in other words, the higher the equipment, the thicker the shock absorbing coating must be installed. Requirements for coatings at such facilities are regulated by GOST R EN 1177-2013 “Shock-absorbing coatings for playgrounds. Determination of the critical height of the fall “1. For low structures on the playground, the optimal thickness of the rubber coating is 10 mm. For high structures – 20-40 mm. It is possible to lay a coating thicker than 40 mm, but it does not make sense.
Is rubber flooring environmentally friendly?
The rubber coating is environmentally friendly, as it contains environmentally friendly raw materials, it is non-toxic, therefore safe for health and the environment.
In accordance with the requirements of the EAEU regulation “On the safety of equipment for children’s playgrounds”2, the materials used in the production of the coating must:
• Do not have a harmful effect on human health and the environment during operation;
• Do not treat flammable materials;
• Do not treat extremely dangerous combustion products in terms of toxicity;
As part of the certification of impact-absorbing coating, tests are carried out in which the safety of the materials used is confirmed.
Can I use recycled tire rubber?
Tires, like plastic, do not decompose well. Therefore, the use of a coating from recycled tires provides two advantages at once: a wear-resistant coating that, with proper care, will last a long time, and respect for the environment. This is one of the common types of production of shock-absorbing coatings from rubber crumb of different fractions, obtained by grinding automobile tires.
Как ухаживать за резиновым покрытием на детской площадке?
Caring for the rubber coating is simple, the most important thing is not to damage the canvas itself. For example, when removing snow, it is better to use wooden shovels with rounded corners, and in the summer, you can use various tools for cleaning surfaces, ranging from brooms to blowers. You can also use washing from watering hoses.
The playground flooring manufacturer must provide instructions for maintenance and inspection procedures. For example, regarding the maintenance of the coating in cleanliness, the frequency of inspections, the repair of damage, etc. As practice shows, the lack of maintenance quickly reduces the properties of the impact-absorbing coating.
Sources of
- https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200105646
- https://docs.cntd.ru/document/456065182