PROJECTS

How Much Does Poured-in-Place Rubber Cost per Square Foot?

Price of Poured Rubber Safety Flooring
Poured Rubber Safety Surfacing

While researching poured rubber safety flooring, you’ll find that it’s also commonly called wet pour rubber, pour-in-place (PIP) rubber, and poured surfacing. Poured rubber has earned its popularity as a top flooring/surfacing choice for high-traffic, high-activity areas like recreation facilities, pool decks, gyms, garages, resorts, dog parks, water parks, splash parks, daycare centers, equestrian centers, amusement parks, commercial patios, and senior centers.

It’s a formidable task to choose the materials for a flooring surface that will experience millions of footsteps. We often talk to daycare directors, rec center administrators, and city managers who feel overwhelmed by the options and corresponding information to sift through.

Let’s look at its cost, and why poured rubber makes for an economical choice in the long run.

Wet Pour Rubber Cost (Installed)

Poured Rubber Cost
Installing Poured Rubber Safety Surfacing Outside

What’s the price of installing poured-in-place rubber safety flooring per square foot? Depending on safety requirements, color choices, patterns, the condition of the existing surface, location, and a few other factors, the cost of a poured rubber surface for a 1,000+ sq. ft. area generally ranges between $9 to $18 per sq. ft. installed. This is the same cost as a poured rubber playground surface.

Poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing is mixed and hand-troweled on-site (watch videos of the installation process we use).

Poured rubber surfacing is durable, soft, and can’t splinter, which makes it a surfacing option that requires little maintenance. Poured rubber lasts longer than other options, such as wood or mulch, before needing replacement.

Using this type of surface can also make your space eligible for LEED® credits and state grants, helping to defray the up-front cost of installing the rubber safety flooring.

Peace of mind when it comes to safety costs

Poured rubber flooring is ADA-compliant, meaning it’s wheelchair accessible and safe for those with physical disabilities. Pour-in-place rubber is widely viewed as the best accessible/inclusive safety surfacing option.

Indoor Poured Rubber Safety Surface
Indoor Poured Rubber Safety Flooring

Poured-in-place rubber is extremely shock-absorbent, more than any other type of recreational flooring option. According to American Standard Testing Methods (ASTM), the institution that sets industry safety standards, it only takes 4.5 inches of poured rubber to allow a child to fall on it safely from a height of 10 feet, which is the “yardstick” height to which different flooring materials are compared.

It’s a popular option to use poured rubber for pool decks and at places like senior centers because it has an extremely non-slip surface.

There are different types of poured rubber available, so it’s important to note that adventureTURF only uses premium rubber made from compounds such as EPDM and SBR, plus natural materials (free of wood, wire, and other contaminants).

Low ongoing maintenance expenses

That’s all well and good, but how much time and money is involved in the maintenance of poured rubber safety surfacing? One of the strongest cost-saving factors when considering a poured rubber surface is, unlike other surfacing options, it requires very little maintenance. For example, the annual replacement of wood chips can have a significant impact on an annual budget. A pour-in-place surface will generally last about 10 years (depending on foot traffic) before repair or replacement is required — no need to truck in new surface filler every spring. This means you won’t need to plan to regularly bring in new surface filler, like you would other flooring options, such as loose fill materials.

Maintenance and upkeep is simple. Periodically the surface can be treated with a coating to renew its wear and weather resistance. On especially high-traffic surfaces, simple repairs can be completed to replace damaged areas.

Next Steps

Elsewhere on our website, you may read more about all of the rubber flooring options we offer and find our answers to some FAQs. We’ve also created a gallery where you can browse some of the awesome designs we’ve completed across the country.

You probably still have questions. We’d be happy to help. Contact us. And if you’re ready to take the next steps, reach out to us to request a free quote. We’d love to help you install your poured rubber surfacing project!
GET A FREE QUOTE »

Serving the entire USA We service the entire USAContact us for more information or get a free quote.

Pros & Cons: Poured Rubber Surfacing for Playgrounds

Poured Rubber Playground Flooring
Poured rubber playground flooring is soft, spongy, and durable.

Being tasked with choosing the materials for a playground surface that will experience millions of footsteps (particularly those of children) is harrowing – especially if you don’t have a construction background! If you’re in charge of selecting a flooring surface for a playground – we often talk to daycare directors, early childhood center administrators, church administrators, and city managers, for example – you have a lot of options and information to sift through. So what’s the deal with poured rubber surfacing for playgrounds? Also called “wet pour rubber” or “poured-in-place (PIP) rubber”.

Is Poured-in-Place Rubber the Best Option for Playground Flooring?

Researching playground surfacing means you’re going to learn about poured rubber, also commonly called pour-in-place (PIP) rubber or poured playground surface. For this post, we aim to answer the most important questions you’ll be asking: how does poured rubber measure up against other playground surfacing options in terms of safety, cost, and quality?


Safety of Poured Rubber Playground Flooring

When you’re discussing the surface for a playground, of course, the most important consideration is safety. This is where pour-in-place rubber (also called PIP rubber surfacing) can’t be topped.

Poured rubber playground soft spongy surface
Poured rubber surfacing is specifically designed to be extremely shock-absorbent.

Pros:

  • Poured rubber surfacing is durable, soft, and can’t splinter. The chief complaints from parents and kids about popular playground surfaces like wood chips is that they splinter, and pieces find their way into skin, eyes, shoes, and clothes. Pavement is also likely to crumble as it ages, and doesn’t provide any cushioning from falls.
  • This type of surfacing was also specifically designed to be extremely shock-absorbent. Just 4.5 inches of poured rubber provides a surface on which a child can safely land from a 10-foot fall, according to American Standard Testing Methods (ASTM), the institution that sets industry safety standards.
  • Parents and playground administrators don’t have to worry about chemical sensitivities. adventureTURF uses only premium rubber made from natural materials, EPDM rubber (which helps the surface resist cracks due to severe temperatures and weather), and SBR rubber (which helps the surface stay flat and supple). These materials are free of metal, wood, harsh chemicals, and other compounds that may irritate sensitive skin, aggravate allergies, or cause other health issues.
  • On playgrounds near areas where animals may roam, poured rubber provides peace of mind that kids won’t encounter any “surprises” that are sometimes found buried in mulch playgrounds. The same goes for any potentially harmful items humans may have left behind (they won’t be buried in the material).
  • Poured Rubber ADA Accessible Playgrounds | Poured Rubber Inclusive Playgrounds
    Poured rubber playgrounds are wheelchair accessible and safe for those with physical disabilities.

    Poured rubber playground flooring is ADA-compliant, meaning it’s wheelchair accessible and safe for those with physical disabilities. Childcare experts agree that youngsters with special needs (and their non-disabled peers!) greatly benefit from inclusive playgrounds, and pour-in-place rubber is widely viewed as the best surfacing option to allow safe and easy play among those with physical limitations.

Cons:

  • Depending on the climate of your location (this applies particularly to dry, cold climates), PIP rubber can become hard over time. This is why experts recommend administrators check in every few years to see if the playground should be topped off with a fresh layer of rubber, which is a simple and fast process.

Cost of Poured Rubber Playground Surfacing

Pros:

  • One of the strongest cost-saving factors in poured rubber’s favor is the lack of yearly maintenance to be figured into your budget. A pour-in-place playground surface will generally last about 10 years (depending on foot traffic) before any type of upkeep is required — no need to truck in new surface filler every spring. With proper maintenance, it can last as long as 12-15 years.
  • After that, maintenance is simple. The surface can be treated with a coating to renew its wear and weather resistance, and on high-traffic playgrounds, new top layers can be poured onto the existing surface.
  • Spot-repairs can be made. Note that not every poured rubber playground requires an entirely new playground surface. Often a playground can be completely revitalized by simply adding a new color cap or wear layer to the surface. This restoration technique will actually improve the playground’s safety rating and is a budget-saver.
  • Using this type of surface also makes your playground eligible for LEED® credits and state grants, to help defray your up-front cost.
  • Learn more about the cost of poured rubber playground flooring here.

Cons:

  • The initial investment to cover a playground with PIP rubber is not the cheapest available option. However, the longevity of the material and its minimal maintenance costs render it comparatively low-cost in the long run.
Texture of Rubber Playground Flooring
Very zoomed-in/close-up view of the texture of rubber playground flooring. It comes with a wide variety of color options.

Quality of Poured Rubber Playground Surfaces

Pros:

  • The granules that make up poured rubber playground flooring provide the opportunity to cost-effectively customize the appearance of your playground. You can select the depth, color, shape, and design of the surface – meaning school colors, logos, and even games can be permanently incorporated.
  • We often hear that poured rubber surfacing makes it easier to maintain a playground that appears clean and welcoming. The surface is smooth and easy to clean, and unlike mulch or stone, it won’t get kicked out of place by busy feet. The customizable appearance means you’re able to make design selections that allow it to blend into the surrounding area, creating a more natural look than pavement.

Cons:

  • As noted above, PIP rubber doesn’t last forever (as does any playground flooring material). You can expect the surface to need more comprehensive resurfacing after about a decade.

Installation of Poured Rubber Playground Flooring

Installing Poured Rubber Playground Surfacing
Poured-in-place rubber flooring for playgrounds is mixed and hand-troweled on site.

Poured rubber playground surfacing is mixed and hand-troweled on site.

Pros:

  • It turns out that this safe and cost-conscious method of playground surfacing is also one of the easiest for professionals to install. Poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing is mixed and hand-troweled on site. You can view videos of adventureTURF’s installation process here.

Cons:

  • Installation must be done by a professional who has the right tools and experience.
  • Surface prep with a base is needed.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned more about the basics of poured rubber surfacing, you’re going to want to compare it to other options and dive into the details. You can read more about rubber playground flooring from adventureTURF and find some FAQs we answered. We’ve also created a gallery where you can browse some of the awesome playground designs we’ve completed across the country.

You probably still have questions – you can contact us for answers. And if you’re ready to take the next steps, reach out to us to request a free quote. We’d love to help you create a place for adventure!

With so many different qualities and characteristics to consider, choosing a playground surface can be bewildering. That’s why we’ve created an ultimate guide to all the pros and cons of 11 of the most popular playground surfaces, from wood chips to recycled rubber mulch.

GET A FREE QUOTE »

Serving the entire USA We install poured rubber flooring for playgrounds in the entire USAContact us for more information or get a free quote.

FAQs About Poured in Place Playground Surfacing

Poured rubber is playground flooring that’s seamless and contains very small rubber granules that are stuck together. It’s not a loose material (like rubber mulch, wood chips, sand, or dirt). It’s a “solid” rubber surface for playgrounds or unitary playground surface, meaning that it’s not made up of rubber tiles.

Poured-in-place rubber is also called poured rubber, wet pour rubber, pour-in-place rubber (PIP), rubber playground turf, bonded rubber stone, or a playground foam surface. There’s both pros and cons of using it for playgrounds, as with any playground surface.

Poured rubber is a very durable playground surface. Its longevity really depends on factors such as:

  • How well it was installed
  • Quality of material used
  • How much the playground is used
  • Weather/climate

As with any playground surface, regardless of how well it was installed, poured rubber for playgrounds does eventually wear out. You can expect it to need more comprehensive resurfacing after about a decade.

Discover more about the quality of it here.

For larger “commercial” playgrounds (for parks, schools, water parks, etc), it’s typically best to leave it to those who have the right tools and experience needed to make sure it’s installed properly. As mentioned previously, if it’s not, or the quality of the material used is sub-par, you’re going to have to replace the surface much sooner. That said, you should be careful when choosing a poured rubber playground installation company.

It’s installed by mixing the materials in a very specific way (using specific tools), poured, and then hand-troweled into place.

Yes, it’s ADA-compliant, wheelchair accessible, and one of the easiest playground surface types for those with disabilities to navigate. Accessible/inclusive playgrounds, and pour-in-place rubber is widely viewed as the best surfacing option to allow safe and easy play among those with physical limitations.

Learn more about the safety of poured rubber playground surfacing.

How to save money on poured rubber playground surfacing

Save Money on Playground Rubber SurfacingNew playground surfacing isn’t inexpensive (here’s how much poured rubber playground surfaces cost). But there are several ways to save time and especially cost when having a new playground surface installed.

3 Ways to Get The Most from Your Playground Surfacing Budget

One of the most frequent questions we hear when people contact us to ask about a new playground surface is “What can we do to get the poured rubber playground surface to fit within our budget?” We love to help our customers save money on their project and get the most out of their budget. Believe it or not, there are a few simple things that can be done to help with cost savings.

1. Use the right mix.

The first thing we recommend is utilizing a 50/50 black/color mix for the surface installation. (It’s the colored rubber that is the most expensive product used in poured in place surfacing.) By reducing the percentage of the colored rubber by half, thousands of dollars can be saved on a playground surfacing project. This causes some concern initially as customers sometimes worry that their poured in place surface will not have the vibrant color they are looking for. In fact, even with a 50/50 mix, the color is very pronounced. Visit our project gallery for examples (most of them were a 50/50 mix).

2. A little elbow grease in prep work.

Another way to realize some cost savings is to do the prep work yourself. Typically, before we can install a new playground surface, an existing play surface of some sort needs to be removed. While we’re happy to include these labor charges in our project costs, we encourage property owners and community volunteers to put their own sweat equity in to the project and save the budget for a fabulous looking play surface. Especially for local parks and recreation areas, we suggest:

  • Getting the community involved
  • Organizing a day for everyone to help out
  • Having volunteers remove existing mulch

Using volunteers can help you save substantially on the labor cost of a playground surfacing project.

3. Take out the trash.

Are there any waste removal or trash collection companies in the area? Contracting for your own trash receptacle can provide additional cost savings.

Conclusion

We’re here to help install a cost-efficient playground surface. Contact us.

We take pride in being able to accommodate everyone’s budget. We’ll work with you to design a playground surface to fit your budget, even if that means using rubber playground tiles.

Get a Free Quote »

Do you have suggestions for additional ways to help save costs during a playground installation project? We’d love to hear from you! Contact Us with your ideas.