Playground Flooring Materials: Indoors and Outdoors

By Paige Cerulli Created: June, 2018 - Modified: October, 2023

When you're creating a playground, you'll have plenty of playground flooring materials to choose from that are much safer and more durable than your standard wood chips. Rubber, foam, and even plastic playground surface material are just a few of the most popular options to use with play equipment. But which material is best for your playground?

At Greatmats, we've carefully selected the best playground flooring and playground safety mats materials that we offer. These products are made of durable, quality materials, are easy to install, and many offer valuable fall height protection to help keep kids safe. We've included our top 5 best playground flooring materials below, in a variety of color options and have included the information you need to decide which product is right for your playground.

  1. Indoor Playground Foam Tiles
  2. StayLock Tiles
  3. Perforated Black StayLock Tile
  4. Play Time Artificial Grass Turf Roll
  5. La Jolla Artificial Turf Roll 15 Ft wide per SF

When it comes to rubber playground flooring, our Max Playground Rubber Tile Colors are some of the best rubber playground mats that you'll find for fall protection. Rubber flooring is popular because of its incredible durability and strength - in fact, these tiles are backed by a 15-year manufacturer warranty. Rubber surfacing offers long-term safety with little maintenance required, and are highly durable. These rubber surface tiles are suitable for outdoor use and allow water to flow through their surfaces so kids can get back to playing soon after a heavy rain.

Many people prefer to place rubber playground flooring in their playground because most products are recycled, making a green contribution to the playground. These tiles are made in the USA from recycled rubber and are fall height certified to 5 feet.

Indoor Playground Foam Tiles

Indoor Playground Foam Tiles For indoor playgrounds, our offer a safe, forgiving, and waterproof surface. This foam playground flooring features a 4-foot ASTM fall height rating to help keep kids safe. The tiles are lead and latex free, and are waterproof and non-absorbent for easy cleanup. They feature a no-burn tatami surface that helps to prevent rug burns if kids fall, tumble, or crawl on the surface.

These tiles are a great option for playgrounds because they're lightweight and easy to install. The tiles interlock and each tile includes 4 border strips so you can create a clean, finished edge. There's no adhesive required for installation, though you can use a double-sided tape or contact cement for more permanent installation. The tiles are reversible and removable, ensuring you get plenty of use out of your flooring investment.

StayLock Tiles

StayLock TilesIf you're considering using plastic playground flooring, then our should be at the top of your list. These durable tiles feature a 20-inch fall height rating, and are equipped with a non-slip surface for maximized safety. Many people choose these tiles for outdoor playgrounds, because the tiles are perforated and designed to quickly drain water away. This plastic playground flooring is equipped with 224 small holes in each tile, so water flows through the tile and into the base. The design helps to prevent standing water from gathering on the tiles' surface.

This plastic playground flooring has a locking connector system, so installing the tiles is easy. You can add or remove tiles at any time, and installation is quick and easy. These plastic playground tiles measure 1x1 foot and a single person can handle the entire installation if needed. These tiles are also available in black.

Play Time Artificial Grass Turf Roll

Play Time Artificial Grass Turf RollFor a versatile playground flooring that offers an eye-catching appearance, consider our a . This playground turf can be used both indoors and outdoors, and feels very similar to real, natural grass.

Unlike natural grass, this turf roll requires almost no maintenance. There's no weeding, fertilizing, or mowing to worry about. You can flush it with water to clean it, or use a vacuum for indoor installations. There's no downtime after a rain, and no mud to worry about. Kids and parents can enjoy the beautiful look of grass without any of the hassle that comes with play on actual grass.

This turf is easy to install, and there's no infill needed for indoor installations. Its dual layered woven style gives it plenty of body, and it will make a great addition to any playground.

La Jolla Artificial Turf Roll

La Jolla Artificial Turf RollFor a low-maintenance flooring solution for indoor and outdoor playgrounds, our La Jolla Artificial Turf Roll makes a beautiful addition. This artificial turf is high-quality works great as a playground surface. It is designed to withstand the high amount of traffic that a playground will see. Unlike genuine grass, this turf roll will retain its beautiful appearance in any area - be it shaded, in direct sunlight, or in a space that receives significant or no rainfall.

This synthetic turf reacts naturally underfoot, making for a comfortable play area. It will perform consistently over time and makes a safe surface for kids. The 1.75-inch-high polyethylene fibers are highly realistic, and the thatched pattern improves the overall strength of the turf.

Maintaining this turf is easy. You can rinse it with water in outdoor playgrounds, or use a broom or rake to fluff up the fibers.

Choosing the Right Playground Flooring Materials for Your Needs

When it comes to choosing a playground flooring surface material, you'll need to consider some specific details about your playground. For instance:

  • Are you looking for flooring for indoor or outdoor use?

  • What is the overall appearance that you want your playground to have?

  • If you are installing a commercial playground, how is the accessibility? Does the playground flooring need to comply with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)?

  • Do you need fall height protection, and if so, what is the height of the tallest piece of equipment on the playground?

  • Do you need special playground surfacing features, such as fast-draining flooring or flooring that's UV resistant?

  • Are you looking for a temporary installation of your playground area?

  • How large is the play surface area you need flooring for?

  • What is your kind of playground equipment will you be installing?

At Greatmats, we offer many different products suitable for use as playground flooring, and each has its unique benefits. If you have any questions, please give our customer service team a call. We would be happy to help you choose the product that's right for your needs, and can also provide you with product samples, shipping quotes, and more.