What is the most reliable safety surfacing for play grounds and parks? When it comes to the safety of your kids, parents want only the best. Mitchell Rubber manufacturers the most durable and reliable product called EZ Fall Safety Surfacing.

Mitchell Rubber has been in business for over 75 years producing some of the best rubber products for fitness facilities, playgrounds, automotive and beyond. Their manufacturing facility is located in California and is impressive to say the least. They have a dedicated team of experts that have mastered all the engineering, formulating and manufacturing that goes into making quality USA made products. One product that truly sets them apart from the rest is their EZ Fall Safety Surfacing for playgrounds.

What are the important qualities to look for with playground and safety surfacing?
Not all playgrounds are created the same. Depending on your budget, some locations may only have enough to cover play areas with sand or wood chips which really don’t provide the best protection and can actually exhibit bare spots over time. You definitely want to look for a consistent safety surfacing that can withstand the fall impact of kids from all different heights. It is also important to take a deeper look at what that product is made from and how it will last over time. Below are some important features to look for.

EZ Fall Flooring Advantages

Vulcanized Virgin Rubber
Mitchell makes their EZ Fall tiles out of a vulcanized virgin rubber which sets them above all their competition. It is constructed of non-toxic, all weather rubber compounds. Most other companies make playground tiles out of a recycled crumb rubber, which is porous. With a porous product, water can penetrate the surface making it susceptible to expansion and contraction, which over time, will lead to product failure especially in colder climates. Having a product outside that is made of a crumb rubber/urethane adhesive mixture can wear down very quickly and can become brittle and break apart in these conditions. You see it all the time at the playground with little sections of rubber missing from under the swing where kids drag their feet or at the end of a slide. You won’t see this happen with EZ Fall. And unlike “poured-in-place” playground safety flooring, if a section of flooring were to get damaged all that would be required is to swap out the damaged piece. Patching a damaged area of poured-in-place playground surfacing is much more labor intensive and expensive, assuming you can find a reliable company to do it.

The virgin rubber in Mitchell’s EZ Fall is the most durable playground tile available. It is a solid piece of rubber that holds up better to foot traffic, harsh climates and will not wear down. The raw material is also UV resistant to help prevent fading. It is a much better investment for the long term of any playground no matter where you live.

Anti-Theft Anchor System
The way this flooring is installed helps prevent anyone from trying to steal or rip it up. The tiles come in either 2’ x 2’ or 4’ x 4’ pieces and need be installed on concrete. Each tile has holes built in where you drill a hole through each piece into the concrete and put a “plug” in with epoxy. This creates a solid installation that is theft and vandalism proof that can’t be pulled up.

Fall Height
There are different tile thicknesses based on the “fall height” rating. The bottom of the EZ Fall rubber tiles are engineered with a proprietary waffle pattern modular absorption matrix that disperses energy upon impact. If you are outfitting a small “tot lot” there may not be a lot of tall playground equipment. No need to get the extra thick tiles, instead go with a shorter fall height of up to 5 feet which will help save some money. This will give protection for anyone who might fall from 5 feet and below. Or if it’s a larger park with high structures there is the option of going up to a 8 foot or 10 foot fall height. All EZ Fall products meet current Consumer Products Safety Commission guidelines and ASTM standards.

Color Options
Let’s face it aesthetics are important for a designer putting together a new playground project. It has to look inviting and fun. And many times the architect will call for playground tiles colors to match those of the playground equipment being installed. Mitchell has 9 different colors to choose from. There are 6 solid color options of Black, Grey, Tan, Sky Blue, Green and Terra Cotta. Or you can get really fancy with the marbled colors of Sand, Ocean or Shamrock. Use a combination of colors to create any custom “checkerboard” pattern yourself. The EZ Fall comes with a raised bump top surface to help prevent any slipping and all flooring comes with optional matching transitional edge pieces and handicap ramps.

Mitchell Rubber has created the best and most reliable USA made safety surfacing in the industry. They have provided safety flooring for thousands of installs all throughout the US and overseas. Don’t rely on a “hot dog” type of concoction as seen in other products when it comes to the safety of our kids. Make an investment in Mitchell EZ Fall playground tiles that will last a lifetime.

Mitchell Rubber rubber flooring tiles and mats can be found on Ironcompany.com® GSA contract # GS-07F-0104M for government and military purchase and CMAS contract # 4-12-78-0066A within the state of California.

To get more information and pricing on Mitchell Rubber products, contact an Ironcompany representative at (888) 758-7527 or email quotes@ironcompany.com