How should safety mats be installed correctly?

Correct installation of safety tiles and safety mats requires the substrate, connection system, fall area, fall height and drainage to be matched to the intended use. This applies to outdoor impact-absorbing surfacing in gardens as well as on public playgrounds. Beneath play equipment, the tested critical fall height of the selected product and build-up must at least match the equipment’s free height of fall. The required dimensions of the fall area depend on the individual item of play equipment.

On concrete or asphalt, safety mats and safety tiles can be installed directly. Rainwater passes through the water-permeable surfacing to the sub-base, from which it is directed by a gradient towards a free edge or an outlet.

On grass or soil, direct installation is not appropriate. A loose fill of sand, chippings or gravel is also unsuitable as a substrate because it shifts over time. Once the turf has been removed, plastic honeycomb panels are laid on a thin bedding layer of chippings and filled with chippings up to their upper edge. The safety mats or safety tiles are then laid over them. Rainwater passes through the complete build-up and can infiltrate into the ground.

For higher loads or unfavourable ground conditions, an appropriately designed sub-base of compacted frost-resistant aggregate is also required beneath the laying course. Further installation depends on the connection system.

For safety mats with puzzle interlocking, the interlocking edge of one mat is pressed from above into the edge of the adjacent mat already in place. This stable connection generally requires neither bonding to the substrate nor edge restraint.

Safety tiles with plug-in connectors are laid in a half-bond pattern. They require edge restraint to prevent lateral movement. On a bound sub-base, bonding may be specified instead of edge restraint, depending on the installation situation.

During installation, safety tiles should have a uniform temperature of no more than about 17 °C and should not be heated by direct sunlight. A rubber mallet helps to position the tiles, while a circular saw assists with cutting. Where the impact-absorbing surfacing ends within a paved area, a securely fixed transition ramp prevents trip hazards.