To achieve the best results and ensure Play Matta™ Warranties are validated, the installation of Play Matta™ playground surfacing should always be undertaken by Certified Play Matta™ Installers – professionals trained by Matta Products in the installation of their playground systems.

Comprehensive ISO 9001 accreditation procedures are in place to ensure each Play Matta™ playground performs to its full safety and functional potential. This will include completion of a range of documentation such as the Quality Assurance Control, Inspection Checklist for Play Matta™ Installation.

                                    

Matta Welding† System

For large playgrounds that are subjected to extremes in temperature the patented Matta Welding† System is the best method of securing Play Matta™ tiles together. It uses a controlled electrical current to fuse tiles together creating a bond that is very strong and long-lasting and virtually eliminates the need to use glue. While gluing is a convenient fixing method, and is necessary in some parts of every installation, it is important to consider that glue can be affected by prolonged UV exposure and extreme temperatures and may break down over time.

Play Matta™ Welding†, using the Matta Welding† Machine, is a highly specialized technique and must be carried out by a qualified Matta Welding† Technician.

 

† Patent pending. All rights reserved.

The Southern Californian climate presents greater challenges to the durability of playground surfacing than the New Zealand climate. Below is a testimonial from one of our Southern Californian customers.

"I want to let you know how pleased our district is with the result of the Play Matta Re-Cover Project for the Three Kings Elementary playground. I went out to the site to look at the results and the playground looks great. The material feels as bouncy as the new project you did at Anna Hause Elementary and using the existing rubberized surface as a base resulted in substantial cost savings.

"It was so good to see the kids bouncing, running and climbing, all happy to have a brand new and safe playground.

"Your creativity and innovations are to be commended. The industry really needed a long term solution to expensive short term rubberized playground surfaces."

Assistant Superintendent, Facilities and Operations, Beaumont Unified School District, Southern California

"For a number of years the Hutt City Council has been installing Matta Products safety surfacing systems into playgrounds within its control. Hutt City Council also regularly takes enquiries from schools, kindergartens and other local authorities in regard to the quality of the surfacing and has no hesitation in recommending the Matta Products Play Mattas or Safety Mattas for playground safety surfacing use.

"...At the Hutt City Council we pride ourselves in providing not only quality play equipment but also quality safety surfacing, and often receive positive comments on the attractiveness of the surfacing we use.

"Besides the product’s aesthetic attractiveness, variety of colours and proven ability to absorb the impact of falls, one of the benefits in installing this product is the minimal cost of its upkeep..."    
Contracts/Projects Officer, Hutt City Council

We have two categories of printable documents: detailed technical manuals and our standard information brochures.

To access our technical manuals you need to register. Please click here for a request form.

To receive any of our standard information brochures via email, just click on the icon below.

	Play Matta™ Re-Cover Flyer Summary brochure
	Facts of the Matta Detailed information for playground managers
	Why There are Holes in the Mats Product information file
	Playground Measurement Guide Step by step guide to mapping your playground surface
	Play Matta™ Colors Color selection and design

Can we get documentation to prove that the playground meets the fall height standards?

 

Yes, a Certificate of Compliance is supplied when the installation is complete. This certification is based on testing carried out on the playground before and after the installation of the Play Matta™ tiles and is backed by independent testing of the product itself. Play Matta™ complies with all applicable sections of the ASTM Standards.

Are the mats secure and vandal proof?

 

All mats are glued or welded together. Around the perimeter of the site, purpose-designed fixing pins are used to secure the mats to the underlying surface. The mats are very difficult to cut, but as with any product that is left unattended, if vandals really want to cause damage they will ultimately succeed. However, any vandalized mats can be easily replaced or cleaned and the playground restored to its original condition. Broken glass can be picked up by hand and small shards removed with a vacuum cleaner. Play Matta™ tiles do not catch alight but will be scorched and start to melt if a fire is lit on the playground. The mats will not sustain a fire by themselves and need a strong accelerant present before they will burn; as soon as the accelerant is exhausted the mats will effectively self extinguish. Any scorched tiles can readily be replaced.

Can the matting systems be moved and re-used at another site?

 

The interlocking, modular nature of the mats allows for the entire system to be lifted and re-laid on a new site. The one thing to keep in mind is that if the mats have been cut to accommodate posts you will need to purchase a few replacement mats.

Can the Play Matta™ Original and Play Matta™ Safety™ mats be joined together?

 

Yes, these two mats are interlockable and it is quite common to have them joined at the perimeter of a playground to form a ground retention strip. They can also be joined to Play Matta™ Rebound.

What are the mats made out of?

 

The mats are made from recycled plastic and the underlying shock pads are made from recycled rubber sourced from recycling industry partners.

Can I buy a yellow or orange mat that is made from recycled material?

 

The bright colors can only be manufactured from virgin materials and are not recommended for outdoor use as they have a tendency to fade in strong sunlight. However, a few brightly colored mats can be used as accent colors quite successfully in an outdoor playground. We recommend our 'recycled' color range for outdoor use – these come in three shades of green, grey and blue, as well as black.

My playground is an awkward shape. How do I measure it accurately?

 

Please see our Guide to Measuring Playgrounds in the Printable Documents Section.

 

Do the mats get hot?

 

Any surface that children walk on – concrete paving, sand at the beach, bare dirt, timber decking – will get hot in strong sunlight, although some colors will absorb more heat than others. With Play Matta™, the lighter shades of the recycled colours – green, blue and grey – are the coolest colors. The perforated design of Play Matta™ Original allows quicker cooling than other solid surfaces such as wetpour, rubber tiles and asphalt. The tile perforations decrease the surface area exposed to radiant energy while increasing the total surface area of each tile. This allows more efficient heat dissipation through air contact and air-flow through the play surface. In most cases, the Play Matta™ surfacing will not get as hot as the equipment the children are playing on. Some of our early childhood customers introduce water play on the Play Matta™ surfacing when the equipment is too hot to use.

Do the mats expand and contract in the heat?

 

The perforated design of Play Matta™ Original tiles allows for the natural expansion and contraction that occurs in all surfaces with changing temperatures. This movement can cause other types of surfacing to crack and disintegrate or buckle in the heat and split in the cold. The design of Play Matta™ Original and specific protocols for installation ensures that Play Matta™ playgrounds can safely expand and contract in most climatic conditions with no detrimental effects.

How slippery are the mats?

 

The textured surface and perforations of Play Matta™ Original tiles are designed to minimize slips and falls and to comply with ASTM Standards regarding slip resistance. In addition, the design ensures that the surface is not too ‘grippy’, a common cause of long-bone injuries in young children. As with any surface that people walk on, the ‘slipperiness’ and ‘grippiness’ (coefficient of friction) experienced will depend on the type of footwear used and will change when the surface is wet. With Play Matta™ tiles the textured surface prevents the tiles from becoming overly ‘slick’ in the wet. The tiles drain freely so tend not to stay wet for long.

  

Won’t debris get stuck in the holes in the mats?

 

Only small particles can get through the surface. Organic debris breaks down naturally, dispersing with rain through the channels under the tiles. Large amounts of leaves, twigs etc. should be swept or blown away. Sand in the holes will not affect the safety performance but can be removed with an industrial vacuum cleaner if desired.

Can we do some of the work ourselves?

 

Yes, Matta Products prepares a ‘Scope of Work’ for each playground and some of the items to do with base preparation can be carried out by the customer, although we strongly recommend that this be supervised by a Certified Play Matta™ Installer. The installation of the mats themselves needs to be done by the installer, with possible contribution of voluntary labor from the customer.

Can we have a supervised working bee?

 

Yes, we can arrange to make one of our installers available to supervise the project on an agreed date.

Can we work on a wet day?

Yes, all aspects of the job can be carried out in the wet, except for the final gluing of the mats.