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.

 

 

Maintenance

For most playgrounds Play Matta™ will give many years of service with little or no maintenance, including cleaning. However, playgrounds should be inspected regularly and any faults rectified or reported to a Play Matta™ representative. Failure to monitor the playground and carry out simple maintenance may invalidate parts of the Matta 6-Year Warranties.

Cleaning

• General dirt and grime trampled and deposited on the playground can be cleaned off by power washing or scrubbing with a stiff broom and bucket of water containing industrial strength floor cleaner.
• Stubborn deposits can be removed by applying a heavy-duty general purpose cleaning product, such as an abrasive kitchen cream cleanser, allowing to soften and power washing or scrubbing with a stiff broom, then rinsing thoroughly.
• Scuff marks can be removed using Matta Res-Q, a specially formulated spot cleaner available from your Play Matta™ representative.
• Larger volumes of sand, dirt, harder non-biodegradable material and harder organic material, for example large twigs, engineered wood fiber and nuts, must be removed by either sweeping or blowing and then using an industrial vacuum cleaner to dislodge and remove materials from under the mat. Failure to do this will result in the mats being strained, especially around joins and possibly ‘letting go’ from one another.
• Sand falling in the perforations of the mats will not affect the impact attenuation properties of the Play Matta™ surfacing.

Vandalism

Play Matta™ playgrounds are resistant to vandalism, but a determined vandal might succeed in inflicting damage. Unlike poured-in-place playground surfacing, a Play Matta™ playground can be quickly and inexpensively restored to its original condition.

• Graffiti can be removed with standard graffiti removal products. Matta Res-Q is available from your Play Matta™ representative to remove more stubborn marks.

• Cut mats can be replaced by ‘popping’ the damaged mat and gluing in a replacement.

• Arson is likely to only scorch the playground surface, leaving the shock pads undamaged. Scorched mats can be easily ‘popped’ and replaced.

Play Matta™ Professional Servicing and Maintenance Program

This customer support initiative provides a professional service to re-condition and care for Play Matta™ Original playgrounds after the standard 6-Year Warranty has expired, enabling the warranty period to be extended. While most playgrounds will give many years of problem-free service after the warranty expires, the Play Matta™ Servicing and Maintenance Program gives peace of mind to the owner and ensures that the playground will continue to perform to its full potential.

The CPSC's Public Playground Safety Handbook states that a comprehensive maintenance program should be developed for each playground covering: regular inspections using checklists; repairs completed following the manufacturer's instructions; with detailed records kept. The Play Matta™ Professional Servicing and Maintenance Program consists of:

                 

An annual checklist

• Full diagnostic site inspection
• Remove trash and debris
• Blow out leaves and debris fallen through the surface
• Pull weeds and plants growing into and through the surface
• Power wash and/or rotary scrub surfacing
• Apply sanitizer to surfacing
• Replace vandalized and damaged tiles
• Apply Matta Res-Q formula to heavy stains and marks
• Check curbs and ramped edging and re-pin if needed
• Repair any splits or separations between tiles
• Fill in depressions where ground may be subsiding
• Biennial fall height drop tests at three points on surfacing providing documented results
• Provide before and after images of each service undertaken
• Provide an itemized servicing report for playground.

Additional services

• One free call-out per playground per year to address urgent vandalism or damage issues
• Supplementary call-out services available by arrangement.

Documentation issued

• Annual Playground Servicing Report with photographs
• Biennial Impact Attenuation Drop Test Results
• Extended Play Matta™ Warranties
• Playground care instructions
• Impact Protection Compliance Certificate.

 

Warranty

Matta Products is committed to excellence and is proud to offer some of the best safety surfacing warranties available anywhere. When a playground is installed by a Certified Play Matta™ Installer we guarantee the quality and performance of the surfacing against flaws and failure with a Play Matta™ 6-Year Manufacturer’s Warranty and a 6-Year Installation Warranty, with options to extend. The warranties apply to the normal functionality of the Play Matta™ surfacing and do not include any warranty against damage caused by extreme conditions such as vandalism and the presence of corrosive chemicals.

The Play Matta™ Extended Product and Installation Warranties are available to customers who enroll in the Play Matta™ Servicing and Maintenance Program.

As well as testimonials from some of our New Zealand customers, we have included some from Southern California because these playgrounds have to stand up to extreme climatic conditions.

"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

"A year ago Pukerua Bay Junior School installed a nautical playground and Matta Safety Matting ... Electric blue coloured matting was selected to represent the ship’s prow sailing through the sea. The matting looks fantastic and is a feature of the playground. 

"The junior children love the springy surface and will often be seen doing handstands on the matting. We have had a few children fall off the playground equipment but due to the shock absorbers have received no injuries. 

"The advantage we have found of the product is that it requires no maintenance. The matting does not fade and looks as new as the day it was installed. It rests flush to the concrete so has eliminated any tripping hazard. The main benefit we have found of the matting over bark chip is that it meets the latest safety standards. We have found with our other playground which has bark chip surrounds, it requires an annual top up of bark chip which is costly. It also takes a very busy caretaker many hours a month to tidy up the bark chip."
School Council, Pukerua Bay School

 

"On behalf of the Management Committee I would like to thank you for the excellent job you and your team have made of laying safety matting in our outside playground. Not only were the people laying the matting excellent to deal with but the playground now is safe and looks absolutely fantastic!"                 
Environment Manager, Management Committee, Northland Community Creche

"On behalf of the staff and junior pupils of Te Horo School I would like to thank you for the wonderful matting on the playground. The children are enjoying the soft landing, and it makes the area look neat and tidy and is aesthetically pleasing."
Principal, Te Horo School

 

"This is a letter of recommendation for Matta Products, and their playground surfacing. I am responsible for all facilities issues and I have been responsible for the installation of 6 new playground structures in the past several years.

"We have chosen to use Matta surfacing on all the projects we have done in the past 4 years. We find the product itself to be of the highest quality and it is more reliable than the poured-in-place materials the school district used to spec out. We find the surface to be very forgiving. It retains its softness but it is impossible to wear out, even in the most heavily used locations such as under swing seats. The material and the installation is water-permeable. We never find ponding even after a direct rain. There is no weed growth through the barrier and the tiles remain intact and hold their shape. We have no issues with the holes in the surfacing and we find no debris collecting or inhibiting the effectiveness of the product. The color does not fade over time and still looks good....” Director of Business Projects for the Whittier City School District, Southern California

 

"This stuff is great. It probably saves me a hundred, maybe almost 200 hours of work a year. The classrooms are cleaner, the carpets stay cleaner and the school grounds are cleaner ... If kids spill stuff on it, it hoses right off. The holes in it have never been a problem. In fact it’s impossible for broken glass, syringes, stuff like that, to be hidden or buried like it was when we used sand and woodchips. Our school shares the grass area installed with Poured In Place that is coming apart, and it’s newer than our Play Matta playground! I’m grateful we have Play Matta installed in our school."         
Head Maintenance Worker at Brea County Hills Elemetary, Southern California

 

"Here at Villa de Niños we have been very happy with the playground surface that was placed at our preschool center. The surface is very durable, when wet or dry. It is very easy to maintain and safe for the children and staff to walk on."
Site Director, Villa de Niños Preschool Center, Southern California

"I love the Play Matta surface we have on our church playground. It’s been in for over 4 years and we’ve not had one problem. It’s cooler than the sand we had before and everything stays cleaner – no sand all over the place. I would think anyone would want to have it for their school or park playground."

Saint John’s Lutheran Church office secretary, Southern California

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

                 

To view our technical manuals please click here for a request form.

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

Yes, a Certificate of Compliance is supplied when the installation is complete. The certification is backed by independent testing and Play Matta™ complies with all applicable sections of the ASTM Standard Specifications.

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 domestic 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.

What is wrong with using wood mulch?

 

Wood mulch, wood chips and engineered wood fiber are effective impact protection products as long as you maintain the required thickness (a minimum of 9 inches). The material will need to be turned over regularly to keep it loose and uncompacted and you will need to add more material at a later date as it tends to break down and disappear from the site over time. The supplier of the material should be able to provide evidence that it does not contain chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood products. Other issues with this type of loose fill product is contamination (e.g. animal droppings) and sharp objects that become buried in the material (broken glass, sharp stones and even syringes). 'Nuisance' issues include material getting inside children's footwear; children's skin and clothing getting dirty, especially when the material is wet and has started to break down; material getting tracked indoors; and material being washed off the playground in heavy rain. As a general rule of thumb, you will probably need to replace all the material in the site after two years.

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. If the mats have been cut to accommodate posts you will need to purchase a few replacement mats. Some of the shock pads may suffer damage in the lifting process and require replacement.

Can the Play Matta™ Original mats be joined to the Safety™ Mattas?

 

Yes, these two mats are interlockable and it is quite common to join them to the perimeter of a playground to form a grass retention strip. Play Matta™ Original mats can also be joined to our Rebound tiles.

What are the mats made out of?

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

Can I buy yellow or orange matting?

 

The bright colors 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 'standard' range for outdoor use – these come in two shades of green, grey and blue, as well as black. Our 'light' range (green, grey and blue) was developed to be used in conjunction with the standard range, as complementary colors. Because of the technical complexities involved on their manufacture, these colors attract a price premium when they comprise more than 20% of the total number of mats used.

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, wooden decking – will get hot in strong sunlight, although some colors will absorb slightly more heat than others. The perforated design of Play Matta™ Original allows quicker cooling than other solid surfaces such as poured-in-place, 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 skids 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.

What happens to the playground in heavy rain?

 

Play Matta™ Original surfacing is designed to allow water to quickly flow through the channels on the underside of the surfacing and out to the perimeter of the playground. The mats themselves are perforated and and the underlying shock pads are water permeable. Water does not pond on the surface and the children can resume playing as soon as the rain stops.

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

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. Most of our customers don't worry about this.

Do weeds grow up through the mats?

 

The function of the geotextile weed barrier between the shock pads and the Play Matta™ mats is to prevent weed growth from the base of the playground. The weed barrier is UV stabilized to ensure it remains effective for many years. The U channel around the edge of the playground greatly inhibits the encroachment of weeds and grasses from the surrounding area. Should weeds germinate on the surface they will be shallow-rooted and easy to remove. A herbicide can be used without damaging the mats, but it needs to be one that is approved for use in children’s play areas. As with any outdoor environment, regular maintenance is the key to keeping the playground looking good and preventing the more invasive species from taking hold.

We have a zip line. Can we use Play Matta™ under it for the full length?

 

Yes, Play Matta™ Original has been successfully installed under zip lines. This not only provides impact attenuation and traction, but also prevents the ground from becoming muddy and worn down. The mats and underlying shock pads are flexible which allows them to be installed on undulating terrain.

Can Play Matta™ be installed over concrete or asphalt?

 

Yes. Play Matta™ achieves excellent Critical Fall Height results regardless of the underlying surface. Some work on the surface may be needed to repair damaged areas and to ensure the surface is level. Whatever the surface (concrete, asphalt, old poured-in-place surfacing, grass, bark, sand), good base preparation is a 'must' for the playground to stay looking good in the years to come. Our Certified Installers are trained in the detailed protocols for installing Play Matta™ in each of these situations.

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 community build?

 

Yes, some aspects of the base preparation can be done by a group of volunteers. 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 or welding of the mats.