Play Surface Markings
Playground markings are the most affordable way to change how a playground is used. We design and install thermoplastic markings for schools and parks so that they outlast painted markings many times over.
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Why it matters
The Benefits of Playground Markings
- Cheapest change per child – For the price of one climbing unit you can mark an entire playground, which is why markings are usually the first thing we recommend for a tight budget.
- Structure for busy playtimes – Marked games give children something to join rather than something to queue for, which noticeably reduces the wandering and the fallouts that come with it.
- Learning outside the classroom – Number lines, alphabet snakes, phonics grids and clock faces let teachers take literacy and numeracy outdoors without carrying resources out with them.
- Thermoplastic, not paint – Markings are heat-bonded into the tarmac rather than painted on top, so they last five to ten years instead of fading within a couple of terms.
- Fitted in a day – Most schemes are installed in a single visit with no curing time, so the playground is back in use the next morning.
Proven success stories
Play | Canolfan Yr Afon Infant School Outdoor Classroom and Steel Trim Trail
Play|Fleet Town Council – Playground and Bonded Rubber Mulch Surfacing
Springwell School: Encouraging Daily Activity with a SUDS Bond Mile Track From Vision to Reality at Springwell School
Surfacing| Tweendykes School, Wet Pour Surfacing
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Pre-formed plastic shapes are laid onto the tarmac and heated until they bond to the surface. Unlike paint, which sits on top and wears off, thermoplastic becomes part of the surface, which is why it lasts years rather than terms.
Five to ten years on tarmac in normal school use, depending on foot traffic and the condition of the surface underneath. Markings on a worn or crumbling playground will fail early no matter how well they are laid, which is why we check the surface before quoting.
Yes. Faded or unwanted markings can be removed by shot blasting or burning off, and we usually do this as part of a new installation rather than laying over the top. Marking over old markings looks poor and shortens the life of the new ones.
Tarmac and macadam take thermoplastic best. Concrete needs a primer and does not hold quite as well. Markings cannot be applied to wetpour, artificial grass or resin surfaces, though on those we can form colour and graphics into the surface itself instead.
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