Playgrounds & play areas in San Antonio, TX

Turf under play equipment is a system

Playground turf is safe under climbers, slides and swings only when it sits on a shock pad rated for that equipment’s fall height. The turf is the wear surface. The pad absorbs the fall.

CPSC says grass, dirt, carpet and mats are not protective surfacing unless they are tested to ASTM F1292. The surfacing’s critical height should match or exceed the fall height of the tallest equipment. Our turfs don’t carry a fall-height rating on their own, so we pick the pad from the pad maker’s test data for your equipment and price the two together.

Texas daycare and center requirements

Licensed child-care centers in Texas have their own rules. The state’s minimum standards for child-care centers (26 TAC § 746.4903) require loose-fill or unitary surfacing in the use zones of climbing, rocking, rotating, bouncing and moving equipment, slides and swings, and the height of the highest designated play surface sets the depth or rating needed. Under § 746.4913, a center using unitary surfacing must keep the manufacturer’s impact test data and installation and maintenance requirements on site for parents and Licensing staff.

Before you build, ask your Licensing representative how they will classify a turf-and-pad system. We give you the product documents for that conversation.

How much area to cover

For backyard play sets, CPSC’s home playground handbook calls for protective surfacing at least 6 feet in every direction from most equipment, and farther in front of and behind swings. The rest of the yard can be standard turf for running and games.

Heat and water in San Antonio

San Antonio averages about 122 days a year at 90°F or above (NOAA 1991–2020 normals), and synthetic turf in sun runs hotter than grass. Put play equipment under trees or a shade structure if you can, and keep play to mornings and evenings in summer. Under SAWS Stage 3 rules, parks and athletic fields have to cut back watering, so a grass play lawn at a school, park or daycare gets less water just when kids wear it hardest. Turf needs none.

Picking the turf

Malibu Flow 65 needs no infill, so there are no granules to kick out or track inside. Tropical Flow 62 handles heavy traffic between play zones. Both carry a 16-year warranty and are Made in U.S.A. and lead & PFAS free.

What happens next

Call (210) 954-1803 or visit 1350 N Colorado St. We measure the area, note your equipment’s fall height and give you a written price for turf and pad together.