Why install shock-absorbing tiles under my artificial lawn ?
Cushioning tiles absorb shocks and enhance the safety of high-quality artificial turf designed for sports fields, multi-game pitches and children's play areas. Would you like to create safe green spaces ? Let's discover the advantages of shock-absorbing tiles.
What is the purpose of the shock-absorbing tiles under my artificial lawn ?
Cushioning tiles underneath your artificial grass primarily serve to provide a stable, secure base for your synthetic grass surface. They reduce the impact of falls and absorb shocks, which is particularly useful in children's play areas or sports fields to ensure their safety. Cushioning tiles also protect your artificial turf by evenly distributing the pressure exerted on the surface, which can help extend its lifespan. Secondly, cushioning tiles are designed with small holes that allow water to drain away, preventing stagnant water.
So your artificial grass can be used all year round. They also act as an insulating underlay, protecting your artificial turf from temperature variations and keeping it cool in summer. Finally, shock-absorbing tiles provide a high level of comfort underfoot, making them ideal for sports use.
Are there differences between cushioning tiles ?
Made from polyethylene foam, they contain no chemicals and are therefore completely safe. The cushioning tiles are cut in a puzzle shape for easy assembly. The differences between Exelgreen shock-absorbing slabs mainly relate to their size, thickness and the number of slabs delivered per pallet. There are also differences in the level of protection. In a playground, for example, it's important to know the maximum height at which a child can fall without risk of injury before making your choice. They comply with numerous mandatory regulations to ensure maximum safety for users.
They must be installed on flat ground, suitable for supporting the weight of the playground installation, and to optimize rainwater drainage, we recommend that you also install a geotextile. Cushioning tiles don't require any special glue, as they will adapt and expand slightly as they are used. To ensure they stay in place, we recommend sanding your surface and covering it with a quality artificial grass. Finally, once the artificial grass has been installed on your tiles, we recommend that you fasten them down to ensure their durability.
Where can cushioning tiles be installed ?
Shock-absorbing tiles can be installed on a wide range of surfaces and facilities. Many local authorities use them to make children's play areas safer and to cushion any falls, and they are useful on sports fields such as soccer, rugby, basketball and fitness courts to reduce the risk of injury to athletes. Cushioning tiles can also be installed in parks, public gardens and other leisure areas to ensure the comfort of visitors.
They can be useful in pet play areas, providing an easy-to-clean surface when used alone, and finally, in some swimming pools, cushioning tiles are installed all around to provide an anti-slip, shock-absorbing surface. As you can see, their main advantage is to make your indoor and outdoor spaces safer, whether in conjunction with artificial grass or not, and they can be installed on a wide range of surfaces.
Are there any precautions to be taken when using cushioning tiles ?
To optimize the durability of your shock-absorbing tiles, as with any flooring installation, there are a number of precautions to be taken. Firstly, we recommend that you carefully follow the installation and safety instructions supplied with the tiles. This will ensure maximum performance and safety. Next, check that the tiles are compatible with the desired artificial turf. We advise you to combine cushioning tiles with our synthetic sports turf or artificial grass with short strands (between 20 and 25 mm maximum).
Over the years, we recommend that you periodically check your tiles to ensure that they are in good condition and free from damage such as cracks or deformation. Also, avoid using sharp or pointed objects on the tiles, as this could damage them and compromise their shock-absorbing capacity. Finally, do not use cushioning tiles inappropriately, for example by overloading them beyond their recommended weight capacity.
In short, shock-absorbing tiles are resistant to changing weather conditions, have excellent permeability performance and are the ideal ally for protecting and ensuring optimum safety for all your play areas or sports fields.
Which is the best artificial grass for covering shock-absorbing tiles ?
To cover cushioning tiles with the right artificial turf, there are several criteria to consider. Firstly, it's best to choose a fairly dense artificial grass with short strands. At Exelgreen, the 20-30 mm high models in our permanent range are ideal. They include Park, Stadium, Campus, Natura, Real C 3D and Diamond 3D. All these models are highly resilient and perfectly suited to intensive use. Maintenance is minimal and very easy.
What's more, all our artificial turfs drain off rainwater very well, so your cushioning tiles won't be damaged and can be used all year round. At Exelgreen, we test the comfort and softness of our turfs and give them a grade to help you make your choice. We recommend that you choose one of our permanent models to ensure the safety of your spaces, as our artificial turfs in destock require more intensive brushing, are often less dense and less resilient, and are better suited to home use.
Cushioning tiles are an essential element in guaranteeing the durability, safety and comfort of your artificial grass installation, particularly in areas where physical activity is frequent. We invite you to discover them on our website, and remain at your disposal for any further inquiries.
