Page 10
Safety Surfacing Chart
Table – Critical heights (in feet) of Tested Materials
These directions are written based upon a depth of 12” of
resilient surfacing.
Do not forget to calculate the compressed resilient surfacing
depth needed and adjust your “dirt grade height” accordingly.
Chart taken from The Handbook for Public Playground Safety
written by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) page 5 (www.cpsc.gov).
Material
Uncompressed
Depths
Compressed
Depths
6”
9”
12”
9 “
Wood
Chips
4
10
11
10
Double
Shredded
Bark Mulch
6
10
11
7
Engineered
Wood
Fibers
6
7
>12
6
Fine Sand
5
5
9
5
Course
Sand
5
5
6
4
Fine Gravel
6
7
10
6
Medium
Gravel
5
5
6
5
Shredded
Tires
10-
12
N/A
N/A
N/A
