PlaySmart UK Review - Best Companies

PlaySmart UK offers a range of playground surfacing options and services that can help turn any outdoor space into a child-friendly area. This PlaySmart UK review will go into who they are, what they offer, and what customers have to say about them.

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Table of Content

1 PlaySmart UK Overview
2 Services Offered By PlaySmart UK
3 PlaySmart UK Contact Details
4 PlaySmart UK Reviews
5 Summary
6 All UK Playground Surfacing Companies

PlaySmart UK Overview

PlaySmart UK was founded in 2004 by Anthony Johnston as a way to create consistent, good quality and reliable grass matting for playgrounds at that time. Over the years, it has continued to grow, and the list of products and services on offer has slowly expanded with each new breakthrough.

With 15 years of experience and a unique team that all work towards different parts of their overall goal, PlaySmart UK have worked with a variety of different businesses, industries, and even business sectors. While PlaySmart UK was started to help with playgrounds, they have worked on tourist attractions and all kinds of other locations or projects.

The business has also worked with a range of city councils: Dorset, Bristol, Birmingham, Leicester, and more. This is all alongside their work with major companies and organizations that have needed high-quality outdoor surfacing for various reasons.

Services Offered By PlaySmart UK

PlaySmart UK offers a wide variety of different surface types, some more expected than others. All of them use different materials and are intended for slightly different purposes.

Green Frog

Green Frog is the artificial grass daughter brand of PlaySmart UK service, providing an all-year-round look that drains faster than natural grass and can handle a high amount of foot traffic. This all leads to far less mud as well as a pleasing, realistic look which can last a lot longer than some real grass can.

According to the product’s page, it can last at least 8 years – about as long as real grass takes to grow – and it does not need any real maintenance other than occasional checks. It will not get muddy, can resist extreme weather, and there are optional pet-friendly variants to prevent your family pets from chewing on something they should not be.

Grass Mats

The Grass Mats offered by PlaySmart UK are rubber mats designed to let the grass grow naturally while still protecting the children playing in that area. They are able to handle mud and wet surfaces fine and are laid on top of the existing ground with holes to help the natural plant life grow through.

This is ideal for any area where you want a natural look, and the tough materials give it a long lifespan that can really help when creating outdoor play areas in less trafficked locations. They can also deal with all seasons and weather conditions and may even help in controlling ground erosion.

PlaySmart UK has their own installation practice that helps prevent mistakes and errors in the installation, meaning that the mats will always be able to protect children from the critical fall height that is infamous for breaking bones or hurting backs.

FireSmart

FireSmart is a fire-retardant grass mat that has become the industry standard through PlaySmart UK’s uses. Made from strong rubber, they can provide good, soft landings while also preventing fires in areas prone to them. Like the grass mats above, they are easy to install but come with a few added benefits.

If they catch on fire, the mats are able to extinguish within 90 seconds, even if they do not get any extra water. The rubber will not easily burn, and it can block fires from easily spreading between grassy areas, even if the original flame comes from a bonfire that is still burning.

They are also great for deterring vandals in secluded areas and will stop issues like illegal campfires from snowballing into bigger problems that can’t be fixed easily in rural areas.

FlexCourt

FlexCourt is a modular sports surface design that PlaySmart UK use to create sports pitches and fields. As the product’s sole distributor in the UK, PlaySmart UK is essentially the only place to get hold of it, which can be important for people who want to create an outdoor sports venue.

The design is easy to install and offers the same shock absorption and protection that you would expect, coming in a range of colours that can be patterned to create particular markings or designs.

JungleMulch

Another product exclusive to PlaySmart UK, JungleMulch, is a UK-originating mulch that comes from recycled tyres and is designed to help drain water while also giving you a fancy, multi-coloured pattern for a cheaper cost.

The design of JungleMulch gives it a very outdoorsy feel, and it mostly looks like natural bark but also contributes towards tyre recycling. Very little maintenance is needed, but it can suppress weeds and allow other plants or trees to grow naturally, thanks to the very specific design.

RubbaSmart

RubbaSmart is a rubber-based wet pour that is able to create a durable and very low-effort outdoor surface, requiring almost no maintenance and very little extra work to set up., It can be laid on top of solid surfaces and comes in a wide variety of colours, leading to great patterns and designs for playgrounds.

Corkeen

Corkeen is another PlaySmart UK exclusive product that uses the outer layer of a natural cork tree to create a toxin-free playground surface. Not only is it very eco-friendly and long-lasting, but it can be used by wheelchair users due to the relative stability it offers when placed down properly.

Since it is also hypoallergenic, it can be a great way to create an inclusive space for all children, especially in public areas.

NordicLawn

NordicLawn is a mixture of artificial and natural grass that aims to try and protect existing grass without stopping it from growing, making it perfect for outdoor playgrounds and gardens that you want to keep looking green.

SmartPlay

SmartPlay is a custom shock pad that can be combined with other surface types to improve the protective value, helping to improve child safety in areas where they might still be at risk even with softer surfacing.

SmartPave

SmartPave is a resin-bound gravel surface that is slip-resistant and does not need any real maintenance, acting as a great alternative to the normal driveway or pathway materials in outside locations.

PlaySmart UK Contact Details

PlaySmart UK Address – Birchy Cross Business Centre, Unit 4, Broad Ln, Solihull B94 5DN
PlaySmart UK Phone Number – 01564 742811
PlaySmart UK Facebook

PlaySmart UK Reviews

PlaySmart UK has received a lot of positive reviews over the years, and many of them come from council members or teachers from organizations that they have worked with in the past.

A representative of Wycombe Abbey School said:

“PlaySmart were able to offer a professional and competitive service, with the works being carried out on time and to the highest of standards that we would expect at our site. Myself and all of the team here at the Abbey are very pleased with the final result and will be looking to PlaySmart in the future.”

James Lawson, Vice-Chairman of the Rock Parish Council, said:

“The contractors came took one look at site and pulled out but fortunately Rock Parish Council clerk Stephen Clee managed to contact PlaySmart UK Ltd and within 48 hours they had viewed the site and carried out the work.”

From the Barnados Children’s Centre, we have:

“The guidance given throughout was invaluable and the works carried out by Steve and his team were done with professionalism and skill.”

A Martley Primary School representative has stated:

“From start to finish, PlaySmart listened to our needs and made the whole process smooth and hassle-free. From design, through all safety considerations and installation, their personal service and attention to detail made them a pleasure to deal with.”

Cannock Chase District Council have said:

“We were a little concerned at the beginning as we have had issues with the quality of similar products from alternate suppliers. However, it was laid in a better way than a lot of other suppliers have been doing.”

Nigel from the Dorset Council sums it up well with:

“Your superior products, outstanding customer service and super fast delivery times make you stand head and shoulders above the competition. Your product development is a big plus and provides answers to issues that installers have struggled with in the past.”

Summary

PlaySmart UK services seem to be a favourite of many places in the UK, and they have only gotten better as their list of services has continued to expand with each new development. From all the positive reviews, they are easily a great choice for most playground spaces and play areas.

While there is a lot to choose from, that does not mean that all of the PlaySmart UK materials fit every situation. Take a look at what is being offered, see what their specifications are, and do not be afraid to ask the company if you need clarification.

PlaySmart UK seems like a great company to look into, no matter your project, and there is a lot there to look through. Their site might be a good place to start, especially under the products heading that contains all their major offerings.

All UK Playground Surfacing Companies

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