CFH Surfacing
Get in touchAt CFH Surfacing, we deliver safety-certified playground surfacing and across the UK, designed to mitigate the risk of serious injury from accidental falls. Our engineered solutions provide high-performance impact attenuation for schools, nurseries, and public parks, ensuring that recreational environments remain compliant with national safety legislation.
By implementing precision-engineered safety bases and durable wear layers, we assist facility managers in protecting children while maintaining the long-term structural integrity of the play area.
What Critical Fall Height Ratings Can Your Surfaces Achieve for Projects?
CFH surfacing can achieve fall height ratings ranging from under 1.0 metre to over 3.0 metres, providing a scalable safety solution for any piece of playground apparatus. We deliver specific safety certification confirming the tested performance of each installation, which is determined by the density and thickness of the cushioning layers.
By providing graduated depth ratings, we ensure that high-risk zones, such as the exit areas of zip lines or high slides, receive the maximum possible protection.
Are Your Playground Surfaces Tested to BS EN 1177 Safety Standards?
Every playground surface installed by CFH Surfacing is strictly tested to meet or exceed BS EN 1177 impact attenuation standards. This European safety benchmark dictates the HIC testing protocols that verify whether a surface is fit for purpose under specific fall height conditions.
Adhering to these standards provides local authorities and schools with the legal proof of due diligence, ensuring the site environment satisfies insurance criteria and reduces public liability risks.
How Much Does CFH Surfacing Cost?
The cost of CFH surfacing ranges from £40 to over £120 per square metre, depending on the required fall height rating, the specific material chosen, and the existing ground conditions.
Costs are primarily influenced by the depth of the impact-absorbing base layer, the total surface area, the complexity of the playground layout, and any necessary sub-base preparation or groundworks required to ensure a stable foundation.
Contact CFH Surfacing to get customised prices for getting safety surfacing at your property.
How Do CFH Surfacing Solutions Improve Playground Safety?
CFH surfacing solutions improve playground safety by attenuating the kinetic energy of a fall, which significantly reduces the probability of life-changing head injuries. The safety-critical nature of these installations involves using porous rubber granules or synthetic fibres that compress under pressure, preventing a hard landing on concrete or soil.
This cushioning effect ensures that children can engage in physical activity with a significantly lower risk of fractures or trauma when using elevated play equipment.
How Do You Calculate Surface Depth Requirements for Equipment Installed?
Calculating the required surface depth involves CFH surfacing specialists identifying the maximum free-fall height of every piece of equipment on site. We assess the distance from the highest intended standing point to the ground and cross-reference this with the impact attenuation curves of our certified materials.
This engineering process ensures that the resulting specification accounts for long-term material settlement and real-world usage, preventing the installation of under-specified safety surfacing.
What Is Critical Fall Height and Why Is It Essential for Play Areas?
Understanding critical fall height is essential because it defines the maximum height from which a child can fall onto a surface without sustaining a debilitating head injury. This measurement is a statistically verified benchmark used by CFH Surfacing to determine the necessary thickness of the shock-absorbing material
If the fall height of a climbing frame exceeds the rating of the surface, the playground is legally non-compliant, creating a high risk for the operator and a safety hazard for the user.
Which Surfacing Options Do You Provide That Meet Certified Critical Fall Heights?
CFH surfacing provides a diverse range of systems designed to meet specific impact requirements and architectural goals, including:
EPDM Wetpour Rubber – A seamless, two-layer system consisting of a shock-absorbing base and a vibrant top coat, ideal for high-traffic school playgrounds.
Bonded Rubber Mulch – A natural-looking surface made from recycled rubber shreds, providing excellent impact attenuation for woodland parks and nurseries.
Artificial Grass with Shockpads – Combining the visual appeal of real turf with high-performance foam underlays to satisfy specific safety depth criteria.
Impact-Absorbing Safety Tiles – Pre-moulded rubber units that offer consistent fall protection and are ideal for areas with restricted access.
Bonded Rubber Bark – A resin-bound option that provides a rustic finish while maintaining the required compliance for lower fall heights.
How Does Wetpour Surfacing Achieve Specific Impact Absorption Standards?
Wetpour surfacing achieves specific impact standards using a CFH surfacing through a multi-layered installation process that adjusts the depth of the SBR shock-pad layer to match the equipment's free fall height.
The system uses a chemical bond between rubber granules and a polyurethane binder, creating a porous yet elastic matrix that stays flexible across temperature extremes. This structural configuration ensures that the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) remains within safe limits, providing reliable protection for users of swings, slides, and multi-play units.
Can Rubber Mulch Systems Be Installed to Meet Required Fall Heights?
Rubber mulch systems can be precision-installed using CFH surfacing at specific depths to achieve certified critical fall height ratings for naturalistic play environments. The flexible and porous structure of the polyurethane-coated rubber shreds provides long-lasting cushioning, creating an air-filled mat that disperses impact forces multi-directionally.
This performance ensures that even in damp or cold conditions, the surface remains effective, preventing the dangerous compaction often seen with natural wood bark or sand.
Is Artificial Grass With Shockpad Suitable for Critical Fall Height Compliance?
Artificial grass systems are made compliant for critical fall height by CFH Surfacing specialists through the integration of high-performance foam shockpads beneath the synthetic turf. The shockpad thickness is selected based on the maximum fall height of the play equipment, ensuring that the surface delivers the necessary impact attenuation without compromising the aesthetic appeal of a real lawn.
This hybrid approach enables schools to maintain a clean, all-weather play space that satisfies rigorous health and safety audits.
Contact CFH Surfacing for a consultation on delivering safety-certified surfacing tailored to your organisation’s risks and responsibilities.