Playground Services
Playground Shading Solutions
Shading solutions for playgrounds
The importance of shading in playgrounds is often underestimated in playground design and planning. With UK summers now regularly reaching 30+ degrees, shading plays a significant role in ensuring that playgrounds are safe and comfortable for all children, regardless of their abilities. Shading enhances the overall experience for both children and caregivers. Users often look for playgrounds with shading to extend their stay. When researching a shading solution for your commercial playground, consider these factors.
Inadequate coverage can lead to discomfort during peak sunlight hours.
Unsuitable materials can cause deterioration and safety hazards.
The design Aesthetic clashes with the playground's design.
Improper installation resulting in structural instability.
Maintenance and repair demands lead to operational disruptions.
Think Multi-Functional Design
To maximise their functionality and usability, integrate shade structures such as playground canopies or awnings with other playground amenities, such as seating, picnic tables, or climbing structures. Design shaded areas to accommodate various activities and age groups, ensuring they serve as inviting gathering spaces for active play and relaxation.
In the following, we will cover information regarding:
Playground shade design
Durability
Maintenance and Installation
Safety Compliance
Costs
1. Playground shade design
One of the main purposes of shading in playgrounds is to provide protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. While we all enjoy summer in the UK, prolonged exposure to the sun can pose risks to children's delicate skin. By including shaded areas in playground designs, we can create safe spaces where children can play without worrying about sunburn or other heat-related illnesses.
Some of our commercial playground structures have built-in shading. You can also add separate shade structures, such as our Robinia sunshade, to complement and enhance the playground's appeal without compromising practicality. This is essential if you're in the leisure industry and want to retain visitors for as long as possible. Providing shade that protects users, come rain or shine, is a selling point for any recreational area.
Shading a playground consists of a combination of shade structures, natural elements, and design considerations.
Playground Shading Solutions - design solutions
Shade Structures
Install shade structures such as shade sails, playground canopies, pergolas, or pavilions over key playground areas, including play equipment, seating areas, and pathways.
Select shade structures made of durable, UV-resistant materials for ample coverage and protection from direct sunlight. Position strategically to maximize coverage during peak summer sun exposure while allowing for adequate airflow and ventilation.
Natural Shade Elements
Incorporate existing trees or other natural landscaping features into the playground design to provide natural shade and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the space. Whenever possible, preserve mature trees and strategically plant new trees to create shaded areas that complement the layout of the playground.
Design Considerations
Position play equipment and seating areas to make the most of natural shade areas and reduce direct sunlight exposure. Use light-colored or reflective materials for playground surfaces to lower heat absorption and reduce the risk of uncomfortably hot surface temperatures.
2. Durability
When choosing a KOMPAN shading product, you can count on durability. Our Robinia Sunshade structures come with a 100% High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) sail, ensuring high outdoor usage durability. It is recommended to take down the sail in heavy wind and during winter. The material allows light rain to run off and prevents damage during heavy rain.
Playground structures with integrated shading feature sails made of commercial 95 high-density PE specially knitted for sunshade structures. These sails are treated with UV stabilizers to ensure a long lifetime, supported by a hot-dip galvanized steel frame, and tightened by stainless steel devices.
When choosing between standalone and built-in shading structures, consider your playground's specific needs. Our UK playground experts can advise on the best solution for your project.
3. Maintenance and installation services
It's important to remember that neglecting shading maintenance can be dangerous and lead to operational disruptions in your playground. Therefore, scheduling regular maintenance for your chosen shading solution and playground equipment is vital. Clear instructions for installing and maintaining the sunshade are provided with the product. At KOMPAN, we offer maintenance services to keep your shade structures in top condition. Contact your local sales representative to learn more.
4. Playground shade safety regulations
All KOMPAN products are designed for commercial use and must adhere to strict UK health and safety regulations. Commercial playground sunshading is not to be compared to residential sunshades. Please get in touch with your local playground expert for more information about UK playground safety regulations.
5. Cost of playground shading
The cost of a shading solution can vary widely and is influenced by several factors. These include the size of the area to be shaded, whether a single standalone solution or shading for a large area is needed, installation costs, the type of product, and your overall budget. If you would like to learn more about playground budgeting and how to allocate your resources, we recommend reading our Playground Planning blog post about playground budget breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you shade a playground?
The method for shading a commercial playground depends on factors such as your location, playground layout, and the size of the playground area. We suggest seeking advice from your local KOMPAN sales consultant, as shading a playground involves a combination of shade structures, natural elements, and design considerations.
What is the best shade structure for windy areas?
In windy areas, selecting shade structures designed to withstand strong winds is important without compromising safety or structural integrity. Tensioned fabric shade sails or perforated metal shade structures are often suitable for windy environments. Make sure that shade structures are securely anchored to the ground using appropriate mounting hardware and follow our wind load ratings and installation guidelines recommendations.
How do you balance shade and sunlight on a playground?
Be mindful of how you position shade structures to make the most of them during the sunniest parts of the day. You can place shade sails, sail canopies, or built-in structures in areas that offer the most shade throughout the day, like above play equipment, seating areas, or high-traffic zones.
Do shade sails help keep the playground clean?
Shade sails primarily provide shade but can also help maintain playground cleanliness. Keeping the playground clean is part of your daily maintenance routine.
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