---

Engineered Wood Fiber Maintenance

Engineered wood fiber is one of the ADA accessible options for providing fall surfacing under climbing equipment. The material is known by the trade names Fibar or Wood Carpet. As with all surfacing materials, there are maintenance procedures to make sure that your surfacing is in compliance with the required depths to break a child's fall:

• Regularly look for and remove debris. Mark the leg of the equipment with a permanent marker to show the depth of the fall surfacing.
• Installations require top-offs or replacements after three years of use. The materials are all-natural and will decay after time.
• Wear areas should be regularly raked and maintained at a proper depth.
• Rubbers wear mats should be installed at all high wear locations such as under all swings and at slide exits.
• Depending on wear and usage, the engineered wood fiber surfacing will compact within two to six weeks of installation. It can be compacted at installation with a roller to assure immediate accessibility.
• If there is moisture in the fall surfacing, it will freeze when the temperature is below the freezing mark.

When the surface is frozen, the impact attenuation properties are lost, so play on climbing equipment should be suspended until the wood fiber thaws.

These maintenance guidelines should help you create a safer outdoor play space for young children. Vicki Stoecklin, Education & Child Development Director, has taken the safety course provided by the National Park and Recreation Association and has been a certified safety inspector. She can help you identify your safety problems.

---