These areas include non-turf areas such as playground cribs, fencelines, and parking lots. A includes playground cribs with a perimeter fall zone.
Suitable mulch includes wood, pea gravel, sand, rubber chips and rubber mats.
Wood and rubber mulches may provide the softest landing surfaces, but wood, while inexpensive, may also increase weed and insect problems. Shredded bark mulch should be avoided because it rapidly disintegrates. Sand will also harbor weeds but fewer insects than wood. Crumb rubber and rubber mats offer the least amount of weed infestation but are expensive. Weeds should be hand pulled or removed using a weed whacker.