Certified Playground Surfacing (PlayCushion®)
Engineered wood fiber (EWF) playground surfacing independently tested and IPEMA certified for safety, accessibility, and performance.
What Makes PlayCushion® Different
We manufacture our IPEMA certified PlayCushion® from either virgin pine or virgin cypress logs and follow an exact recipe each time, ensuring the strict safety standards. Parker’s PlayCushion® is independently tested and certified by IPEMA for use as a playground safety surface. The material helps safeguard children against injuries and is easy to maintain.
Parker Bark Company is not merely a member of IPEMA, but our PlayCushion® is actually a certified IPEMA product. To be an IPEMA certified product, our PlayCushion® has passed IPEMA’s independent ASTM research tests for head impact safety, appropriate size, lack of any toxins and lack of metals.
To verify product certification, please visit http://www.ipema.org.
Material Options
Parker Bark produces two certified PlayCushion® options—both clean, eco-friendly, and screened for consistent performance:
Certified by IPEMA. Independent, Verified Safety
PlayCushion® is independently tested and certified by IPEMA to meet critical playground safety and accessibility standards.
Testing includes:
- Impact attenuation (fall protection)
- Particle size & contaminant screening
- Surface mobility & ADA accessibility
Certification is renewed annually to ensure consistent performance. Parker Bark Company, Inc. is one of only six companies in North Carolina with an IPEMA-certified playground surfacing product.
ASTM Standards Our Product Meets
- ASTM F1292 — Impact attenuation (head injury criteria)
- ASTM F2075 — Engineered wood fiber specification (purity, metal content, and size)
- ASTM F3351 — Laboratory impact testing at specified fall heights
The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) provides a third-party certification to ensure product compliance to specific ASTM and/or CSA standards. Each product promoted here, if certified by IPEMA, includes the name and model number for you to search the IPEMA website for verification. To verify product certification, visit www.ipema.org and conduct a search.
Maintenance Requirements
Engineered wood fiber is a natural system and maintenance is part of safety.
- Inspect surface depth routinely
- Rake displaced fiber back into play zones
- Top up material as compaction occurs
- Maintain drainage to avoid saturation
- Re-establish working depth annually or as needed
Installation Requirements
PlayCushion® must be installed with containment and compacted to maintain critical fall height compliance and ADA performance.
Ordering & Delivery
We are a wholesale-only manufacturer. All orders must meet our cubic yard minimums and are intended for professional use.
- Delivered via tractor trailer or dump truck
- Single-material loads to maintain quality
- Lead times vary by season (spring/summer busiest)
- Serving NC, SC and beyond
Ready for a Quote? Let’s Talk.
We prefer a conversation—new customers are encouraged to start by calling us directly. You may also complete our Request a Quote form and we’ll call you once it’s received.