The Ground Play Deserves

When a playground surface fails, everything around it gets harder: safety, accessibility, inspections, maintenance, and parent confidence. First Base is Softline’s core poured-in-place playground safety surfacing system, designed to help project teams build play environments that protect users, support inclusive access, and hold up over time.

If you need a playground surface that looks finished, performs reliably, and helps reduce the long-term maintenance burden of loose-fill materials, First Base is built for that job.

Best for

Benefit

Dependable fall protection with a cleaner, lower-maintenance, more design-flexible finish

Playgrounds, school play areas, municipal parks, community spaces, and rooftop playgrounds

Why First Base stands out

Built around real fall protection requirements

First Base is designed specifically for spaces where falls happen and impact attenuation matters. The system thickness is adjusted based on required fall height, so you are not forcing a one-size-fits-all surface into a safety-critical environment.

IPEMA certified for verified safety performance

First Base is IPEMA certified and tested to CSA Z614:20 standards for impact attenuation. That means independent, third-party verification of the system's safety performance, giving specifiers, inspectors, and owners a built-in quality guarantee rather than relying on internal claims.

Better accessibility than loose fill

Try pushing a wheelchair or stroller through deep wood fiber or sand. Wheels sink, movement stalls, and independent access disappears. First Base creates a firm, continuous surface that mobility devices can actually roll across, making inclusive playground use a reality instead of a struggle.

Lower maintenance over the long run

Compared with wood fiber, sand, or gravel, First Base eliminates routine raking, replenishment, and constant upkeep. That helps owners reduce labour demands and keep the play area looking cleaner and performing more consistently.

Design flexibility without sacrificing performance

Custom colors, graphics, and surface layouts can be integrated directly into the top layer, allowing project teams to create more engaging playground environments without giving up safety performance.

How the system works

First Base is a two-layer poured-in-place rubber surfacing system.

1. Impact layer

The base layer provides the cushioning that supports fall-height performance. It is built using recycled rubber and forms the impact-attenuating foundation of the system.

2. Wear layer

The top layer delivers the finished look and everyday performance of the surface. It provides:

• durability

• visual finish

• color and graphics capability

• a firm, practical surface for use and access

Together, these layers create a system that balances protection, appearance, and long-term usability.

A better fit for modern playground projects

For many buyers, the real decision is not just about surface material. It is about whether the finished playground will be easier to own, easier to maintain, and easier to trust over time.

First Base supports that by delivering:

• impact protection designed around fall height requirements

• improved accessibility compared with loose fill

• cleaner site conditions

• lower long-term maintenance burden

• stronger visual design possibilities

• a more professional, finished playground look

Frequently asked questions

Is First Base only for playgrounds?

It is built primarily for playgrounds and other areas where fall protection is required, but it can also support highly designed play environments and rooftop applications.

Can it include custom colors or graphics?

Yes. The wear layer can support multiple colors, custom patterns, and graphics.

Why choose it over loose fill?

Because it creates a cleaner, more accessible, lower-maintenance surface that performs more consistently over time.

Build a safer surface
from the start

If you are planning a playground and want a surface that combines safety, accessibility, and long-term value, First Base gives you a stronger long-term solution than the usual maintenance-heavy alternatives.