Jim Dobmeier founded Surface America in 1993 in Cheektowaga, New York. As a subsidiary of ECORE, Surface America installs playground surfacing on approximately 500 playgrounds annually as well as gymnasium flooring, fitness flooring, indoor and outdoor surfacing, and trail and pathway surfacing. Their sister company, A-Turf, a synthetic grass surfacing company, was also founded by Jim and is also a subsidiary of ECORE.1
ECORE began in the mid 1800's as Dodge Cork Company and became Dodge-Regupol in 1989 when it expanded to be international. In 2008, it reconfigured to be ECORE, which is headquartered in Lancaster, Pennyslvania. They recycle 80 million pounds of rubber each year to manufacture poured on-site, roll, and molded products.2 For Surface America that means their PlayBound Poured-in-Place surface, the EverTop, the UltraTile, the PlayBound Tile, and the PlayBound TurfTop. All of these products are International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certified, which indicates a third party has verified their compliance with safety standards.3
Surface America's PlayBound Poured-in-Place system involves two layers: a “basement” of 100% post-consumer recycled Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) and a top layer of recycled post-industrial Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber. Both layers are wet poured and troweled on site and together can range in thicknesses from 1.75 inches to 5.5 inches. PlayBound Poured-in-Place, being porous, is used outside for play spaces and meets the 4' to 12' critical fall heights requirements.4
Surface America's EverTop, which is largely used outside the equipment play areas, is the top surface layer of the PlayBound Poured-in-Place system. This usually ½ inch layer is poured over either asphalt or concrete and can reduce the cost of surfacing without sacrificing safety or creating a break in the design and overall aesthetics.5 EverTop is used exclusively throughout the United States in the Miracle League baseball fields6 and is often used for water play areas, pool surrounds, and in high traffic areas.
Surface America offers two tile products, the PlayBound Tile and the UltraTile, which are used for indoor and outdoor surfacing needs. They both are porous and have Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) edges. They also meet up to the 8' critical fall heights and are made with 100% post-consumer recycled SBR and polyurethane.7
Primarily used outside is the PlayBound TurfTop option for playground surfacing. A two or three layer system involves a 100% post-consumer recycled SBR “basement” and a polyethylene fiber synthetic turf top layer. An optional third layer is an infill of clean and processed black rubber, again 100% post-consumer recycled SBR. The turf top has a backing with perforations that allow the water to flow through easily. The partially or fully adhered 12' or 15' wide green grass-like turf rolls create a play surface that is safe for 6-8' critical fall heights.8
Surface America also covers gymnasium floors with either a ElastoFloor Roll-Pour or the snap-together AmeriTile Indoor Sport product. They pave trails and pathways with either the poured ECOtrail or the tile DuraPaver. For indoor fitness needs they surface with either the seamless EverTop poured system, the speckled TuffRoll, or the high density DuraTile.
- 1. “Corporate Diversity & Financial Strength.” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/stand_alone_page/details/welcome-to-surface-america/ > 22 Oct. 2010.
- 2. Ibid.
- 3. “Surface America playground surfaces are where you need it, when you need it!” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/playground-surfaces/ > 20 Jan. 2011.
- 4. “PlayBound Poured-in-Place.” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/products/details/playbound-poured-in-place/ > 22 Oct. 2010.
- 5. “EverTop.” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/products/details/evertop-playground-surfacing/ > 20 Jan. 2011.
- 6. “Surface America Miracle League Field is a Dream Come True.” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/articles_news/details/surface-america-miracle-league-field-is-a-dream-come-true/ > 20 Jan. 2011.
- 7. “PlayBound Tile.” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/products/details/playbound-tile/ > 20 Jan. 2011.
- 8. “PlayBound TurfTop.” Surface America. < http://www.surfaceamerica.com/index.php/products/details/playbound-turftop/ > 20 Jan. 2011.
