Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

WHO MAKES YOUR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT?

We have established strong relationships with Superior Recreational Products Playground Equipment and Playcore’s Recreation Brands for our playground equipment.

ARE YOU CLOSE TO THE MANUFACTURER?

Our offices are within 1/4 mile from Superior Recreational Products. Your equipment gets manufactured, stored in our warehouse, and shipped on your terms.

Most of the dealers you’ll be in contact with represent companies that are distributed around the country, which may be a concern 15 years from now when it’s time to upgrade/replace parts.

WHO WILL I BE WORKING WITH?

Your team includes:

  • A local dedicated consultant
  • Your own personal designer
  • Your own estimator for your project
  • Shipping on our own trucks
  • Dedicated installation teams
WHAT ARE THE AGE GROUPS FOR YOUR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT?
  • 6 months – 24 months old
  • 2-5 years
  • 5-12 years
  • 2-12 years
  • ages 13 and up
WHAT IS THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT MADE OF?

KorKat offers three specially-designed modular playground lines to fit children (ages 2-12), space limitations and budgets:
Expedition line to accommodate larger groups:

  • 5″ diameter steel posts
  • 48″ deck grids
  • 30″ plastic tubes

Adventure series for limited space and budgets:

  • 3.5″ diameter steel posts
  • 36″ deck grids
  • 24″ plastic tubes

Recycled plastic product line

  • Made from recycled plastic milk jug material
  • Similar to Expedition products in dimensions
  • 5″ square plastic posts
HOW LONG WILL MY PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT LAST?

Warranties vary by manufacturer, and by product type. However, the standard life expectancy of a commercial playground is 15 years. Although Superior Recreational Products offers the industries best warranty, you’ll want a partner that’s committed to maintaining your equipment for it’s lifetime. We will prolong that as well as keep it fully-functional with our regularly scheduled inspections and service calls available.

DO YOU OFFER FUNDRAISING SUPPORT OR PLAYGROUND GRANTS?

We have one of the most extensive playground equipment grant lists in the industry. If you’re in the early planning phases, there are a myriad of resources including fundraising ideas & grants on our KorKat blog page: Our goal is to help YOU best apply the funds within your existing budget, and take full advantage of your existing resources. If you haven’t already done so, you can download your free Big Book of Playground Grants here

Playground Planning

REUSE, REPURPOSE OR REMOVE

The first step is examining your existing infrastructure for what we can expand, refurbish, or replace. We’ll take advantage of your natural topography and enhance it.

Future Growth: What you determine you can’t complete now, we can explore for future projects either through:

  • Phasing
  • Financing options
  • Community-built Supervised installation program

Protecting your Assets: We will even assist with the ongoing maintenance, of your existing playground equipment through cleaning services and protecting and preserving your rubber surfacing.

Design Right: Right Size, right capacity, right age groups, right abilities: All designs are age-appropriate, and designed to be current with ADA Guidelines for public playground accessibility.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO DESIGN, ORDER, AND INSTALL OUR PLAYGROUND?

Timelines – Here are a few of the considerations you should keep in mind when setting your milestones. There is a work flow to the complete process.

  • Initial research: 1 week
  • Design Consultant site visit & appointment: same week
  • Proposal Delivery: 1-2 weeks
  • Modifications to proposal? Will extend time
  • Order Equipment: finalize your color choices and components & mail deposit check 3-4 days
  • Fabrication: 3-8 weeks
  • Permitting (if required- is concurrent w/fabrication time): this is a 2-phase process- engineered drawings (4 weeks) + permit application & approval (2 weeks): 6 weeks
  • Shipping/Site Preparation: 1-3 days
  • Installation of equipment: 2-5 days typically
  • Installation of surfacing (rubber/synthetic grass): 1-3 days

The above applies to our custom modular structure. We have Quick-ship items, including many that can ship in 72 hours.

WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES TO CONSIDER WHEN DESIGNING OUR PLAYGROUND?
  • Organize zones to facilitate play and minimize conflicts, e.g. locate quiet play areas away from active spaces
  • Provide areas that encourage group interaction as well as places from solitary and partner play
  • Avoid putting high-activity zones close to transitional zones
  • Locate compatible play zones close together, e.g. creative play and social play can be placed adjacent
  • Design all play zones for child-initiated activity
  • Locate play areas for toddler and areas involving quiet, creative activities near the entry to building
  • Use low, natural partitions and different surfacing materials to define zones, i.e. EWF hardwood fibers around swings, and pour-in-place rubber surfacing around the play system
  • Use space wisely, leaving some areas open. Cluttered playground detracts from children’s explorations and cause injuries
  • Plan zones to take advantage of any prominent or unusual elements, e.g. physical area around a sloped designed for running
  • Be sure that equipment landscaping does not interfere with visual supervision. Adults must have a clear line-of-sight
  • Retain as many existing trees, shrubs, and other landscaping as possible.
  • Locate equipment away from dumpsters, heavy traffic and loud noises. Plant trees or build fences and visual barriers to block nuisances.
  • Make sure site is accessible for maintenance and emergency equipment
  • Use your imagination. Paint stones, create a mural, make hand prints in cement. Cue children through the color, shape and type of materials that this is their place to play.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT PROJECT?

Most companies will tell you how to spend your money, but we want to show you how to SAVE MONEY and stretch your budget. Here are several ways we can assist:

Playground Grants – See our playground equipment grants page.

Playground Equipment Sales – Make sure that you’re able to take advantage of any of several substantial sales taking place throughout the year. Discounts range from 20%-50% & may include free items!!

Build it yourself (Community Build) – The next largest portion of your budget is installation. We can provide the option to supervise your project if you have a committed group of volunteers willing to donate their weekend, tools, & their sweat

Self-install – SRP Playground Equipment offers detailed instructions intended for the layman with no experience installing playground equipment. Our industry partners choose SRP Playground Equipment for their explicit instructions and ease of installation.

Lease Option – Installment payment options are available for those with cashflow variances. This is a suitable alternative to Phased-in projects.

DIY mulch/in-fill & borders – We’ll let you know how much mulch is necessary to meet today’s safety standards so you can shop your local providers. Borders are largely just a containment for your in-fill and there are several options that can be purchased locally including: wood, conduit, rubber, playground timbers.

WHAT IS THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT MADE OF?

Playground Surfacing falls into 2 main categories:

LOOSE-FILL PLAYGROUND SURFACING VS. UNITARY PLAYGROUND SURFACING

LOOSE-FILL PLAYGROUND SURFACING

EWF – Engineered Wood Fiber – hardwood blended wood mulch specifically milled to meet ASTM standards for wheelchair accessibility, as well as fall rating. Meets ADA, ASTM, CPSC, and CSA standards

*Loose-fill material requires a containment system, such as our 12″x4′ timbers, or rubber borders, that will keep your mulch from washing away.

UNITARY PLAYGROUND SURFACING

EPDM Poured-in-place Rubber: Base (impact) layer is comprised of black, 100% post-consumer recycled rubber (SBR). Cap (wear) layer made of ½” colored EPDM. An industry leader in amount of urethane binder per sq.ft. in both layers

Bonded Rubber (single-tier system): Colored 100% post-consumer recycled rubber (SBR). Benefits of bonded rubber surfacing:

  • Time-saver and money-saver
  • Drains quickly
  • Resistant to daily thermal expansion/contraction

Artificial/Synthetic Turf: Artificial grass is a soft, non-abrasive material that will reduce the number of skinned knees, bruises and broken bones. Benefits of Synthetic turf :

  • Warranty period between 8-10 years
  • Low maintenance
  • Synthetic turf reduces maintenance costs.
  • Meets ADA, ASTM, CPSC, and CSA standards
DO YOU REPAIR PLAYGROUND SURFACING?

YES. No industry products are entirely maintenance-free. There are “lower-maintenance” products. They need occasional care to make your investment last longer: Urethane replacement roll coats revive faded, dried surfaces and help extend warranty* Patch kits (5-gallon pails with mix of rubber and binder) prevent spreading of minor wear spots.

DO PLAYGROUNDS REQUIRE PERMITTING?

That depends on your local building requirements. In Florida, for example, if it’s concreted in the ground, then yes. We’ll help you navigate through the permitting process, handle all of the paperwork, and keep you assured, that your new playground will meet the local building requirements. If you’re looking for a “non-permanent” option, we can provide that, too.

DO YOU OFFER PLAYGROUND SHADE?

Yes. We have several options for shading. What are the benefits to shading your playground? A protective shade cover can reduce the ambient heat by up to 20 degrees, providing a comfortable environment for small hands and bodies to play on.

As well, shade will reduce the surface temperature of both the playground and surfacing by as much as 50 degrees.

Our fabric does not retain heat & allows the air to circulate through the material. The darker colored fabrics have the highest blockage of UV rays (up to 97%), and also show less dirt than lighter colors. In addition to the obvious benefits of keeping the equipment cooler you also have the protection of your paint and plastics from UV degradation.

All paint & plastics are subject to UV degradation, regardless of the manufacturer. SRP Playground Equipment integrated a zinc-lok primer into our powder-coating and is an industry exclusive. Coupled with up to 3 mils of superdurable powder-coating for both red & yellow, SRP Playground Equipment offers an exceptional paint application. Despite the zinc-lok primer and high quality pigments, red & yellow paint have the highest degree of fading when exposed to sun.

Playground Shade options:

  • Integrated shade into the playstructure
  • Shade canopy, or sail covering the playground
  • Shaded seating areas for viewers
  • Cantilever shade or umbrellas that offer a large shade footprint with minimal posts

Most all of our shade options features a quick-release mechanism for removing and storing the fabric in the off-season, or during inclement weather. Our canopies are typically warranteed for 10 years and are rated for a Category 1 hurricane (we can engineer for most any local wind rating requirements)

DO YOU OFFER LANDSCAPING AND GRADING SERVICES?

Our end goal is to offer the most value-conscious playground for your budget. In addition to the playground, we offer: benches, tables, trash receptacles, picnic pavilions, bike racks, basketball goals, bleachers & seating, splashpads.

Does this mean you need a turnkey installation for the playground and surfacing? What about demolition of an existing playground, site preparation, landscaping and drainage work? We can do this, but often it makes the most sense to source some of this out locally.

Local landscapers can remove, dispose of and level an area to make it “pad ready”. We can instruct on what’s required, and allow them to do the work, potentially, more economically. However, our installation teams can also add minor landscaping such as sod, plantings, after the new equipment has been installed.

CAN WE INSTALL THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OURSELVES?

If you’ve got a committed organization that will remain dedicated to completing the installation, we also offer “community build” option, which includes one of our Certified Playground Installers (also, a CPSI), supervising and directing your team throughout the construction process. This requires dedication on your part to include a minimum group of at least 10 people, but the bonding and camaraderie is worth the weekend’s obligation. As well, given the budget, you’ll save a couple thousand dollars.

You determine your level of commitment and we can work with you.

WHAT MAINTENANCE OPTIONS DO YOU OFFER AFTER THE PLAYGROUND IS INSTALLED?

Maintenance – You’ll receive a box of additional hardware, tools, touch-up paint, and a preventative maintenance guide. However, you’ll need to take care of your new playground through frequent inspections. Despite the certified installation, and tamper-resistant hardware, components could come loose. It pays to have someone routinely inspect the equipment to touch up any exposed steel w/touch up paint, and tighten loose hardware.

We use special hardware that isn’t typically available at a hardware store. As well, you’ll save repair costs and time by catching these items up front rather than closing a section of the playground down until you can have it repaired. The materials used, plastics, plastisol, and steel, do not prevent dirt, and mildew from building up. A good power washing is a valuable way to keep your playground looking inviting for kids and the public. We can do both through our maintenance programs that are available through your representative.


KorKat Serves The Following Areas:

GEORGIA - FLORIDASOUTH CAROLINA - TENNESSEE - ALABAMA

KORKAT

221 CABLE INDUSTRIAL WAY
CARROLLTON, GA 30117

SALES@KORKAT.COM
1-888-356-7528

Prices are subject to change.

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