Elastic Wood-Filled Floor Coverings for Children’s Play Areas

Abstract

According to modern standards, all courtyard, school and public playgrounds on which gaming equipment is installed must undergo tests of shock absorption of the surface under and around the equipment to prevent serious injuries to the child. In this regard, widely spread coatings on the basis of rubber chips. However, they not only do not meet the aesthetic requirements, but can also worsen the environmental situation when operating indoors. The paper describes a method for producing composites from wood flour and a silicone binder. The effect of wood meal content on the water absorption of composites as well as the effect of silicone content on the density of the results of the research showed that an increase in the content of wood flour significantly increases the water absorption of the resulting composite, that the composite material obtained with the addition of filler from wood meal, the values ​​of the maximum and minimum elastic moment increased, since the presence of fillers imparts a restriction on the deformation of the composite, and, consequently, the composite becomes harder and harder. As a result of the studies carried out, it can be concluded that the use of silicone as binder and shredded wood waste as a filler makes it possible to obtain good quality elastic flooring with high aesthetic, operational and environmental properties.