Introducing a New Standard for Pool Perimeter Surfaces

In 2024, NSF International published a new section within NSF/ANSI/CAN Standard 50 for surfaces around pool deck perimeters. This section details the criteria that surfacing products meet in order to become certified. Most notably, the standard recommends that pool perimeters should be slip-resistant to increase safety at aquatic facilities.

At Life Floor, we’re enthusiastically embracing this addition to NSF/ANSI/CAN Standard 50 and we’re proud to share that our Ripple texture is certified to this set of criteria for pool perimeter surfaces. From competitive swim schools to therapy pools, this standard brings positive change to our industry and we’re excited to further our mission of making all aquatic spaces safe and beautiful for all people through this opportunity.

The pool perimeter standard is similar to the version in NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 for splash pads, but the primary differences are that this variation does not require surfaces to be cushioned and the testing criteria only applies to non-concrete surfacing materials.

As part of the certification process for pool perimeter surfaces, our tiles are third-party tested to demonstrate high quality safety in real-world applications. They also show aquatic durability necessary for pool amenities. The 5 criteria include:

• Slip-Resistance

• Impermeability

• Cleanability

• UV Resistance

• Chemical Resistance

Life Floor is certified to the standard and meets or exceeds all 5 requirements.

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If you would like to learn more about Life Floor’s products, please contact us to see if Life Floor would be a good fit for your venue.

How Long Will Life Floor Last?

With over 2,000 installations worldwide, Life Floor is trusted by leading brands and is the recommended surface for WhiteWater, Waterplay, and Rain Drop Products. Our tiles are made from a closed cell foam-rubber and we find that partners and customers are often curious about the general lifespan of our surfacing. While we offer a 5-year material warranty on our 3/8” thick tiles, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to durability. The following are a few factors to consider when assessing Life Floor for different environments.

TRAFFIC

Generally, after 10 million steps, our tiles will start to experience texture fading, reduced cushioning, and can potentially show small micro cracks from pool chemicals and UV exposure.

UV EXPOSURE

UV exposure is the greatest factor affecting durability. We’ve engineered our tiles to last in extreme UV climates like Miami for at least 5 years. If you fall into a climate zone with less UV exposure than climates closest to the equator, you can expect outdoor Life Floor installations to last between 7-10 years.

AVERAGE EXPECTATIONS

Indoor waterpark installations typically last 10-15 years. Outdoor splash pad installations typically last 7-10 years. Geographic location and volume of traffic often play a role in extending or shortening these expectations.

WHAT ABOUT COLD CLIMATES?

Life Floor is engineered to flex with the freeze and thaw cycles of seasons.

The top of Life Floor tiles may expand and contract with high and low temperatures. In winter months, contraction creates wider joints. In summer months, expansion creates tighter joints. Rapid temperature changes and/or wide swings have negligible impact on tile performance after installation. Approved contact cement adhesives keep the base of the tile secured to the underlayment or substrate.

Pictured above is one of our oldest outdoor splash pad installations at Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This splash pad has experienced TEN freeze-thaw cycles and is still performing great!

WHAT ABOUT COLOR LOSS?

We love design and we want every surface to look bold and bright for as long as possible. Colors generally fade in sunlight, but we’ve spent over a decade engineering our tiles to increase color longevity.

With our latest product innovations tailer to UV resistance, colors will stay vibrant through the warranty period when facilities follow proper water chemistry protocols and tile maintenance.

Want to learn about how our tiles are third-party tested for durability?
Read about how we meet the criteria for the NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 standard here.

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GET STARTED ON YOUR PROJECT TODAY

With complementary design services and a dedicated team ready to answer any questions, we can’t wait to identify a solution for your surfacing needs. Contact us to get the ball rolling!

AQUA NICK AT NICKELODEON™ RIVIERA MAYA

Families are sure to enjoy a fun-packed vacation at Aqua Nick at Nickelodeon Hotels and Resorts, Riviera Maya. With water features covering two-thirds of the property’s location, there’s something for everyone! 

Life Floor surfaces several activity zones at the resort including Bikini Bottom Beach and Paw Patrol Adventure Bay. Vibrant Bluebird, Aviator, and Iceberg colors are designed in a wave pattern throughout the park, which helps to create a consistent theme that compliments the features and provides added safety and comfort for guests of all ages.

In addition to the slides and structures, the characters themselves are designed and manufactured by WhiteWater. Spongebob Squarepants and Paw Patrol friends are prominently featured around the main activity zones and some other characters can be seen from other Nickelodeon™ shows such as Blue from Blue’s Clues.

“[Aqua Nick] is the largest theming project that WhiteWater has ever created, incorporating the intellectual property of Nickelodeon™ across 11 exhilarating water slides, a RainFortress 5, AquaPlay 200, Splash Pad, and Lazy River.”

— WhiteWater

To learn more about this installation and to view project specifications, click the button below:

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Thank you to WhiteWater for collaborating with us on this project. To begin your own Life Floor x WhiteWater project that will create lasting memories for your guests for years to come, contact us today. 

MAKE A SPLASH! 2021 GRANT WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

In 2020, we co-hosted our first ever Make a SPLASH! Contest with Inside Edge Safety Surfaces that awarded a grand prize grant for Life Floor safety surfacing to Dothan, Alabama for their Andrew Belle Splash Pad. We initiated this contest to uplift communities across the country with beautiful splash pad surfacing designs that add increased safety for residents.

This year, we decided to bring the contest to life again. We received a 177% increase in entries in comparison to last year’s contest from facilities located in 22 different states across the U.S. We saw entries that wanted to make their splash pads safer (56%), more beautiful (35%), and more accessible (5%) for all types of visitors. We were overwhelmed by the number of cities and organizations making strides towards improving their communities and striving to make a positive difference. 

One entry in particular stood out to our teams. This entry showed the clear passion that the staff has for their community and the dedication they have towards making it safer and more fun for everyone. 

We are excited to announce the winner of the 2021 Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest:

WELLS PARK SPRAY PAD IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

On Friday December 10th, Life Floor and Inside Edge Safety Surfaces called the city to the deliver the news that they had won the full grant for their splash pad upgrade. Josh Herbert, Aquatics Division Manager answered the phone and said, “Oh my gosh. That’s incredible. I came upon it in an email, and I said that would be really great! So, I took a bit of time to build it together, and, hey, never hurts to enter just in case… I can’t wait to spread the good news!"

Thank you to the city of Albuquerque for sharing your story. We look forward to collaborating together to provide a new Life Floor splash pad surface to your city!

Once installation is complete in 2022, we will be sharing all of the details behind Wells Park Spray Pad alongside photos of their renovation.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

Beyond the grand prize winner, Life Floor and Inside Edge Safety Surfaces decided to recognize two other facilities whose stories also stood out. These facilities have been awarded substantial partial grants towards the resurfacing of their splash pads.

St. Cloud Commons All-Inclusive Splash Pad in Huntington, WV

This facility’s dedication to creating a fully accessible splash pad for their community showed the passion their staff has for creating positive memories for all people.

Thank you to Huntington, WV Parks and Recreation for your thoughtful submission!

Little Haiti Soccer Splash Pad in
Miami, FL

The importance of community shined through this entry. The staff that manages this splash pad truly cares about the development and safety of the children within their community.

Many thanks to Miami, FL for entering our contest to improve their community!

PARTIAL GRANTS

With so many deserving entries, we have decided to also offer smaller grants. Together, all grants total over $470,000 split amongst communities across the United States who entered our Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest.

Thank you to everyone who entered! We look forward to serving all of these communities.

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To receive updates and features on the grant winners as well as the third annual Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest, be sure to sign up for our email newsletter below.

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2020 Make a SPLASH Grant Contest Grand Prize Winner

WINTERIZE YOUR AQUATIC FACILITY: TIPS FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT

We hope you had a safe and successful summer season! As you winterize your outdoor splash pads and pool decks, take advantage of the checklist below to reflect on how your facility performed during the season and make plans to fix any issues that arise. 

FILTERS

Be sure to flush the system and clean out the filters one last time before winterization is complete. This helps ensure no debris clogs the system and leaves less chance for microbial growth during fall and spring months before frost sets in. Annual preventative maintenance is critical to catch any issues before they turn into more serious problems. 

SPRAY FEATURES AND POOLS

Check all moving pieces for worn parts and fix them or order replacements ahead of time to ensure a smooth reopening process. Also be sure to remove and clean all nozzles and spray heads to remove any build-up. Drain all the feature lines and pool bodies so water does not sit in pipes during the winter; this could cause bursting and additional damage.

Each equipment manufacturer has specific instructions for how to winterize your facility’s spray features. We recommend that you follow them closely to ensure no damage is caused by low temperature variations. Always check to be sure your main water and electrical supplies are turned off.

SURFACING

Some of the top reasons for injuries at aquatic facilities are directly related to surfacing. Review your injury reports and categorize based on type. For example, we would recommend segmenting based on the following top categories:

Slip-and-Falls

These types of injuries are a direct result of having a slippery surface. Common injuries that are caused by this type include bruising, skinned joints, concussions, broken limbs, and abrasions in general caused by a rough or hard surface.

Burns from surface or grating 

These types of injuries result from having a surface in full sun during operation. Metal grates and filtration systems can heat up to dangerous temperatures and cause blistering and burn wounds. Concrete can also reach scalding temperatures especially in apron areas surrounding spray features so be aware of burn-related injuries when reviewing your injury reports.

Impact Injuries from Slides

These types of injuries are typically centralized in the feet since most guests will go down slides feet first. Examples include stubbed or broken toes, foot abrasions, and sprained ankles. If guests slide down head first, concussions are not uncommon and drowning incidents may occur. Installing slide landing pads at slide bottoms can help reduce or virtually eliminate the number of injuries related to slide exits by increasing impact absorption and decreasing exit speed with a slip-resistant surface.

Contamination

These types of injuries are related to water-borne pathogens or contaminants that lead to illnesses. Cryptosporidium (commonly known as Crypto) is a major concern for aquatic facilities and taking necessary precautions when cleaning surfaces is critical. The Model Aquatic Health Code is a good reference.

Once you’ve identified the top injury categories at your facility, you can begin to address your top pain points. Many of these injuries can be lessened or prevented by choosing an independent, third-party tested safety surface from NSF/ANSI/CAN 50.

DESIGN

While design can be more subjective, be sure to consider your guest experience from an overarching standpoint both physically and visually. 

Physically, how do guests from a wide range of abilities and ages interact with your facility? Are sinks in restrooms placed at a height accessible to people riding wheelchairs or Little People? Does your facility have ADA approved ramps integrated all the way from the parking lot to the features?

Visually, consider the current theme and appearance of your facility in all interactive areas. Ensure there are no broken or missing elements, and critically evaluate the experience guests will have at the location. Additionally, consider new opportunities to enhance theming or different types of play. Depending on your target market and average age of guests, add patterns or imagery to your pool deck or splash pad surface to engage and encourage play. If budget allows, add new aquatic features that expand play options to a wider range of different ages and abilities. Find opportunities to increase play value and encourage risky play. 

For more information on retrofitting your facility with Life Floor or specifying Life Floor on a new build, please contact us here or send us an email at solutions@lifefloor.com. 

Looking to budget Life Floor into the cost of your project? Reach out to our team to request our Budget Guide or a complimentary quote.

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Please Note: This article is intended to supplement winterization procedures, but should not be considered a comprehensive guide. For complete instructions, please refer to your operation manuals provided by product manufacturers.

OUR TOP 5 POOL DECK DESIGN TIPS

Over the last 10 years in the industry, our team has committed to making aquatic areas safer and more beautiful. Today, Life Floor can be found on splash pads, at resorts, on cruise ships, and on competitive pool decks around the world. As we’ve worked to develop solutions for our customers, we’ve established the following methods to increase play value, improve guest experience, enhance design, and prioritize safety and accessibility on pool decks. Dive right in!

COVER POOL DECKS WITH AQUATIC-RATED SAFETY SURFACING

Add cushioning and slip-resistance with an NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 certified safety surface to reduce injuries. Concrete and other slippery, abrasive, or hard surfaces can lead to injuries and make for dull aquatic designs. Competitive swimmers and lifeguards that spend extended periods of time standing and walking on these surfaces also know the toll they can take on feet and joints. Unfortunately, other colorful safety surfaces like pour-in-place products that haven’t been engineered specifically for aquatics often fail when exposed to harsh UV or chemicals. Even worse, the porosity of these products can harbor growth.

By using a third-party tested surface designed to meet certain criteria for slip-resistance, impact attenuation, UV and chemical resistance, impermeability, and cleanability, aquatic spaces can be equipped with a durable safety solution to improve guest experience. We’ve seen firsthand how this can reduce incident reports, empower guests of all ages and abilities to use aquatic facilities, and increase play value by creating a more comfortable surface for visitors.  

OPTIMIZE SIGNAGE AND CUES TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY

Depth markers and safety signage continue to be essential in aquatic areas for safety and accessibility. These elements should feature materials that are durable. Chipped paint, faded ink, or cracked tile can obscure the legibility of any intended messaging. Featuring markers designed to withstand the test of time with continual exposure to UV and chemicals will ensure appropriate messaging. Ideally, these markers also shouldn’t pose a safety risk. For instance, ceramic tile could make a pool perimeter particularly slippery.

When possible, including additional visual or tactile elements in and around a pool can further improve safety and accessibility. Visually differentiated or tactile bands around a pool’s perimeter can signal that a body of water is present. Varying the surface’s texture in this location is especially important to increase accessibility for the low-vision and Blind communities. Contrasting color bands on stairs can also be used to signal a change in depth.

CREATE SURFACE PATTERNS WITH GEOMETRIC SHAPES

Adding a design to an aquatic surface has the ability to instantly transform a facility by visually enhancing it and creating play value potential. Pool decks that feature colors and patterns look dramatically better than those surfaced with grey concrete. Tiled geometric shapes can create both bold and subtle looks to match a variety of aesthetic styles. Here are just a few examples of the impact this attention to design can provide:

A checkerboard pattern of squares elevated the look of a resort pool at Dolphin Bay.

A more subtle pattern of greys with interspersed triangles transformed this community center in Maple Grove, MN.

Crisp zig-zagging blues created this bright design for Hills Swimming.

Triangle gradients have provided the opportunity to gradually transition across a palette of colors like this one at Texas Tech.

An array of hexagon colors created a vibrant geometric effect on this pool deck.

For even more design possibilities, explore our portfolio!  

INTEGRATE ADDITIONAL SAFETY FEATURES WHERE NEEDED

When considering design options for a pool, it’s important to focus on areas that could impact guest experience. Thinking through the ways visitors interact with certain elements can make a significant impact on facility safety.

For areas featuring aquatic activities like lily pad walks, cushioned and textured surfacing at critical pool edges can provide more stable footing and a level of protection from injury should someone fall. Wrapping safety surfacing around other edges like coping and stairs has the potential to further protect visitors.

More durable drains that have been engineered for safety can also reduce risk of injury. When there’s an opportunity to match the drains to a surface design or even continue the surfacing material across them, a more integrated, less noticeable look can be achieved.

Lastly, operators should consider the areas beyond the immediate pool deck. For instance, continuing safety surfacing into similarly wet areas like locker rooms can also greatly reduce the risk of slip-and-fall incidents.

FEATURE CUSTOM ELEMENTS WITH THEMING OR BRANDING

For a more themed or branded facility, consider a custom design pool deck design that features specialty shapes or logos. Shapes, like the Great Wolf Lodge paw print pictured below, can be inlaid in surfaces and logos can be incorporated into pool deck design to reinforce branding. Custom curves and themed designs can be cut into flooring for unique patterning and imagery. Any of these considerations can really make an aquatic facility stand out with a specific look tailored to a particular theme, brand, design aesthetic, or play opportunity.

Together, these tips can help to maximize the design and safety of pool deck surfacing. As you look to enhance comfort, customer experience, and play value, we’re always happy to help identify solutions for your specific project.

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Interested in additional design ideas? Some our tips were recently featured in the Redfin article below! 

22 Gorgeous and Unique Tile Ideas to Brighten Up Your Home

Interior design fans will know that even as trends come and go, tile remains a top versatile decor element that can breathe life into any space in a home, especially if you go beyond tile’s go-to spot on a bathroom floor. And as much as we love tried-and-true subway tile, with so many unique color schemes and patterns to choose from, there’s nothing like a vibrant tile design to showcase your personality in a space. 

Whether you’re looking to refresh a kitchen backsplash or add some flair to your entryway, we’ve got you covered. Redfin reached out to us and other tile experts from Tucson, AZ, all the way to Markham, ON, for unique tile ideas that you can incorporate into your home interior. Here's our tip on how you can mix things up and create a one-of-a-kind look in your home.

READ MORE

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Looking for solutions to enhance a pool deck design? Reach out to our team to talk through your ideas and we’ll be happy to guide you in the right direction.

A THEMED COLLABORATION WITH WESTPORT POOLS AND MEXICO, MO

It's an exciting season for our team as we watch so many newly renovated facilities reopen across the country. One of our most recent installations at the Fairgrounds Aquatic Center in Mexico, MO features both a zero-depth entry and a separate splash pad.

The City of Mexico, MO had originally been working with Westport Pools, one of our Registered Aquatic Partners, on this project. When they mentioned their interest in a resilient safety surfacing solution, Life Floor was recommended, and our team was looped into the design process.

We worked collaboratively with the city on several flooring design options that would add aquatic theming to both their zero depth entry and splash pad. The intent was for the safety surfacing to complement their spray features and play structure on site. Ultimately, the designs they selected achieved their goals of mimicking a seashore for the zero depth entry and a body of water for the splash pad while also staying within budget.

The design of this particular zero depth entry is unique in that it combines a triangle gradient for the "sand" and "water" zones while also featuring a clean, curvy custom cut edge separating the two. Because Life Floor is manufactured as 2' x 2' tiles, cutting curves into any design results in increased overages as the squares are trimmed away. By selectively choosing to only use this effect for the shoreline, the city was able to achieve their design intent without the added expense of creating the entire gradient effect out of curves. Marine inlays were included to augment the theming. Fish and seahorses can be found in the "water" while crabs and starfish can be found on the "sand." 

The simple design of the splash pad uses our popular High Tide 301 Theme and Pattern. This tile arrangement is one of our most cost-effective options to create the effect of water and is often enhanced by thematic inlays like the fish shown here. 

Collaborating with Westport Pools and the City of Mexico, MO throughout this iterative process was extremely rewarding for our team. We're appreciative of their partnership and their shared commitment of creating safer and more beautiful aquatic spaces. 

To learn more about how you can work with our team to enhance your aquatic facility, contact us today! 

Rain Drop Products Partners with Life Floor to Increase Inclusivity in Spray Parks through Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program

Minneapolis, Minn., June 2, 2021 - Life Floor, an aquatic safety surface manufacturer, and Rain Drop Products, an inclusivity-focused spray feature manufacturer, today announce a non-exclusive partnership to bring safety surfacing to the national splash pad market. Rain Drop Products is the first water play feature manufacturer to offer Sourcewell cooperative purchasing with an NSF certified aquatic safety surface. Together, the companies are committed to making water play accessible to everyone.

“We are excited to make Life Floor our recommended aquatic safety surface as part of our inclusive product offerings through the Sourcewell contract. Now, we finally have an aquatic surface that we can stand behind to deliver safety and great design. And with NSF certification, our customers can trust they are investing in a surface that serves all their safety needs.”

— Mark Williams, Rain Drop Products CEO

The partnership emphasizes the aquatic industry’s progress towards designing more waterparks and spray parks using universal design practices. Both companies focus their design principles around customization to provide accessible spaces for every age and ability. With Rain Drop Products’ product portfolio of sensory-specific features, they believe adding a slip-resistant, cushioned, and playful surface will complete the inclusive experience.

“It made complete sense to offer Life Floor through the Sourcewell contract with Rain Drop Products. We’ve had the chance to collaborate with Rain Drop Products and their commitment to making safe, inclusive products mirrors our mission to creating safe and beautiful aquatic spaces for everyone. We’re really excited to see how their team utilizes the custom design capabilities of Life Floor with their custom features. It’s a huge step toward building more inclusive aquatic play spaces for multi-generational play.”

— Jonathan Keller, Life Floor CEO

By winning the Sourcewell contract, Rain Drop Products and Life Floor will be able to offer their products for the next four years to municipalities, eliminating the lengthy bid process for their customers. The reputable contract’s ease of use and savings offered will make NSF certified aquatic safety surfacing more accessible to the larger market as Life Floor is the first and only surface currently certified.  

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Life Floor 

Life Floor manufactures Life Floor tiles, a foam-rubber flooring system designed for use in wet areas with barefoot traffic. Created as an alternative to concrete and other conventional materials, Life Floor is the only safety surface specifically designed and engineered to perform in aquatic environments. Life Floor combines award-winning safety with unparalleled design capabilities, delivered by an expert team committed to a world-class experience for everyone who interacts with their products.

Gwen Ruehle Vice President, Business Development
612.405.2718
gwen.ruehle@lifefloor.com
lifefloor.com

Rain Drop Products

Rain Drop Products is a leading designer and manufacturer of children’s aquatic play equipment with a  focus on inclusive aquatic play. Rain Drop Products has been a world-wide leader in the water play industry since 1985 and continues to strive for inclusion and innovation through their dynamic product lines.  From surface sprays to above-ground water features, to slides and structures, Rain Drop Products strives to maximize the sensory experience for children of all abilities.

Mark Williams CEO/President 
614-506-1221
mwilliams@rain-drop.com
rain-drop.com

Sourcewell

A self-sustaining government organization, Sourcewell has over 40 years of dedicated service helping government, education, and nonprofit agencies operate more efficiently through a variety of solutions. Sourcewell contract purchasing solutions are competitively solicited nationally, offering over 400 awarded contracts every four years. 

010521-RDP | Sourcewell (sourcewell-mn.gov)

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General FAQ’s

Can other manufacturers still work with Life Floor?

Yes! The Rain Drop Products and Life Floor partnership is non-exclusive.

What does this partnership mean for Life Floor?

Life Floor is now Rain Drop Products' recommended safety surface. Life Floor can be included in all designs for Sourcewell projects for splash pads.

How was this partnership established?

Both Rain Drop Products and Life Floor value safety and inclusivity. As Rain Drop Products applied for the Sourcewell contract this past year, they saw value in including Life Floor as a safety surfacing option to enhance their design packages for spray parks.

How will this partnership work for customers?

New clients with splash pad projects interested in purchasing and installing Life Floor or Rain Drop Products Features for their facility can contact either company to begin the process for all splash pad feature needs.

If this sounds like your type of project, you may contact either Life Floor or Rain Drop Products directly at the contact information below:

Life Floor: Contact us here or email us at solutions@lifefloor.com

Rain Drop Products: Contact us here

Have Life Floor and Rain Drop Products merged?

No. We remain independent companies, and we look forward to seeing how this game-changing partnership will serve the industry going forward.

SETTING A SAFER PRECEDENT FOR CANADA: YMCA OF GREATER MONCTON

Recently, NSF International expanded Standard 50 to extend across Canada, which includes recommendations for surfacing in aquatic play areas under NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 (formerly NSF/ANSI 50:26).

With its recent Life Floor installation, the YMCA of Greater Moncton, NB is one of the first aquatic facilities in Canada to recognize the importance of having NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 certified safety surfacing. The facility is a combination of an indoor splash pad with a zero-depth entry and a playground. Because of this unique configuration, the staff sought out a product that was able to transition seamlessly from wet to dry applications while maintaining their commitment to safety. To accomplish this, they selected Life Floor to be installed.

“Having seen Life Floor at a major trade show, we knew it was the product we wanted to install in our new facility.”

— Scott Munro, Vice President of Facilities

A custom beach-inspired design was chosen to complement the existing tropical theming. Life Floor’s foam-rubber tiles were able to create the perfect transition the YMCA needed between the wet and dry play areas, especially since splash pads are essentially wet playgrounds. The cushioned and impact-absorbing surfacing allows children to run, jump, and play without limits - never needing to stop and put on shoes or change the way they play from one area to the next. As a result, the fully immersive experience enhances imaginative play. 

The YMCA of Greater Moncton is skipping ahead of their competition by creating a facility full of imagination, play, and fun. They have created a holistic experience to provide their members with the perfect beach day right in their community’s backyard.

We thank the YMCA of Greater Moncton for their commitment to safety and for being one of the first in Canada to adopt NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 safety surfacing standards for the benefit of their members. We look forward to the future as more Canadian facilities follow their example and recognize the importance of this safety standard as an integral part of their business.

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To learn more about the official code in your region or state, check out this free resource.

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If you’d like to specify or install NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 surfacing for an aquatic play area in Canada, please contact our Canadian Partner, Paul-Émile Beaudry at pebeaudry@polyvalens.ca to assist you in both English and French.

For U.S. clients and all other inquiries, please contact us directly via our online contact form or send us an email at solutions@lifefloor.com. 

French Translation

Le YMCA du Grand Moncton, NB crée un précédent sécuritaire en milieu aquatique au Canada.

Récemment, NSF International a étendu la norme Standard 50 partout au Canada, incluant des recommandations pour les surfaces de jeu aquatiques sous l’appellation NSF/ANSI/CAN 50,26 (précédemment nommée NSF/ANSI 50:26).

Avec ses récentes installations de Life Floor, le YMCA du Grand Moncton, NB est l’un des premiers centres d’installation aquatique à reconnaître l’importance d’avoir une surface sécuritaire certifiée NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26. En effet, l’établissement se compose d’un mix de  deux (2) aires de jeux, l’une étant une surface mouillée (indoor splash pad) plane et l’autre étant une aire de jeux sèche. À cause de cette configuration spéciale, les employés ont recherché un produit qui permettrait la transition en toute transparence, de la surface mouillée à la surface sèche pour leurs activités tout en gardant un engagement de sécurité irréprochable. Un seul choix leur permettait de tout rallier : Life Floor.

Après avoir vu Life Floor lors d'un grand salon, nous avons sû que c’était le produit que nous voulions pour nos installations !  —Scott Munro, Vice Président du YMCA du Grand Moncton, NB

Au niveau du design,  le thème tropical dans l’aire de jeu d’eau et le thème plage dans l’aire de jeu sèche sont en parfaite harmonie pour s’adapter au thème pré-existant. Et maintenant, les enfants peuvent donc courir, sauter, culbuter et jouer sans limites sur une surface conforme aux nouveaux standards. Les surfaces coussinées  et absorbant tout impact permettent aux enfants de jouer sans s’arrêter pour mettre leurs chaussures ou changer leur façon de jouer d’un endroit à l’autre. Comme résultat, l’expérience devient totalement immersive et renforce leur jeu imaginatif.

Le YMCA du Grand Moncton devient donc un chef de file en adoptant des installations pleines d’imagination, de jeu et de plaisir ! Ils ont créé une expérience holistique en offrant à leurs membres une journée de plage parfaite en plein dans leur cour !

Nous remercions le YMCA du Grand Moncton de leur engagement pour la sécurité de leurs membres et d’être les premiers au Canada à appliquer la norme NSF/ANSI/CAN 50.26. Nous espérons que plusieurs autres organismes, centres aquatiques  et municipalités suivront l’exemple du YMCA et reconnaîtront l’importance de l’application de cette recommandation comme faisant partie de leur politique d’opération .

Si vous désirez de plus amples informations sur les tuiles Life Floor, communiquez avec Polyvalens Inc, notre distributeur au Canada.

A Beachy Transformation in Tasmania

The renovation at Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre in Tasmania began during 2020’s mandatory COVID-19 closure and included many updates to the facility including adding approximately 480 square metres of Life Floor on the surface of a large zero depth entry play area and on some of the walls and stairs to increase cushioning. 

“The new pool has already had a rousing response from our first young visitors, who absolutely loved it. The new slide and bucket play space is an exciting area for the bigger kids, but there’s also a zero-depth splash-pad with water features, which is suitable for babies and toddlers.”

— Anna Reynolds, City of Hobart Lord Mayor

By installing Life Floor on their surfaces in different zones of play, the aquatic centre was able to capture added value for patrons of varying ages and abilities.

This Seashore Theme is arranged in a custom pattern replicating a beach with shallow water. Given Hobart’s temperate climate, this indoor haven is perfect for families who want to enjoy a beach day any day of the year. Marine inlays have been interspersed throughout the area to spark childhood imagination and increase overall play value at the centre.

Thank you to the Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre for installing Life Floor and increasing safety and play at your facility! To learn more about how to get Life Floor at your facility in Oceania, please visit Life Floor Australia + New Zealand’s website. 

For other international regions, please visit our international team page. For North American projects, please contact us directly.