SCHOOLS, CHILDCARE AND EARLY LEARNING
Artificial Grass for Schools and Childcare Centres
Safe, clean, year-round play spaces for schools, childcare centres and kindergartens across Brisbane and South East Queensland. Supplied and installed by Ecovia's own team, with shock pads under play equipment and PFAS free ONE-DNA™ turf backed by a 15-year warranty.
Artificial Grass for Schools That Stands Up to Every Lunch Break
Artificial grass for schools gives you a clean, usable surface all year: no mud after rain, no bare patches under play equipment, and no mowing or watering. Synthetic turf for schools performs best exactly where natural grass keeps failing, in shaded courtyards, busy walkways and high-use play areas.
Ecovia matches the turf, base, drainage and shock pads to how each area is used, as on all our commercial artificial grass projects, then hands over the product, warranty and test documentation your facilities or compliance team will ask for.
PFAS and Latex Free
ONE-DNA™ turf is PFAS free and made without latex or polyurethane backing.
Rated for Play Equipment
Shock pad systems selected to the critical fall height of your equipment.
Installed by Our Own Team
No subcontractors. Planned around school terms and centre hours.
15-Year Warranty
On every ONE-DNA™ product, with 10 to 15 years' expected life in high-traffic settings.
Where Artificial Turf for Schools Works Best
Playgrounds and Play Equipment
Turf over a shock pad rated to the equipment's fall height. Clean, even and no mulch to rake back in.
Childcare and Kindergarten Play Yards
Soft, low-maintenance artificial grass for childcare centres, built for toddlers, mounds and sloped yards.
Outdoor Learning and Yarning Circles
Outdoor classrooms students can sit on straight after rain.
Sport and Activity Areas
EcoPlay 24mm in six colours for handball, games, courts and line markings.
Shaded Courtyards
South-facing areas and ground under trees, where school grass dies back first.
Walkways and High-Traffic Zones
Durable synthetic grass for schools on the routes that wear lawns out and carry mud into classrooms.
Artificial vs Natural Grass for Schools
| Natural Grass |
|---|
| Closed or muddy until it dries |
| Thins out and dies back |
| Ongoing |
| Bare patches and holes |
| Stays cooler |
| Lower |
Shock Pads and Critical Fall Height, Done Properly
Artificial grass on its own is not impact surfacing. Under play equipment, Ecovia installs the turf over a shock pad, and the pad and turf are selected together so the surface meets the critical fall height of the equipment above it. Impact-absorbing surfacing is required under equipment with a free height of fall above 600 mm, or where there is forced movement such as a swing. Above that height, the surfacing must meet AS 4422, the Australian Standard for playground surfacing and how it is tested.
We confirm the fall height of each piece of equipment, or the height in your specification
We select a shock pad and turf system whose critical fall height suits that equipment
We supply the relevant test information with your handover documentation
Is Artificial Grass Safe for Children?
Yes, when the product, base and site are right.
Safer Materials
PFAS free artificial turf with no latex or polyurethane backing. EcoAbode, used at our Manly childcare centre, is also free of SVHC.
Level and free draining
A compacted base and working drainage stop pooling, slips and trip points.
Planned for heat
Artificial grass gets hotter than natural grass in full sun, so we plan turf placement around shade sails, verandas and trees.
Planning a School Turf Project?
Why Artificial Turf Projects Fail (And What Can Be Done to Prevent It)
Most failures come down to the base and drainage, and why turf projects fail sets out the mistakes to avoid.
What School Facility Managers Should Consider Before Installing Artificial Turf
Start with what facility managers should consider: use, drainage, durability and whole-of-life cost.
How to Specify Artificial Turf for Schools and Public Projects in Australia
For public projects, specifying turf for schools covers PFAS, latex-free backing and recyclability.
The Best Artificial Grass for School and Childcare Play Areas
ONE-DNA™ EcoPlay 24 mm
Short, dense and hard-wearing. Available in green, red, yellow, white, black and blue.
Best for: play equipment areas over a shock pad, sport and activity zones, high-traffic paths.
ONE-DNA™ EcoAbode 30 mm
Soft, natural look and feel with little shine.
Best for: childcare and kindergarten play yards, general play lawns.
ONE-DNA™ EcoLife 35 mm
A fuller, lush landscape finish.
Best for: gardens, outdoor learning spaces and yarning circles.
How We Deliver Your School or Childcare Project
Site Visit
We look at how the area is used, sun and shade, levels and existing drainage.
Design and Documentation
We design the base and drainage, then supply product data, test information and the warranty, ready for your business manager or board.
Installation Around Your Timetable
Our own team installs during holidays, weekends or outside centre hours.
Handover
You receive care information, documentation and warranty material, plus guidance on maintaining artificial turf in schools.
School and Childcare Projects
Manly, QLD
80 m2 of EcoAbode 30mm on a sloped, tight-access childcare play yard in Manly, completed in three days.
Tingalpa Hotel, Tingalpa
150 m2 of 30mm turf over soft fall padding at the Tingalpa Hotel play area, meeting critical fall height requirements.
Artificial Grass Installation Alexandra Hills
Four areas redesigned at St Anthony’s School: 350 m2 of EcoLife 35mm, a sandstone yarning circle and a senior chess board.
"Our project was not the easiest, with narrow side access and mound landscaping, but Steve and his team completed the work within three days as promised."
Schools and Childcare FAQs
What is the best artificial grass for schools?
It depends on how each area is used, and Ecovia Turf often recommends more than one product across a school. EcoPlay 24mm suits sport, play equipment areas and high-traffic paths, EcoAbode 30mm suits general play lawns, and EcoLife 35mm suits gardens and outdoor learning spaces. All three are PFAS free and carry a 15-year warranty.
Is artificial grass safe for children to play on?
Yes, when the product and installation are right. Ecovia Turf's ONE-DNA™ turf is PFAS free and made without latex or polyurethane backing, installed on a compacted, free-draining base. Under play equipment, Ecovia installs a shock pad system selected for the critical fall height.
Does artificial grass meet playground safety standards?
Artificial grass on its own is not playground impact surfacing. A turf and shock pad system can meet the requirement when it has been tested to the critical fall height needed, under AS 4422, the Australian Standard for playground surfacing. Ecovia Turf selects the system to suit the equipment and supplies the relevant test information.
Does artificial grass get too hot for children?
It gets hotter than natural grass in direct summer sun, and Ecovia Turf plans for it on every school and childcare site. Shade sails, verandas and trees over the main play areas make the biggest difference, and turf performs best in areas shaded for much of the day.
How much does artificial grass for schools cost?
Ecovia Turf prices every school and childcare project individually, because the site drives the cost more than the turf. The main factors are the area and shape, access, ground and drainage condition, shock pads for play equipment, and any associated works such as edging or paths. We explain what is driving the price when we quote.
How long does artificial grass last in a school?
Ecovia Turf's ONE-DNA™ products carry a 15-year warranty. In high-traffic settings such as schools, the expected life is 10 to 15 years, depending on use and maintenance. A properly built base and drainage are what let a surface reach the top of that range.
Can Ecovia Turf install during the school holidays?
Yes. Ecovia Turf plans school and childcare installations around holidays, weekends or operating hours wherever the project allows. The Manly childcare centre, for example, was completed in three days.
Does Ecovia Turf work with schools and childcare centres outside Brisbane?
Yes. Ecovia Turf installs artificial grass for schools and childcare centres across Brisbane and South East Queensland. Outside that area, we supply ONE-DNA™ turf and installation materials to local contractors, with samples and documentation for the project.
Talk to Us About Your School or Centre
Send us photos, the rough area and how the space is used, or your plans if the project is further along. The Ecovia Turf team will come back to you about a site visit, samples and pricing for your artificial grass for schools or childcare project.