Start with the play structure, not a roll of matching material
When the company that supplied an indoor play structure is no longer available, replacing worn netting or padding becomes an identification and engineering problem. A similar color, thickness or weave does not establish that a substitute will perform correctly in the installed structure. The useful first step is to recover the equipment records, identify the function of each damaged component and have a qualified commercial play-equipment specialist define the replacement.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission specifically warns that damaged containment netting can allow children to reach the outside of a structure, while torn rope equipment or loose webbing stitching can create entrapment and tripping hazards. This is a reason to act on fraying and failed seams before they become a larger opening. CPSC soft-contained play checklist.
This guide provides a procurement and documentation process. It does not supply a universal net size, foam specification, tie pattern or installation tension. Those details must come from the design and qualified assessment of the particular equipment.
1. Control access while the damage is assessed
Record the location and photograph the problem before disturbing it. Describe what is visible: a split seam, missing fastener, exposed tube, flattened pad, damaged anchor or opening that has changed shape. “Needs new net” is less useful than “containment panel beside the upper bridge has a separated stitched edge.” Avoid putting children through the area to demonstrate the defect.
Close the affected structure or section when its protective function is uncertain. A partial closure is suitable only if it can genuinely prevent access to the hazard while preserving approved circulation, escape and rescue access. If children can approach the same panel from another platform, putting a sign on its nearest entrance does not isolate it. Have the specialist determine whether a secure partial closure is feasible.
Do not improvise a temporary load-bearing patch with ordinary cable ties, household foam, adhesive tape or cord. A temporary covering can conceal the defect and make later inspection harder. Staff should know exactly what is closed, who owns the repair and what must happen before reopening.
2. Identify what the component actually does
Separate the request into component types. A net that prevents a child leaving the structure is different from a cargo net intended to support climbing. Post padding is different from a landing surface. Several materials may look alike in a photograph while serving different functions.
| Component | Questions the replacement specification must answer |
|---|---|
| Containment netting | What openings, edge construction, attachments and installed geometry are required to retain the intended users? |
| Climbing webbing or rope | What loads, joining methods, support points and inspection criteria apply to the complete climbing assembly? |
| Post and frame padding | What substrate, profile, foam and cover specification preserve the original protective function and attachment? |
| Platform covers and seams | Is the defect limited to a cover, or does it involve the support underneath? How are edges and openings controlled? |
| Floor or landing surfaces | What impact-performance and accessibility requirements apply to that location and intended activity? |
ASTM F1918 is the standard specifically titled for soft-contained play equipment. Its published scope distinguishes this equipment from other playground and amusement categories. A supplier mentioning a different playground standard is therefore a prompt to verify applicability, not proof that the repair meets the relevant requirements. The complete standard and applicable local requirements still need review by the responsible specialist. ASTM F1918-21 public scope.
3. Build one equipment identification packet
Search your own purchase and maintenance records before requesting quotes. Ask the landlord, previous operator, installer or distributor for documents they may already hold. An installer may be different from the original manufacturer; the end of one business does not establish that every record or support route has disappeared.
- Manufacturer and installer names, model or project number, installation date and any equipment labels.
- Original layout and installation drawings, invoices, manuals, previous inspection reports and repair records.
- Wide photographs showing the affected panel in the whole structure, then close views of edges, joins and attachments.
- Measured location and dimensions, with the measurement method stated. Mark uncertain or inaccessible measurements rather than guessing.
- Intended age range and use restrictions, approximate traffic pattern and known incidents or repeated wear.
- Existing material, fire-performance or other test documents that can actually be tied to this equipment.
Use a simple location label such as “Level 2, east bridge, outer panel.” Put the same label on photographs, the quote and the completed repair record. Send photographs without guests in them. Keep original records as well as any contractor’s interpretation, so the next repair does not start from zero.
4. Ask for an installed replacement specification
A useful proposal describes what will be installed and how the specialist established its suitability. “Commercial grade” or “meets ASTM” alone is not enough information to compare two offers. Request the actual component identification, applicable standard and edition, relevant test evidence, installation method, inspection criteria and exclusions.
For netting, the proposal should address the complete panel and its edges, seams and attachments. For padding, it should identify the foam, cover and attachment arrangement appropriate to the underlying structure. If supporting hardware is worn or the frame has moved, changing the fabric alone may leave the cause untouched. Ask who will assess the surrounding assembly.
Fire performance is another reason not to substitute materials solely by appearance. The International Building Code contains specific play-structure provisions addressing materials, including foam plastics. The model code is not automatically the rule adopted in every location: ask the local building or fire official which edition and amendments govern the proposed repair, and have the contractor supply the evidence that official requires. ICC example: play-structure materials, 2021 IBC section 424.2.
Do not accept a certificate for an unrelated material, thickness, coating or assembly as evidence for the part being supplied. Record any mismatch and obtain a written resolution before purchase. If no one can establish the existing configuration or specify a defensible replacement, the next step may be an engineered redesign or retirement of that section.
5. Compare complete repair proposals
Choose a contractor with relevant experience in the kind of soft-contained structure you own. Ask for examples of comparable work, the qualifications of the person assessing it and who will document the completed inspection. A general upholstery shop may be able to sew a cover, but that capability alone does not establish responsibility for a safety-critical play assembly.
Soft Play’s manufacturer guidance recommends following the equipment’s maintenance instructions, inspecting equipment regularly, keeping repair records and obtaining help to identify replacement parts from photographs and a detailed description. Its service guidance illustrates the type of manufacturer-specific support to seek; it does not mean that company has approved your unrelated structure. Soft Play maintenance and replacement guidance.
Request separate prices for assessment, design or specification work, materials, installation, access equipment, freight, disposal, final inspection and future spare parts. Include the expected closure period and any work that must occur outside business hours.
Hypothetical comparison: a $700 materials-only quote and a $1,400 installed-and-inspected quote are not comparable until the first quote includes labor, access, attachment hardware and verification. These amounts are invented to demonstrate the comparison; they are not market prices. Evaluate the complete supported repair, not the lowest number on the first page.
6. Agree on installation and reopening evidence
Before work starts, define the closed area, contractor access, protection of adjacent equipment and responsibility for removing tools and loose materials. Photograph the assembly before and after the repair. Keep packaging or traceability labels where available, and record any deviation from the agreed specification.
The completion check should answer practical questions:
- Does the installed part match the agreed specification and intended function?
- Were adjacent attachments, supports and surfaces inspected, with identified problems resolved?
- Are seams, terminations and fasteners finished according to the approved installation instructions?
- Have openings, clearances, access routes and rescue provisions been assessed after installation?
- Is there a written inspection outcome, including limitations, future checks and the responsible person?
Do not invent a proof-load test by gathering staff onto a platform or pulling a net until it “feels strong.” Any required testing needs an appropriate procedure and competent supervision. Children are not test loads.
Alterations also deserve an accessibility review. The ADA Standards address accessible entry points for soft-contained play structures and accessible routes. A replacement that relocates an entrance, introduces a threshold or blocks a transfer route may affect more than the appearance of the repair. Have the designer assess the actual scope. U.S. Access Board: soft-contained play access requirements.
7. Make the next repair easier
Create a small component register containing location, supplier, approved part or drawing, installation date, inspection instructions and reorder details. Schedule checks around the equipment’s own instructions and observed wear. Increase attention to a part that repeatedly degrades rather than treating every replacement as an isolated event.
Look for patterns: the same edge repeatedly frays, the same cover splits after cleaning, or the same attachment loosens. Ask whether the cause is use, contact with another part, installation geometry or an unsuitable cleaning process. Record the hypothesis separately from a confirmed finding.
A completed repair should leave you with three things: a usable structure, a documented reason to trust the repaired assembly and a reliable specification for maintaining it. If the original supplier is gone, those records become the support system the venue builds for itself.