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Calcimator

Use Zone Calculator

Calculate ASTM F1487-compliant clearance/fall zones around playground equipment including slides, swings, climbers, and rotating equipment.

Inputs

Results

Use zone area (sq ft)

396

Use zone length (ft)22
Use zone width (ft)18
Use zone area (sq m)36.79
Border perimeter (ft)80
Surfacing-only area (sq ft)336
Min surfacing depth (in)12
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Equipment type, Equipment length (ft), and Equipment width (ft).
  2. Set Platform / pivot height (ft) and Slide chute length (ft).
  3. Review the Use zone area (sq ft) result.
  4. Use Use zone length (ft) and Use zone width (ft) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Equipment length (ft)

Equipment length (ft)Use zone area (sq ft)
10396
35846
651,386
901,836

What each input means

Equipment type
0 = Stationary climber/deck, 1 = Slide, 2 = Swing set, 3 = Rotating/spring rider.
Equipment length (ft)
Longest horizontal dimension of the equipment footprint.
Equipment width (ft)
Shortest horizontal dimension of the equipment footprint.
Platform / pivot height (ft)
Height of the highest platform, slide entry, or swing pivot point. Determines critical fall height.
Slide chute length (ft)
Length of the slide chute (only used for slide equipment type).

What each result means

Use zone length (ft)
Total length of the required use zone.
Use zone width (ft)
Total width of the required use zone.
Use zone area (sq ft)
Total area requiring protective surfacing per ASTM F1487.
Use zone area (sq m)
Use zone area in metric.
Border perimeter (ft)
Perimeter length for installing containment borders.
Surfacing-only area (sq ft)
Use zone minus the equipment footprint — the area actually needing surface material.
Min surfacing depth (in)
Minimum loose-fill surfacing depth recommended for this fall height (CPSC guidelines).

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Equipment type = 0, Equipment length (ft) = 10, Equipment width (ft) = 6, Platform / pivot height (ft) = 8 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Use zone area
    Use zone area
    396 = 396
  3. Calculate Use zone length
    22 = 22
  4. Calculate Use zone width
    18 = 18

Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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