Markings for Games, Sports & Creative Space Design
Learning, discovering and developing outdoors: schoolyards, playgrounds and sports fields are valuable areas for children and young people. These places promote exercise, social interaction and education. SWARCO Road Marking Systems has set itself the task of making these spaces safer, more creative and more functional. With durable materials for ground markings, we bring colour, structure and playful added value to every surface.
Peter Jones,
Head of Sales UK
"Our focus is on customised marking solutions that support educational goals and fulfil functional purposes. Our solutions range from the design of playgrounds and traffic education to standard-compliant sports ground markings. We can really respond to the many different needs of our customers here. This means that all elements can be precisely adapted to the specific requirements on site – whether it's a schoolyard, kindergarten, park or public space."
Playful learning starts on the ground
Children learn by moving. With SWARCO PREFORMED, prefabricated marking elements, schoolyards and playgrounds can be designed to be both learning and exercise areas. Colourful hopscotch games, letter and number fields, and creative animal motifs encourage active learning and promote not only motor skills but also imagination, communication, mathematical and social skills.
Peter gives a few examples: "A walk-in chessboard, a colourful number snail or a realistic road network for traffic education – our preformed thermoplastics open up a wide range of possibilities for designing outdoor spaces that are child-friendly, safe and educational at the same time." What makes them particularly practical is that our preformed elements can be laid without machinery, are non-slip and weather-resistant – and are therefore ideal for everyday use.
Freedom to design
In addition to classic playground markings, SWARCO Road Marking Systems offers liquid design markings for an extra dimension of surface design. They are ideal for creatively enhancing public spaces with bright colours. Whether as a colourful play area, orientation system or visual island – with our liquid application solutions, customer-specific ideas can be implemented flexibly, precisely and without machinery.
Due to their high durability, slip resistance and wide range of colours, liquid markings are particularly suitable for heavily frequented areas such as schoolyards, parks or municipal squares. Peter adds: "Thanks to the choice of different materials – from solvent-free 2C-cold plastic to thin-layer spray application – we can find the right solution for every surface."
Precision on the playing field
Our marking materials ensure clear conditions on sports grounds: they structure the field, provide orientation and ensure compliance with regulations. With our special materials for sports ground markings, running tracks, fields and athletics areas can be marked in accordance with standards, slip-resistant and durable – even with intensive use and changing weather conditions.
"High-quality materials and professional execution are particularly important on elastic surfaces such as tartan," explains Peter. "Our colour-intensive, UV-resistant materials are optimally tailored to these requirements. They enable safe school and club sports and help to minimise the risk of injury."
Reliable quality
The marking solutions from SWARCO Road Marking Systems not only offer design freedom, but also technical advantages that count in public spaces:
Non-slip and weather-resistant for greater safety
- Solvent-free and heavy metal-free – for healthy learning and playing environments
- Quick and easy to apply – even without special equipment
- Wide range of colours and designs – tailored to your surface
- Durable, low-maintenance and sustainable
No two projects are the same, because every surface has its own requirements – from safety standards to design ideas. That's why Peter recommends consulting SWARCO experts about the possibilities: "With our experience, we find tailor-made solutions and accompany our customers from the initial idea to implementation on site. Together, we succeed in creating a space that inspires and protects children and young people and encourages them to be active."
SWARCO PREFORMED
Preformed thermoplastic marking elements for a wide range of activities, such as hopscotch, learning areas, traffic areas or animal motifs – ideal for schoolyards, playgrounds and kindergartens.
- Ready for immediate use: ready-to-lay markings
- Quick and easy installation: no special equipment required
- Wide range of colours: over 20 bright standard colours, customised colours also available on request
- Environmentally sound: materials are free of VOCs and heavy metals
Liquid Design Markings
Flexible design of schoolyards, play areas or parks – customisable, slip-resistant, durable and easy to apply.
- Customisable: design tailored precisely to customer requirements
- Wide range of colours: wide selection of RAL Classic K5 colours
- Application without machine technology: depending on the product, by brush, roller, spray or trowel
- Non-slip: high grip for safe play and movement areas
- Durable: extremely resilient, weatherproof and long-lasting – ideal for heavily used schoolyards and public play areas
Sports Grounds Markings
Permanent, standard-compliant markings for sports grounds and tartan tracks – for schools, clubs and competitions.
- Visible: bright colours with high opacity
- Weatherproof: year-round use thanks to permanently visible markings – regardless of sun, rain or frost
- Durable: functional and attractive over a long period of time – no ongoing maintenance or costly repairs necessary when markings are applied professionally
FAQs
What is SWARCO PREFORMED?
SWARCO PREFORMED are prefabricated thermoplastic marking elements. These markings can be customised and cut to size at the factory. This makes them quick and easy to apply: after a short preparation time, the material simply needs to be heated.
How is SWARCO PREFORMED applied?
The outline of the marking is drawn with chalk on the cleaned surface. If the surface is wet or cold, it must first be dried and preheated. If required, a primer can be applied to enhance adhesion. The SWARCO PREFORMED marking is then applied and heated with a gas burner. For optimum performance, reflective glass beads and anti-slip / grip agents can be sprinkled on afterwards. After successful checking that the applied material is fully adhered, the marking is cleaned with a broom to remove any excess material. Apply in accordance with the product installation sheet (available upon request).
What equipment is required to apply SWARCO PREFORMED?
To apply SWARCO PREFORMED, all you need is a gas burner, a broom, chalk and, if necessary, additional sprinkling material. “For optimum adhesion to the substrate, a SWARCO primer can also be used, which should be applied in accordance with the application instructions (available upon request).
At what temperatures can SWARCO PREFORMED be used?
SWARCO PREFORMED markings can be applied all year round. Application is not recommended at temperatures below 5°C. For optimum adhesion, wet and cold surfaces must be dried and preheated.
How durable are SWARCO PREFORMED markings?
SWARCO PREFORMED markings are extremely resistant to frost, snow, ice, salt and oil. This increases their durability and reduces maintenance costs.
What colours are SWARCO PREFORMED markings available in?
SWARCO PREFORMED elements are available in a wide range of colours – even in your favourite colour on request. A minimum quantity must be observed.
What special solutions for playgrounds and schoolyards can be realised with SWARCO PREFORMED?
With SWARCO PREFORMED, there are no limits to your creativity – from letter mazes to number snakes and from giant compasses to moon rockets, anything is possible. The SWARCO portfolio includes numerous animal, play and obstacle course markings – and even your own play ideas can be implemented on request.
What are liquid design markings?
Liquid design markings are coloured coatings that are applied directly to the floor – ideal for the creative and functional design of schoolyards, play areas and public spaces.
Do you need special machines to apply liquid design markings?
No, because the material can be applied with a brush, roller, trowel or spray gun. This enables quick and easy implementation on site.
What colour palette does SWARCO offer for liquid design markings?
We offer a wide selection of RAL Classic K5 colours.
Does SWARCO offer thin-layer design markings?
Yes, e.g. LIMBOROUTE K815. This thin-layer 1-component paint can be applied with a brush or spray gun – it is resource-efficient and easy to use.
Which SWARCO design materials are suitable for large-scale applications?
SWARCO Roller Plastic and LIMBOPLAST textured structure plastics are particularly suitable for larger areas. Both are solvent-free 2-component cold plastics.
Is there a product recommendation for design markings for areas subject to heavy wear?
For areas subject to heavy wear, such as schoolyards and play areas, we recommend our 2-component cold plastic solutions that provide maximum slip and abrasion resistance. From our portfolio, this includes SWARCOPLAST D485 (EU/ROW) and SWARCOPLAST PUMATRACK (UK), both of which are ideal for ensuring long-lasting, safe, and durable design markings in demanding environments.
Are SWARCO sports ground markings weather-resistant?
Yes, our markings can withstand sun, rain and mechanical stress – even on elastic surfaces such as tartan. This requires the ideal choice of material and professional application.
Do markings for sports facilities require frequent maintenance?
No, once professionally applied, the markings remain functional and attractive for a long time – without ongoing maintenance or costly repairs.
Are there special colours for tartan tracks?
For tartan as a substrate, we recommend our 2-C Sports Field Paint for Tartan. This 2-component, solvent-based paint can be applied using airless and atomiser technology. The material scores highly thanks to its excellent adhesion, high opacity and luminosity, and high tear resistance.
About SWARCO Road Marking Systems
Quality products and services from SWARCO Road Marking Systems guide traffic safely from A to B by day and, above all, by night. On all types of roads. Whatever the weather. From a single source. Over 5,000 customers in more than 80 countries place their trust in them.