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Pit foam needs to meet
certain specifications to insure durability, proper firmness, and to meet
buildings code requirements regarding flammability. Our pit foam blocks
are blue in color and can be cut to any size you require (generally 6" x
8" blocks are used). Call and we can recommend the size blocks that best
suit your program. All of our pit blocks are combustion modified and meet
California Bulletin 117. This is the code requirement for most areas.
We offer (3) different grades
of prime polyurethane foam blocks for pits. The cost is directly related
to the density of the foam (the denser the foam the more durable and thus
more expensive). The (3) foams we offer are 1.25 lb/33 ILD, 1.4 lb./44 ILD,
and 1.7 lb./44 ILD. The lb. # is the density and the ILD # is the
firmness. You can look at the price list and see the cost comparisons for
each type.
We will be glad to assist you
in pit design and determining your foam requirements. The safety manual is
a good place to start for pit design. We realize there are cost
considerations as well as ideal pit design. The ideal way to make loose
foam pits is to build them very deep (7' or more), have about 24" thick
soft prime polyurethane sheets on the bottom, and fill the rest of the
space with blocks. An ideal setting is very expensive and few gyms can
afford pits designed like this. Larger athletes falling from greater
heights and performing more difficult skills need pits closer to the ideal
pit described above. Gyms with more average programs, smaller athletes,
and more average skills generally build pits with some compromise of depth
and cost of materials. Always build the safest, deepest pits you can
afford! Safety must be our primary consideration.
A common pit design that
maximizes safety and is still affordable is a 6' deep pit with 5" thick
1.6 lb./50 ILD polyurethane foam sheeting on the bottom and the remainder
of the pit filled with blocks. We can calculate the material cost and
freight to your location when you call with your pit dimensions and
choices for design and materials. We have been doing this for more than 16
years and will be glad to help however we can.
A loose foam pit needs pit
edging to pad the concrete top edges and sidewalls. Generally, people use
carpet bonded foam along the top edge and plain cross-linked polyethylene
foam for the sidewall. These materials can be glued to the concrete and
are not very expensive. Call and we will help you figure what you need.
Bungee pits are the newest
idea in pit design. A bungee pit combines a trampoline bed attached to the
pit wall by hardwire and 5/8" bungee cord with pit foam blocks above the
bed. This allows the pit to deflect or sag downward on impact. Generally a
bungee pit uses about 3 ft. of foam blocks above the bed. You must have
sufficient space under the bed for it to sag down when landed on or loaded
heavily. This space will vary depending on the width span of the pit. We
can help you with these calculations. On average, a bungee pit costs the
same or less than a deeper loose foam pit because of the much smaller
amount of foam needed. It is a good idea to have a sheet of 5" - 8" thick
polyurethane foam under the bungee bed on the pit floor for safety in case
the bed or cord ever failed. Remember no mat or pit regardless of design
or materials used is a total solution for safety. At no time should an
athletes land on the head or neck in a pit or on matting of any type.
Common sense, proper skill progressions, trained coaches, and good
equipment can lessen the chance of injury but not entirely exclude that
possibility. |
