company news about How to Choose the Right Shock Pad Thickness: 8–100 mm Explained

A shock pad sits between the sub-base and the artificial turf. It cushions impact, supports drainage and extends the life of the whole system — but thickness is not one-size-fits-all. It depends on who plays, how high they can fall, and what the sub-base looks like.

8–15mm: high-performance sports pitches. Football, hockey and baseball pitches live and die by playing performance: ball bounce, vertical deformation and player comfort. A perforated 8–15mm PE foam pad keeps the surface fast and playable while protecting the turf from the base — this is the layer FIFA-quality systems are built around.

20–30mm: kindergartens, parks and multi-use fields. For running, climbing and everyday play, you need more impact absorption than a pro pitch, but not the cost of a full playground build. This is the balanced middle ground.

40–100mm: children's playgrounds. Here the requirement is critical fall height (CFH) — how far a child can fall without serious head injury, measured by HIC. Thicker interlocking puzzle pads (30–100mm) deliver the tested fall-height protection playground standards require.

Quick pick:

• Football / hockey / baseball pitch → 8–15mm perforated pad
• Kindergarten / park / multi-use field → 20–30mm
• Playground under climbing equipment → 30–50mm HIC-tested puzzle pad
• Always match the pad with the right infill — see our infill comparison guide

Bottom line: thicker is not automatically better. Match the thickness to the safety standard your project must meet, then let drainage and sub-base conditions guide the rest. TAIHUI manufactures shock pads from 8 to 100mm — perforated rolls and interlocking puzzle mats — with test reports available. Contact us for samples and spec sheets.