Last updated October 2026
Play and Sport Surfaces repairs wetpour and other rubber play surfaces for schools, councils, nurseries and parks across the UK: patches, failed edges, overlays and cleaning. One town council’s quotes show the range, from £120 for a patch by the swings to £1,700 for a full overlay under a carousel. Send photos and your latest inspection report, and we quote the repair before the area has to stay closed for long.
Most failed wetpour does not need replacing: a patch or an overlay restores it for a fraction of the cost of new.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Job | Unit | Price | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch repair | one area by swings | £120 | Wem Town Council quotes, Feb 2025 | Medium (real quote) |
| Overlay | full area under a carousel | £1,700 | Same paper | Medium (real quote) |
| New wetpour, for comparison | per m2, about 100 m2 | from about £40 to £140 + VAT | Redlynch Leisure, 2026 | Low |
| New wetpour, surface only, for comparison | per m2, excluding base works | from about £29 to £39 | Soft Surfaces, 2024 | Low |
The Wem paper does not state VAT or the areas involved, so treat its figures as real examples rather than rates.
Can wetpour be patched?
Yes, where the damage is local and the base underneath is sound. A patch cuts out the failed area and fills it with new base and top layer, bonded to the old surface. Wem Town Council’s quote for a patch by its swings was £120, which shows how small a contained repair can be.
Colour match is the catch: a new patch is brighter than ten-year-old wetpour, so on a coloured or graphic surface ask to see the closest match before work starts.
Patch or overlay: which do we need?
A patch for isolated damage; an overlay where the top layer is worn across a whole zone. An overlay lays a new wearing layer over the old surface, which costs more (£1,700 under Wem’s carousel) but renews the whole area at once and avoids a patchwork finish.
If the base itself has failed, with soft spots, sinking or water sitting under the surface, neither will last, and the zone needs replacing. See wetpour for the cost of a new surface.
How it works
- 01Send a plan and photosThe site, the surface and the date it must reopen.
- 02We check the groundLevels and where the water drains.
- 03Written quoteBuilt around your reopening date.
Will a repair still meet the fall height of our equipment?
It must, and the quote should say so. Critical fall height depends on the type and total depth of the surface, so a patch must match the depth around it and an overlay changes the depth of the whole zone. Ask for the depth and tested fall height in writing. The critical fall height guide explains the link between depth and height.
What do we look for when a wetpour surface is failing?
Lifted or curling edges, splits and gaps where sections meet, worn-through top layer under swings and slide exits, and soft or hollow spots. RoSPA’s guidance asks that surfacing be checked carefully for soundness, and these are the faults that make an inspector flag it. Lifted edges are a trip hazard, so they are usually the first repair.
Can wetpour be cleaned?
Yes. Moss, algae and ground-in dirt make wetpour slippery and dull, and a specialist clean lifts them without damaging the rubber. Cleaning is often done on the same visit as a repair, so the patch and the old surface look as close as possible.
Do you repair rubber tiles, mulch and grass mats too?
Yes. Loose or damaged rubber tiles can be replaced one by one, bonded rubber mulch can be patched and re-bonded, and grass mats can be re-fixed or swapped. The quote names the method for your surface. See rubber tiles and grass mats and bonded rubber mulch.
How long will the play area be closed?
Usually only for the repair and the time the new rubber needs to cure, and your quote gives both. A patch is the quicker job; an overlay covers more ground and takes longer. The area is fenced off until it is safe to use.
What’s included
- A look at the damage, the base and the equipment heights around it
- A written quote naming the method, depth and colour
- Cutting out and removing failed material
- New base where needed, and new surface bonded to the existing
- Cleaning of the surrounding area where listed
- Fencing off until the repair has cured
What’s not included
- VAT, shown separately
- Equipment repairs or moving equipment, unless listed
- Full replacement, quoted separately if the base has failed
- Impact testing, unless listed
Illustrative example
From the Wem quotes only; not our job. A town council’s inspection flags a worn area under its swings and a worn-through zone under a carousel. Following Wem’s figures, it budgets £120 for the swing patch and £1,700 for the carousel overlay, £1,820 in total, against several thousand pounds to replace both zones with new wetpour.
Who does the work
Play and Sport Surfaces is a WeDo Property Services service. Alex Winser runs the repair from your first photos to reopening, and the surfacing teams do the cutting out, patching and overlays.
Often needed alongside
Repairs usually follow a playground inspection, and many sites add a yearly visit through our maintenance programme. For whole-site work, see safety surfacing for playgrounds.
FAQs
Can you match our existing colour?
As closely as possible; old wetpour fades, so a perfect match is rare.
Can you repair surfaces another firm laid?
Yes. We look at the surface first and quote the right repair.
How soon can you repair a trip hazard?
Send photos and we quote quickly; the area should stay fenced off until it is fixed.
Do you repair graphics in wetpour?
Yes, priced after we see the design.
Is VAT included in repair prices?
No. VAT is a separate line.
Sources
- Wem Town Council, Contractor quotes (agenda item 14), Feb 2025
- Redlynch Leisure, Wet pour rubber, Sept 2026
- Soft Surfaces, Wetpour costs, May 2024
- RoSPA Play Safety, Inspection and maintenance of playgrounds, updated Mar 2026