# Playground Turf Cost in Ontario (2026): Daycares, Schools and Backyards

> Playground turf with a safety pad costs $18–$35 per sq ft installed in Ontario, from published prices, plus pad thickness, daycare and school project totals.

Canonical: https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/playground-turf-cost
Last updated: 2026-10-23

Prices checked October 23, 2026 · Artificial Turf Canada

Published prices for playground turf over a safety pad run $18–$35 per sq ft installed in Ontario. The pad is what makes it a safety surface: it absorbs falls, and its thickness is set by the fall height of the equipment above it.

For whole projects, the same installer publishes $8,000–$22,000 for a daycare playground of 300 to 800 sq ft and $25,000–$150,000+ for a school or park of 1,000 to 5,000 sq ft.

## Installed prices

Every published figure we found for installed playground turf.

### Published playground turf prices

CAD · before HST · published prices

| Item | Source | Price |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Playground turf, installed (pad, fall height, drainage, access) | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $22–$35 per sq ft |
| Playground turf with safety pad and CSA-rated surfacing | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $18–$28 per sq ft |
| Daycare playground, 300 to 800 sq ft | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $8,000–$22,000 |
| School or park, 1,000 to 5,000 sq ft | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $25,000–$150,000+ |

## Safety pads and fall height

In Canada, public and child care playgrounds are built to CSA Z614, the standard for children’s playspaces and equipment. The surfacing under and around equipment has to absorb a fall from the equipment’s fall height, so a taller structure needs a thicker pad. Ask the installer for the pad’s tested critical fall height and match it to your equipment.

### Published safety pad prices

CAD · before HST · published prices

| Item | Source | Price |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Safety pad, ¾ inch | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $3–$5 per sq ft |
| Safety pad, 1½ inch | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $5–$7 per sq ft |
| Safety pad, 2½ inch | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $7–$10 per sq ft |
| Drainage upgrade | From a Toronto-area turf installer’s 2026 price guide | $2–$5 per sq ft |

## Questions people ask

### How much does playground turf cost?

Published Ontario prices run $18–$35 per sq ft installed, including the safety pad. A daycare playground of 300 to 800 sq ft is $8,000–$22,000.

### Is artificial turf safe under playground equipment?

Turf over a shock pad rated for the equipment’s fall height can meet CSA Z614. Turf laid straight on gravel or concrete is not a safety surface.

### Does playground turf need infill?

Most systems use a sand infill to hold the fibres up and weigh the turf down; some playground turfs are made to need little or none. Follow the system’s specification.

## Where these prices come from

These figures are from Ontario turf installers’ and suppliers’ own published price guides (Toronto area, Mississauga, Hamilton area) and from [HomeStars’ Canadian artificial grass price guide](https://www.homestars.com/gardening-outdoors/price-guides/artificial-grass-costs), checked October 23, 2026. We don’t name the installers: we’re a referral service and don’t promote individual businesses. They’re ranges, not quotes, in CAD before HST.

## Related

- [Playground turf](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/playground-turf)
- [Pros and cons of turf](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-pros-and-cons)
- [How hot does turf get?](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/guides/artificial-turf-heat)
- [Turf cost calculator](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/tools/artificial-turf-cost-calculator)