School Playground Markings
What can go on your playground, how much room each marking takes and what it costs, drawn to scale. Then send one brief and we find a contractor who covers your area.
Send a marking briefA free matching service for UK schools, trusts and PTAs. Prices before VAT, a guide not a quote.
The marking catalogue
Seven kinds of work schools ask for, each with its own page, prices and questions.
- Thermoplastic playground markingsGames, grids and graphics melted into the tarmac; the long-life default£250 to £1,800
- Painted playground markingsLine paint and colour coats for courts, refreshes and sports surfaces£400 to £500
- Sports court line markingNetball, football, basketball and multi-sport line sets, set out to size£850 to £1,200
- Maths and literacy markings100 squares, times tables, alphabet trails, maps and clocks£1,500 to £3,000
- EYFS playground markingsRoads, number lines and shapes for nursery and Reception£250 to £2,000
- Daily Mile track markingsA marked running loop with a start, finish and lap markers£300 to £2,500
- Relining and refreshWorn markings removed, repainted or replaced£500 to £4,000
Thermoplastic or paint
The first decision on every marking job, and the one that sets both the price and how often you pay it.
Lifespans as published by UK contractors and buying guides. More on thermoplastic and playground painting.
What playground markings cost
Three things set the price: how many markings, how detailed they are, and the state of the tarmac. Travel and set-up cost the same for one game as for ten, which is why contractors set a minimum order and why one well-planned visit is cheaper than three small ones.
As a rule of thumb, a handful of traditional games is a four-figure job, a court or an educational set is low four figures each, and a whole-playground scheme with courts, games and a running lane runs to several thousand pounds.
| Type of work | Installed, before VAT |
|---|---|
| Traditional games (hopscotch, snakes and ladders, compass, targets) | £250 to £1,800 |
| EYFS and nursery markings | £250 to £2,000 |
| Fitness and active trails | £300 to £2,500 |
| Educational scheme (maths, literacy, maps) | £1,500 to £3,000 |
| Netball court lines | £850 to £1,200 |
| Basketball court lines | £850 to £1,500 |
| Multi-sport (MUGA) line set | £1,200 to £2,500 |
| Removing and replacing worn markings | £500 to £4,000 |
Where these figures come from
Installed ranges are from published UK contractor price guides, autumn 2026; we do not name or link the firms. Several national contractors state a minimum order of about £1,000 plus VAT. Public contract awards below are from Contracts Finder and Find a Tender. All before VAT; maintained schools and academies can usually reclaim VAT.
Paying for markings: what the Sport Premium covers
The premium is revenue funding, so the line it draws is between maintaining what you have and buying something new.
- YesRepainting lines on the playground, which the conditions of grant name as allowable maintenance of an existing asset.
- CheckSmall new markings under your school’s de minimis threshold for capital items.
- NoNew markings your accounting policy records as an asset, and anything paid in advance for next year.
New thermoplastic schemes are usually paid for from the school budget, the PTA or a grant, and a marked running track or active trail is a common PTA target. Read the full note on the premium and markings.
Where our information comes from
How a marking job gets done
From the first look at the tarmac to children playing on it, usually a few weeks, with one to three days on site.
Survey
The contractor checks the tarmac, measures up and asks how the playground is used at break and lunch.
Layout and price
A scaled plan with every marking, colour and gap, and a fixed price you can compare like for like.
Laying day
Sweep, dry, prime old tarmac, then set out and melt each marking. Ready to use once cool.
Records
Keep the layout and guarantee terms with your site file; they make relining in five years simple.
Send the brief and we tell you which contractor we have found before they receive it.
What councils have paid for markings
Public contract awards and frameworks for school playground markings, as published.
| Buyer | Work | When | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Borough of Enfield | Thermoplastic mile-a-day running circuits at 12 or more primary schools | January to March 2019 | £15,000 |
| Knowsley Council | Playground marking at various schools across the borough | March to April 2020 | £40,000 |
| Southend-on-Sea City Council | Milton Hall Primary: rubber crumb removed, new tarmac and new playground markings | August 2025 | £79,308 |
| Education Authority (Northern Ireland) | Supply and application of thermoplastic playground markings, schools framework | Awarded March 2022 | £195,000 |
| Education Authority (Northern Ireland) | Thermoplastic playground and line markings, three regional lots over 48 months (estimated) | Tendered December 2024 | £610,000 |
Sources: Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, read 2 November 2026. Values as published, before VAT. Framework values are ceilings, not spend.
Questions schools ask about markings
How much do school playground markings cost?
Single traditional games start at about £250 installed, a netball court at £850 to £1,200 and an educational set at £1,500 to £3,000, before VAT. Many contractors have a minimum order of about £1,000 plus VAT, so schools usually group markings into one visit. The price estimator adds up a scheme marking by marking.
What are playground markings made of?
Almost all school markings are now thermoplastic: coloured plastic melted onto the tarmac, which lasts five to ten years. Paint is still used for court lines on sports surfaces, colour coats and cheap relining.
Can the PE and sport premium pay for playground markings?
Repainting existing lines, yes: the conditions of grant for 2026 to 2027 list it as allowable maintenance. New markings that count as a school asset are capital spending, which the premium cannot fund.
When is the best time to lay playground markings?
In a dry spell when the playground can be closed: a half-term or the summer holiday. The tarmac must be clean and dry for thermoplastic to bond, so rain stops work.
How long do playground markings take to install?
A few markings take a morning; a whole-playground scheme usually one to three days. Thermoplastic can be walked on a few minutes after it cools.
Do we need to resurface before marking?
Only if the tarmac is breaking up. Markings follow the surface, so cracks and potholes show through and shorten their life. Sound but faded tarmac is fine.
Get quotes for your playground markings
Three short steps: where the school is, what you want marked, and how to reach you. It takes about two minutes.
We are a free matching service, not a marking firm. You get the contractor’s name from us first, and the brief only goes to them once you say yes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- We look for a marking contractor who covers your area, then email or phone you with their name.
- Nothing is passed on until you tell us to go ahead.
- The contractor looks at the tarmac, draws a layout and prices it. We never send marketing.