Ideal ground covering for swingset/pl...

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Author Message   papayagirl Citizen Username: Papayagirl Post Number: 524 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 9:04 am:        We're planning to regrade our yard soon, and set up some playground equipment when we're done. (Basic climbing stuff, swings, etc... nothing too daredevilish.) Is it better to put the kids stuff on the lawn, or should we do it on a bed of mulch instead? Or something else? And if we do mulch, is there any particular kind that's best, or will we have to replace it every year no matter what? Our yard is shaded by a giant tree, so getting a lush lawn in some areas amidst all of the tree roots may be a challenge, and i'd rather not have kids sliding into hard, rooty dirt.   Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 2747 Registered: 5-2004 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 10:01 am:        Realistically, grass is fine. But there are many options: Regular mulch - not ideal, and the kids will track wood chips into the house Rubber mulch - very highly rated, but very expensive Pea gravel - this is supposed to be very good, and not as expensive as the rubber mulch. It's weird to me to put down little rocks, but I guess they give easily. Try to put some kind of barrier around hte play area so whatever ground cover you use doesn't end up all over your yard. If you google playset ground cover, you should find a number of choices.   Handygirl Citizen Username: Handygirl Post Number: 656 Registered: 2-2004 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 11:34 am:        There have been some good threads on this - check the archives. I just tried, but wasn't able to complete my archive search. Maybe later? Grass is not the ideal ground cover for several reasons 1) the grass will die under each swing and at the end of the slide - and everywhere else that gets some foot traffic. The grass around the play set will have to be mowed or weed-wacked and weed wackers and mowers can do some damage to the structure if not done properly, 3) the areas that become dirt will be muddy whenever it rains and they will stay muddy longer because the dirt will be compacted in those areas from jumping etc. 4) because the dirt will become compacted it will be as hard as cement in precisely the spots that you would like it to be soft. And manufacturers generally recommend against putting sets on grass for all of the above reasons. Regular mulch (6-8 inches) (they have "playchips" at HD which is just wood chips) is the best. It is what we have and it provides cushioning and is nice to walk on. It also absorbs the water nicely after rain so no puddles. We installed the playchips last June and they still look great. We probably won't have to replentish until next year. And even next year we'll just have to dump some on the top - you don't have to replace it - just add a bit to the top - easy. Rastro - the playchips do not get tracked anywhere, don't know what you mean. You'll have to install a border around the playchips so that they do not get all over your yard. We did this and have not had any problems. DO NOT GO WITH RUBBER MULCH. It is much more expensive and, more importantly, it does not biodegrade, it will be around until the next iceage along with the cockroaches. If it gets tracked all over your yard (or your neighbor's yards it never goes away. Also, it floats, so if you have a drainage problem... I've heard pea gravel, but I have no experience using this as a playground cover.   Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 2752 Registered: 5-2004 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 11:59 am:        Handygirl, We've had many times when the kids play at a playground with wood mulch, and when they get home and take off their shoes, wood chips fall out (and are stuck to their socks). I agree about your comments on the rubber stuff, but it highly rated for shock absorption. I believe it's usually made from recycled tires (or is that another type of groundcover?)   Melonious Citizen Username: Melonious Post Number: 102 Registered: 6-2003 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 12:54 pm:        I did this research last year, too, and the winner was definitely wood chips. It is the easiest, least expensive, and best for play. Grass is definitely a no-no, for all the reasons cites so astutely by Handygirl, plus the fact that if you are hesitant to have wood chips come into your house, if you go this route you will be living in a TIDE laundry commercial bc of all the dust, mud and grass stains your kids' clothes will acquire. Pea gravel is too much fun to throw at squirrels, and too tempting to test up one's nostrils. PLus, since it will end up all over, it will chew up the lawn mowers and kill your grass. We put ours in last spring, and don't need to replace it this year. Maybe at the beginning of next year, perhaps we could stretch it, though. And when we do, it will be easy and cheap. Good luck, and have fun in the yard.   Rick B Citizen Username: Ruck1977 Post Number: 1049 Registered: 8-2003 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 1:35 pm:        Don't forget, you can get free woodchips at the recycling center.   Handygirl Citizen Username: Handygirl Post Number: 658 Registered: 2-2004 Posted on Monday, April 3, 2006 - 4:20 pm:        Rastro, I see your point about tracking woodchips into the house. My oldest is 3 1/2 - still too young to be playing ferociously enough for woodchips in the shoes. I consider myself forwarned though... As for the rubber mulch, it is highly rated, that's true. I'm just apprehensive about putting anything that consists of lots of small units and that won't biodegrade in my yard. It is made from recycled tires - which is great. However, I think that the best use for the stuff is those large mats used in school and town playgrounds. You know, not in mulch form, but as a solid ground cover (like asphalt, but bouncy). Just my 2 cents. You can tell that I've given this issue too much thought.   Walt21012 Citizen Username: Walt21012 Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2006 Posted on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 5:41 pm:        I'd be careful about wood chips from the recycling center. I've heard stories about cases where the wood chips have contained weed seeds or fungi that sprouted for the first time in people's yards when the wood chips were applied. Well rotted compost needs to get hot enough to kill such seeds, but I'm not sure that the wood chips at the recycling center have been properly treated.   Rick B Citizen Username: Ruck1977 Post Number: 1051 Registered: 8-2003 Posted on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 7:50 am:        scary...   Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3461 Registered: 12-2004 Posted on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 8:19 am:        We have had mulch under our playset for several years and have never had a problem with it getting tracked in the house or stuck in shoes (the sandbox is a different story). Our playset is at the back of the yard, a good 20 feet from the house, so it could be it's just too far to track anything in, but I doubt it. We've had to replenish once, and will probably need to do so again this year. It's great for all the reasons stated above: it's natural, it drains water well, it biodegrades nicely (I dream of the garden I'll have back there once the playset is outgrown and gone), it's plenty soft and cushiony, if it gets spread around the yard it's no big deal.