Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Ground Cover For Swing Set
Lilbutterflie 07:50 AM 02-24-2011
I'm so excited! I finally bought a swing set and DH put it together yesterday for the only flat spot in our yard. Here's a link to see what it looks like:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Flexible-F...Swing/11008173

Right now, it's sitting on dirt. Our grass is almost nonexistent b/c it's fairly heavily shaded; and I spent all day yesterday weeding the area. Now it's just dirt (well, mud now b/c it's raining today!). I want to section off the area, and put down some sort of ground cover so it's not just mud.

What do you all suggest?

I'm on a budget, and for whatever reason my DH doesn't think a ground cover is necessary so I'm on my own with this project.

I think later on in the spring, we will be purchasing St Augustine sod to install in our entire backyard... should I just wait and lay the sod under the swing set too?
Reply
KEG123 07:52 AM 02-24-2011
wood chips/mulch?
Reply
countrymom 09:47 AM 02-24-2011
i have nothing but dirt and grass under mine. And the other swing set is set in my play yard that is filled with pea stones. i would rather do mulch, its way cheaper.
Reply
dEHmom 10:15 AM 02-24-2011
I don't have anything on mine. But I know by law you are supposed to have it in something. Like they do at the playgrounds. Either cemented into the ground, or pegged, and then so deep into the gravel, sand, or whatever you choose.

At least that's the law here.
Reply
melskids 11:39 AM 02-24-2011
they just changed the regs here and are requiring us to put ground cover under all our swings and climbers.

i'm going with mulch.
Reply
DCMomOf3 11:42 AM 02-24-2011
Mulch sticks to clothes, FYI....
Reply
MommyMuffin 11:51 AM 02-24-2011
what about the turf stuff they use on the golf courses?
Reply
DCMomOf3 11:58 AM 02-24-2011
it is probably not cheap at all but what about rubber? they come in bits or squares you can piece together.

http://www.diamond-safety.com/Rubber...Surfacing.html
http://www.diamond-safety.com/Playgr...20Listing.html
Reply
JenNJ 12:27 PM 02-24-2011
I have 8" deep of playground mulch. It is natural (not dyed) so it doesn't stain clothes. Invest in a good, deep ground cover in case of a fall.
Reply
SandeeAR 12:36 PM 02-24-2011
Hummmm, I've been raking all these pine needles out of the yard and away from the swing set. Maybe I should leave them under the swing set. I'm not licensed, so my choice.

What do you guys have around your swing sets to contain your mulch/pea gravel etc?
Reply
SilverSabre25 12:57 PM 02-24-2011
I would suggest the ground up tires that some places use, but only if you don't mind that they are a carcinogen...
Reply
broncomom1973 01:08 PM 02-24-2011
We bought an awesome swingset about 3 years ago before I started daycare. It had a 10' wavy slide, 2 large clubhouses, deck bench, swings, sun deck, climbing ladders, rock wall, and a tunnel over the top of the swings. It was really, really neat. After I started daycare, I checked into the regulations and spoke with the local surveyor. After pricing woodchips to place underneath that swingset according to manufacturer recommendations, we would have had almost $2000 in just woodchips to cover the necessary circumference. We would have had over $3500 into this swingset and the groundcover, so at that point we decided to sell it. I didnt want the liability of someone falling off the upper clubhouse or off the top of the rock wall even with approved ground cover. My kids loved that swingset, so dh bought a basic swingset this past September and I contacted the local surveyor and spoke with her about the groundcover. She said to follow manufacturer recommendations for the fall zones. Even for this basic swingset, we paid almost $500 for wood chips at a 6" depth. They prefer a 12" depth for many swingsets and that, again, would have been $1000 for this "basic" swingset. I will say that these woodchips do provide a very soft area for the kids should they fall. As for the rubber chips, when I priced them a few months ago, they were ridiculously high. Good luck finding what works best for you.
Reply
Childminder 01:20 PM 04-04-2011
I realize a long time has passed but the snow is gone and I took pics today of my carpeted outdoor play area. It is carpeted over 12 inch depth of mulch. I LOVE it btw and the pics were taken after it rained last night. No mud, no wet clothes, no stones, etc....
Photo04041256.jpg

Photo04041258.jpg

Photo04041258_1.jpg

Photo04041302.jpg
Attached:
Reply
Blackcat31 01:23 PM 04-04-2011
Originally Posted by Childminder:
I realize a long time has passed but the snow is gone and I took pics today of my carpeted outdoor play area. It is carpeted over 12 inch depth of mulch. I LOVE it btw and the pics were taken after it rained last night. No mud, no wet clothes, no stones, etc....
Attachment 424

Attachment 425

Attachment 426

Attachment 427
LOVE your play area!! I really like the fire truck thing you have there in the back ground....can I ask where you got it from?
Reply
Childminder 01:33 PM 04-04-2011
At a daycare going out of business sale. You should have seen us bringing it home on the back of a flat bed trailer...we looked like a parade float and the kids love it, btw. It is an Amish built play set. I googled it when I got it home to see if I had gotten a good deal ($200) and I had. They had a bus, train and the most awesome pirate ship but I couldn't afford the $600 they wanted for it. It was HUGE!! Still regret not getting it.
Reply
BentleysBands 05:52 AM 04-07-2011
heres my playground. never had a problem with mulch.


Reply
Childminder 07:17 AM 04-07-2011
We had the wood mulch for years but as it breaks down and composts it get too dirty and the kids get filthy, plus we had a huge problem with mushrooms growing. The first couple of years were fine with wood much and you will have to replace or renew every couple of years.

The rubber mulch was exorbitant in cost because we are required to have a certain thickness depending on fall zone 9 inches to 12 inches. Could never get by with 1-2 inches here.
Reply
Jewels 09:14 AM 04-07-2011
Originally Posted by BentleysBands:
heres my playground. never had a problem with mulch.

This is the playground I have in my garage waiting to be assembled...

My problem with mulch is our playground will be set in the part of our yard that always gets flooded during rainfalls, and so mulch would float away, I have to go with pea rock, because it will stay in place when the area floods, and it will drain the water very quickly, otherwise, I'd rather have mulch. And I'd much rather have the rubber, but way to spendy.
Reply
Tags:outdoor equipment, swingset
Reply Up