My kids have a really heavy duty playground with swings and a slide. I really want to enclose the whole thing with a border and fill it with something like sand or woodchips. Has anybody else done this? Is sand the best thing to use, or should we do chips or some other material? Also what do you use to enclose it? If I do sand, should I leave it open on the bottom so it can drain easier, or put a plastic liner under the bottom to keep the grass and weeds from growing up through it?

One other option would be rubber mulch. Has anybody bought this and put it in their yard? I have only seen it really used with playgrounds in parks and not really in backyards.

[Edited on March 7, 2009 at 8:13 AM. Reason : ]

3/7/2009 8:04:25 AM

I have never done this, so I cannot be of much help. But as a person who has spent *alot* of time with kids at parks, I have just a small thing that you may want to consider: sand will be used by cats and other animals as a litter box. Even with a fence, it's going to be difficult to keep animals away. Believe it or not, the county actually has someone who comes out weekly or more to keep up the playgrounds and one of their jobs is scooping and raking the sandbox. I would be hesitant to use sand.

3/7/2009 8:25:32 AM

Well the one reason I am not concerned is I have a large outdoor dog with her own dog run that is directly adjacent to the kids swingset. She keeps things from coming around the backyard, and we have a full 6' tall privacy fence. Its pretty much impossible for cats and other dogs to come into the backyard, and if they do my dog scares them off with her barking. Hell she has killed two possums that have come into her enclosure trying to eat her dog food at night. Normally though I understand that this would be a big deal with a sandbox.

[Edited on March 7, 2009 at 8:48 AM. Reason : ]

3/7/2009 8:42:02 AM

This article goes into great detail about backyard playgrounds. Pay attention to Part 2 in particular for advice on choosing a proper surface.

http://www.backyardcity.com/articles/Playing-It-Safe-Part1.htm
http://www.backyardcity.com/articles/Playing-It-Safe-Part2.htm
http://www.backyardcity.com/articles/Playing-It-Safe-Part3.htm

Quote :

" Common Characteristics of Loose-Fill Playground Surface Materials GENERAL: * A retaining barrier of some kind is required to prevent the surface materials from becoming displaced due to active play or weather conditions. * Loose-fill materials should never be installed on top of hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. * Good drainage beneath the protective surface is necessary. ADVANTAGE: * The initial cost of installing a loose-fill playground surface under your backyard playground equipment is generally low because the materials are easy to find and are relatively inexpensive. DISADVANTAGES: * Over time, loose-fill materials can become compressed, thus decreasing their protective abilities. * Recommended depths can be compromised when active play or windy conditions displace the loose-fill materials. * Debris such as broken glass, nails, and other sharp objects which can cause injury can be easily hidden by loose-fill materials. * Continuous maintenance is required to maintain proper depth and to remove debris. Maintenance can include raking, sifting, grading, and leveling. * Periodic renewal or replacement of loose-fill materials is necessary, which can be time consuming and costly. The exception to this is recycled rubber mulches ? see below for more detail. Wood Chips and Shredded bark mulch ADVANTAGES: * Wood chips and shredded bark mulch are less abrasive than play sand. * Animals are less likely to foul wood chips and shredded bark mulch. * Wood chips and shredded bark mulch are attractive. DISADVANTAGES: * The protective ability of wood chips and shredded bark mulch is reduced in rainy, humid, and freezing weather conditions. * Over time, wood chips and shredded bark mulch will become pulverized, compacted, and will decompose. * Wood chips and shredded bark mulch can develop fungus and mold when wet. * Insects are attracted to wood chips and shredded bark mulch. Pea Gravel ADVANTAGES: * Pea gravel will not pulverize and decompose. * Mold and fungus growth is not generally an issue. * Animals and insects are less attracted to pea gravel. DISADVANTAGES: * Pea gravel can be difficult to walk on. * The protective ability of pea gravel is reduced in rainy, humid, and freezing weather conditions. * Pea gravel can be a falling hazard if displaced from the playground area to a nearby hard surface (sidewalk, decking, or patio, for example). Play Sand ADVANTAGES: * Play sand will not pulverize and decompose. * Mold and fungus growth is not generally an issue. DISADVANTAGES: * Play sand can be difficult to walk on. * The protective ability of play sand is reduced in rainy and humid weather conditions. * Animals are attracted to sand unless it can be covered when not in use. * Play sand sticks easily to shoes, clothing, and skin. * Play sand can scratch floor surfaces if tracked inside. Recycled Rubber Mulch ADVANTAGES: * Recycled rubber mulch does not generally need to be replaced or renewed each year. Many manufacturers claim that rubber mulch can last approximately 50 years without needing replacement. Check with recycled rubber mulch suppliers for any guarantees or warrantees that may be available. * Rubber mulch tends to be cleaner and less likely than other loose-fill materials to produce dirty clothing, hands, and shoes during active play. * Does not cause scrapes, scratches, or splinters from falls. * Animals and insects are not attracted to rubber mulch. * Mold and fungus growth is not an issue. DISADVANTAGES: * Recycled rubber mulch may need to be raked periodically to maintain appropriate depths in high traffic areas. * Colors on recycled rubber mulch may fade over time. Other Protective Playground Surface Options Rubber Tiles, Rubber Mats, and Poured-in-Place Surfaces Rubber tiles, rubber mats, and poured-in-place surfaces are initially more expensive surface options than loose-fill materials, but they usually require very little maintenance over time. To determine whether one of these options would be more cost effective than a loose-fill material, consider how many children might potentially use your backyard playground equipment and for how many years. Larger families, for example, may prefer to pay more on the front end for a surface that will be easier and much less expensive to maintain over many years of active use. ADVANTAGES: * No means of containment is usually necessary. * Surfaces are wheelchair accessible and easy to walk on. * Displacement of materials is not an issue, so the protective ability of these surfaces remains consistent even in high traffic areas. * Surfaces require very little maintenance over time and are easy to clean. * Debris such as broken glass and other sharp objects which can cause injury are not easily hidden in these surfaces. * Animals and insects are not attracted to the surface materials. * Mold and fungus growth is not an issue. DISADVANTAGES: * The area under the surface usually requires special preparation. Contact the manufacturer or supplier for details. * Surfaces may require professional installation. * Rubber tiles may curl and cause tripping if not installed correctly. * Some surfaces may be damaged by frost. Conclusion No protective playground surface of any type or depth can prevent all injuries. Nonetheless, installing a protective playground surface as the foundation for your backyard playground equipment is essential for improving playground safety. The most appropriate playground surface for your needs is up to you, but whatever choice you make will be a significant step toward protecting the children who use your playground equipment from serious injuries due to falls to the surface. "

[Edited on March 7, 2009 at 8:52 AM. Reason : .]

3/7/2009 8:49:59 AM

I would say go with rubber mulch. Your kids would avoid splinters, and it's really low maintenance. Plus it's really soft for when they do take a fall. When I went to boot camp, that's what they had layed down on a lot of the obstacle courses.

3/7/2009 10:03:58 AM

Rubber mulch is nice, but expensive by comparison. Bags of wood chips are pretty cheap at Lowes. Just keep in mind that you will need to add a few bags a year as some of it will blow away or get crushed.

For the base I'd just clear an appropriately sized area and put down landscaping fabric. You can buy it in rolls at Lowes. It is more durable in the long run than plastic and it won't let things grow through it.

I'd stake the border down by drilling holes in it and hammering in some rebar that goes at least a foot in the ground.

3/7/2009 11:50:26 AM

Quote :

"When I went to boot camp, that's what they had layed down on a lot of the obstacle courses."

same here...as well as the "pit" for when we got smoked. needless to say god knows how much runner i inhaled from being in the "pit" all day. i was coughing up and snorting out black rubber crap for months after boot camp

3/7/2009 12:55:59 PM

FYI, snakes are attracted to wood chips.

For the borders, I would use something substantial like crossties or 6"x6"s. It requires you to buy more filling, but what you do buy will last longer, especially if you do not fill it full.

If you are in the North Chatham, Alamance, Orange County area, you can get Chapel Hill Gravel which is decomposed pink granite. It is a VERY coarse sand, but it packs well and does not track in shoes.

Another option would be washed screenings. Again, this would not offer much cushion for falls, but is better than pea gravel (#78M). It is similar to Chapel Hill Gravel.

[Edited on March 7, 2009 at 11:25 PM. Reason : .]

3/7/2009 11:22:17 PM

rubber mulch is the shit

3/7/2009 11:25:32 PM

there was a recall on rubber mulch a while back due to the lead in the paint, i would suggest looking into that before you decide on that option

3/8/2009 3:34:13 AM

sand, (doesn't need to be the really fine play sand) or rubber mulch

we had sand for ours when i was a kid.

had this huge 2 story (10-15 feet high total) fort/house/triple swing set/5 ft wide 12 high slide with 2 ladders and a bridge (holding the swings) going from the fort part to the slide. only 2 people ever got hurt, one was my brother who fell out the firemans pole opening and broke his wrist, and my neighbor who, while swinging off of a set of monkey bars (the old metal ones with the big T ends) broke his arm somehow. (i still don't know how he managed to do that)

3/9/2009 10:58:09 AM