SITE PREPARATION AND GROUND COVERING
Having a defined play area around your swingset is always a good idea if you
have the space for it. Depending on the material you choose it can cost as much
as the swing sets themselves, so you’ll want to plan it wisely. Here are a few
choices, and the pros and cons about them.
Pressure treated railroad ties:
You can buy these in any home center or lumber yard. They come in different
sizes,4” X 4”s, 4” X 6”s, 6” X 6”s and 8” X 8’s. Lengths are from 6 to 16 feet. I
would suggest to buy them at 8 or 10 feet in length because these sizes are very
common and easier to handle. They are recommended for backyards that need
some leveling as they can be stacked up as needed. They can be fixed to the
ground using rebar or long landscaping spikes.
After the area is enclosed, try to round the top edges using a electric router with
a ½ inch half round bit. If you don’t have a router, you can use a inexpensive
block plane, a belt or palm sander or even a wood rasp like the “Stanley surform”
but you need to get those sharp edges round for safety.
Flexible rubber ties:
Manufactured by the same
companies that make rubber
mulch, these cost about $12.00
for a 5 feet section and you can
curve them easily in almost any
shape, with half-lap joints for easy
fitting . Very soft and shock
absorbent you can fix them on the
ground the same way as the wood ties.
Plastic landscaping border:
This is probably the least expensive method, but you
will have to dig the whole play area to a depth of 4 to 6
inches in order to fill the space with cushioning material.
It is flexible as the rubber ties and a has a nice finish
look because both play area and grass will be at the
same level.
Retaining wall blocks:
Inexpensive and easy to install,
although heavy to work with, they
are a permanent solution for very
steep yards as you can build them
up in steps making it easy for the
children to go up and down.
After you've built your defined play area, the next step is to lay weed block cloth
in the whole space, before spreading the cushioning material.
Cushioning materials:
Since most reported injuries happen from falls around the swing set, it is highly
recommended the use of some kind of cushioning such as:
Rubber mulch:
Probably the most expensive of all the materials, the rubber mulch is made with
recycled shredded tires. They come in different colors, sizes and shapes and
make excellent cushioning materials that never rot, mold or fade. You will need to
fill it to about 4” high throughout the whole play area in order to get a good fall
protection. For a typical area of 30 feet by 24 feet you will need at least 2 tons of
rubber mulch and cost between $600.00 and $1500.00.
Due to some health concerns about possible chemical contamination, I
advise parents to use caution with this product. For more information
read this:
http://www.ehhi.org/reports/turf/health_effects.shtml
Pea gravel or beach pebbles:
Although you may think: “How a rock
can soften my child’s fall?”, it is a very
good material and reasonable priced.
As a child falls on it the little round
pebbles will roll onto each other and
spread out, just like if they fall on a
sandy beach. They stay very clean and
free of bugs and as the rubber mulch
you will need it to be about 4 inches
high, to work properly.
Wood mulch or chips:
Very good cushioning and the most commonly material used for play areas and
the least expensive of all. It comes in different types, depending on the kind of
tree it came from. For the mulch you need at least 6 inch high on the play area
since it compacts in a short period of time. It is my least favorite because it traps
water in between the wood fibers and have a tendency to grow mold and fungus
like mushrooms, and you will need to replace it just about every two years
Another inconvenience, in my experience, is that it attract bugs and every time
the kids play on it they bring mulch all over their clothes and socks inside the
house.
Sand:
It is a very good fall cushioning but it leaves scratch marks in slides and other
smooth surfaces (like hardwood floors inside the house) . It should be used only
in a small contained area such as sand boxes or sand pits covered with a tarp or
other material of your choice, to keep it clean and out of reach of cats and
squirrels.
Having a defined play area around your swingset is always a good idea if you
have the space for it. Depending on the material you choose it can cost as much
as the swing sets themselves, so you’ll want to plan it wisely. Here are a few
choices, and the pros and cons about them.
Pressure treated railroad ties:
You can buy these in any home center or lumber yard. They come in different
sizes,4” X 4”s, 4” X 6”s, 6” X 6”s and 8” X 8’s. Lengths are from 6 to 16 feet. I
would suggest to buy them at 8 or 10 feet in length because these sizes are very
common and easier to handle. They are recommended for backyards that need
some leveling as they can be stacked up as needed. They can be fixed to the
ground using rebar or long landscaping spikes.
After the area is enclosed, try to round the top edges using a electric router with
a ½ inch half round bit. If you don’t have a router, you can use a inexpensive
block plane, a belt or palm sander or even a wood rasp like the “Stanley surform”
but you need to get those sharp edges round for safety.
Flexible rubber ties:
Manufactured by the same
companies that make rubber
mulch, these cost about $12.00
for a 5 feet section and you can
curve them easily in almost any
shape, with half-lap joints for easy
fitting . Very soft and shock
absorbent you can fix them on the
ground the same way as the wood ties.
Plastic landscaping border:
This is probably the least expensive method, but you
will have to dig the whole play area to a depth of 4 to 6
inches in order to fill the space with cushioning material.
It is flexible as the rubber ties and a has a nice finish
look because both play area and grass will be at the
same level.
Retaining wall blocks:
Inexpensive and easy to install,
although heavy to work with, they
are a permanent solution for very
steep yards as you can build them
up in steps making it easy for the
children to go up and down.
After you've built your defined play area, the next step is to lay weed block cloth
in the whole space, before spreading the cushioning material.
Cushioning materials:
Since most reported injuries happen from falls around the swing set, it is highly
recommended the use of some kind of cushioning such as:
Rubber mulch:
Probably the most expensive of all the materials, the rubber mulch is made with
recycled shredded tires. They come in different colors, sizes and shapes and
make excellent cushioning materials that never rot, mold or fade. You will need to
fill it to about 4” high throughout the whole play area in order to get a good fall
protection. For a typical area of 30 feet by 24 feet you will need at least 2 tons of
rubber mulch and cost between $600.00 and $1500.00.
Due to some health concerns about possible chemical contamination, I
advise parents to use caution with this product. For more information
read this:
http://www.ehhi.org/reports/turf/health_effects.shtml
Pea gravel or beach pebbles:
Although you may think: “How a rock
can soften my child’s fall?”, it is a very
good material and reasonable priced.
As a child falls on it the little round
pebbles will roll onto each other and
spread out, just like if they fall on a
sandy beach. They stay very clean and
free of bugs and as the rubber mulch
you will need it to be about 4 inches
high, to work properly.
Wood mulch or chips:
Very good cushioning and the most commonly material used for play areas and
the least expensive of all. It comes in different types, depending on the kind of
tree it came from. For the mulch you need at least 6 inch high on the play area
since it compacts in a short period of time. It is my least favorite because it traps
water in between the wood fibers and have a tendency to grow mold and fungus
like mushrooms, and you will need to replace it just about every two years
Another inconvenience, in my experience, is that it attract bugs and every time
the kids play on it they bring mulch all over their clothes and socks inside the
house.
Sand:
It is a very good fall cushioning but it leaves scratch marks in slides and other
smooth surfaces (like hardwood floors inside the house) . It should be used only
in a small contained area such as sand boxes or sand pits covered with a tarp or
other material of your choice, to keep it clean and out of reach of cats and
squirrels.
SITE PREPARATION
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