Ground Cover For Swing Set

[Lilbutterflie]

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-Flyer-Triple-Metal-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?

[KEG123]

wood chips/mulch?

[countrymom]

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.

[dEHmom]

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.

[melskids]

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.

[DCMomOf3]

Mulch sticks to clothes, FYI....

[melskids]

Mulch sticks to clothes, FYI....

i know. but the cats will poo in the sand, and DH refuses to let me use pea gravel, cause the kids will throw it in the grass, and ruin his precious lawn mower.

any other suggestions?

[Lilbutterflie]

Mulch sticks to clothes, FYI....

Yup! When my DD attended preschool, it stuck to her socks and really never came out. I could see pieces of mulch in my washer every time I did a load of wash. I hated it!

I feel like there is no good alternative to mulch though; at least not a good inexpensive one. I think I may just wait and sod the area with the rest of the backyard. I don't know...:confused:

[MommyMuffin]

what about the turf stuff they use on the golf courses?

[DCMomOf3]

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%20Playground%20Surfacing.html

http://www.diamond-safety.com/Playground%20Product%20Listing.html

[JenNJ]

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.

[SandeeAR]

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?

[SilverSabre25]

I would suggest the ground up tires that some places use, but only if you don't mind that they are a carcinogen...

[broncomom1973]

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.

[Blackcat31]

They sell playground mulch that is rubber and made for playgrounds.

http://www.permalife.com/

This is what all our public playgrounds and schools have under their swings and play equipment. No carcinogens like ground up tires.