DH is wanting to build a nice play structure in the back yard next summer, and we're researching the types of material to lay down under it. We know we'd like to make a large square with some landscaping timbers or similar and lay down some good weed barrier...but then we don't know if it's best to use pea gravel, wood chips, rubber chips, or something else. We know we don't want to use sand.
What do you have for the ground, and do you love it?
Thanks, mamas! :goodvibes:
Monkeyfeet
07-12-2009, 07:44 PM
We just have grass under it. I wanted rubber mulch but then dd played at someone's house that has it and it turned her feet, shoes and clothing black.
BeckyP
07-12-2009, 07:48 PM
We don't have one in our yard but we live right across the street from a park and they use wood chips. We have not had any issues at all. If we did have a swing set in our yard I think that is what we would use.
WhatWasIThinking
07-12-2009, 08:24 PM
Yeah sand is AWFUL! At a park here they put down gravel and covered it with a black weed barier covered by mulch and it's soooooooo soft!
nakedbabytoes
07-12-2009, 09:04 PM
We will do pea gravel like the schools have. Our playstructurw is on order right now! We are so excited! We are getting a Kids Creations wood structure.
KaylaJayne
07-13-2009, 07:22 AM
We just have the grass under it but DS's swingset is only that a place for 3 swings and a little slide on the side there isn't much "climbing" to do
Computermama
07-13-2009, 08:41 AM
We have some cedar woodchips under ours and it seems fine. Mind you, ours is 3 swings, only the center (toddler) one gets used, and a small slide, so YMMV.
Chey
07-13-2009, 08:56 AM
We have a structure.....We've tied off 6 feet around it in every direction (the recommended minimum) layed down a barrier and filled it with pea gravel.
For us we chose pea gravel because it deters cats, and it doesn't stick to clothing. the kids are good about keeping it in the tied off area AND it is just as good as sand as in the kids play in it. They fill their buckets and dump them, they scoop it up with Tonka trucks and play in it so much more than if it had been wood chips.
It's also a nice soft landing if one decides to jump off the platform or drop from the monkey bars.
GEMQEMCABOOSE
07-13-2009, 09:53 AM
We dug out 6 inches of ground under our set and 8 feet from it in all directions and filled it with mulch for cushion. On top we added a 2 inches or so of wood chips for looks and "scoopability" for shovels and trucks, etc... Works great and on its 3 summer.
When we bought the house it was already there but it was run down so I sanded it all by hand and resealed it and put all new parts on it. It has pea gravel under it and we love it it keeps the weeds down pretty well without much maintenance.
I also wanted to add the pea gravel might be a bit more pricey to start off. But these are the reasons we love it:
it doesn't get hot
it doesn't need replacing every couple years (mulch)
it doesn't leave splinters
it doesn't attract bugs
It is also easy for DS to shovel in and out of his dumptruck and play with and he really doesn't get dirty playing with it.
angel0123
07-13-2009, 04:16 PM
Love the look of the gravel under it.. it kind of finishes it.. ours has grass it a treehouse with slide and 3 swings.
Rainfall
07-13-2009, 04:26 PM
Thanks, mamas!! DH really wants to do wood chips, but I was wondering about the pea gravel, too. A playground I take DD to has pea gravel, but it's so hard for her to walk...and the bigger kids like throwing it all over the slides and such. :banghead: I do love the look of it though.
Masonsmommy06
07-13-2009, 06:39 PM
Our's is built onto our porch
Lovely
07-13-2009, 08:27 PM
We just have grass under ours but I want the rubber when we can afford it.
