What to Put Under a Swingset

Ok swing sets officially need to have a 6'' of mulch or some such to keep it a safetly issue. I do know there is a type of pressed mulch that is playground safe that is weaved together so its not a big mush issue. There is a product you can get with weaved mulch that fits right under the swings where kids swipe and move around the mulch. Its like a square padded area. Saves having to rake it back in place. Its also not that expensive.

I have some recycled, shredded rubber stepping stones and I love them. But there are some drawbacks to the rubber:

* Rubber mulch may contain harmful substances. Several organizations claim it contains potentially harmful levels of zinc (can harm plants and gradually build to toxic levels in the ground) and aromatic hydrocarbons (think air pollution). Some cheaper rubber mulch may contain bits of wire from the radial car tires that get shredded.
* Rubber mulch absorbs heat from the sun. On a hot summer day, the mulch can become uncomfortably hot for children and pets.
* In hot, sunny weather, rubber mulch gives off an an unpleasant, oily smell. This may not be safe to inhale. (I get sick headaches even when I walk into a place that sells new tires.)
* Colored rubber mulch can leave colors on kids' clothes. Some manufacturers don't use top-quality dye, so the colors can run, especially in warm weather. And the colors tend to look harsh and artificial.
* In very cold weather, rubber mulch loses its shock absorbing qualities and doesn't offer the same protection as in warmer weather.
* Rubber mulch blows away more easily than woodchips. A strong wind can send rubber bits flying outside the playground.

Wood chips or bark mulch are more environmentally sound. They will need to be topped off with fresh mulch every 2-5 years. If you go with wood mulch, be sure to ask which types in your area are less likely to splinter or cause injury. (Here on the west coast, hemlock mulch is nice to handle, while other types leave tiny slivers or have sharp edges.)

Pea gravel is aesthetically pleasing, is fairly safe to fall on, and holds up well, but it does sometimes find its way into loose-fitting shoes. Either wood mulch or pea gravel would be my preferred choices.

Google "is rubber mulch safe for kids" for a variety of views before you decide.

I say pea gravel, of course I HAVE pea gravel :)
If you do decide on this, just to let you know, we got ours at a concrete co. Places like Home Depot have it in a bag but it is very costly, that way. The guys at the concrete place filled the bed of my hubby's truck for $50! It is very easy to clean off (just dump it out of the shoes and pants! It stays nice looking in the yard, too. When rocks "jump" out of thier designated area...they just fall to the dirt...under the grass!

We have woodchips under ours. I'm very curious about the people here saying it gets moldy/stinky. We have never had these kinds of issues. We have always had mulch in our yard since I was a little kid and have never had that happen. Under our swingset, we have had woodchips for about 4 years without issue. We went to a landscaping place for ours and bought a special one meant for playgrounds. It is "triple ground" I believe were the words so it is finer than regular landscaping mulch. It makes it much less likely to splinter so safer for the kids and softer when they fall on it. The first couple years we added some each year because it does settle/compact. After that you need to add it less often but again it is a natural substance and will decompose over time. It is best to keep about a 6 inch layer to prevent injuries if kids fall.

I did not read your other resposes, but here is mine-we put the rubber mulch-recycled rubber tires-it is expensve, but worth it. L.

Sand is not a good idea. Ants build nests in it, as do those digger wasps or whatever they are. Animals (outdoor cats or wild animals) often find it to be a lovely litter box, which is why most sandboxes come with covers - it's not just to keep out the rain. Sand also gets in the kids' shoes. Pea gravel is fairly soft, which you wouldn't think it would be, but it can get in their shoes, especially sandals. I like the idea of recycled tires but I think it depends on what's in the rubber - there can be toxins and when it's wet it stinks. We have a local store which just put down new rubber flooring. Four months later, when you walk in (especially on a warm day), that's all you smell. I would go with bark mulch (not really finely ground up) or wood chips. You will need to top it off every couple of years but that's not a huge deal. It's obviously recycled trees and it something you can competitively price out. If the kids track it out of the area, you can rake it back in. Good luck.

Wood Chips for sure.

if the ground is typically wet/muddy... putting stuff on it like pea gravel or mulch or sand will sink into the ground and get imbedded in the dirt/mud, too.
And it will still be wet.

maybe, lay a concrete slab down first. Then over that put a rubber play ground surface on it.

we put a pile of sand then covered it with indoor/outdoor carpet.. I was tired of the mud being tracked into my house every day! it works!! it's not pretty, but it does come in different colors.. I think it's recommended that there be 6" of mulch or sand or equivelant under neath swing sets anyway so keep that in mind for safety. also, 6' away from any structure on every side too.

Peastone Reasonably thick layer with a layer of weedstop underneath. Drains very well, kids stay very clean, and they can play with it with dump trucks etc. Doesn't get tracked into house and super safe, does not degrade. You may need railroad ties around to prevent migration. As for getting into shoes, kids either wear sneaks with socks or crocs they can dump themselves if they are too young to deal themselves. My kids go barefoot and don't seem to care (although I can't myself!)

I have sand and I would not suggest it. Every year around August there tends to be a ton of bees just swarming right at the top. It happens to my parents sand also. I think there is probably a huge nest under there but I do not know how to get it out. I am to the point now that I dont want the sand anymore but is there someone that will just come and haul it away or what do you do with it? There are pros and cons to everything. Why dont you stop by one of those swingset stores and see what they suggest. Good luck.

I would recommend Rubber Mulch and under the swings themselves Rubber Mats. That way the kids won't get muddy and will have extra support and won't fall. It's the safest way to go to avoid injuries and falls! http://www.rubbermulch.com/curbs.htm Good Luck Hope they enjoy!

I say rubber mulch. Our local park has wood chips and I have to pick slivers out of my kids skin every time we go. One trip to the park netted a total of 20 slivers pulled out of my daughter's hand and once my son got a wood chip imbeded in his foot after it went right through his shoe.
Sand is a giant litter box, and pea gravel gets stuck in sandals and shoes.

You can also get an all weather rubber mat, I believe.
Good luck!

Pea gravel is okay but it really hurts when it gets in the shoes while kids are running and playing, so you spend 75% of your time outside dumping shoes. Sand, of course, is a big litter box for cats but if you go outside and do a walk through and scoop out any debris then it is fine, it also allows for a second play opportunity for the kids when it is still damp. Wood mulch decomposes and molds. It causes an asthma attack in me everytime I go on the playground at the kids school. Rubber mulch is dirty and leaves stains on clothes sometimes. I prefer heavy grass made for high traffic areas or just sand. In a private home you don't have to have anything under your equipment. In a home day care or child care center there are specific requirements so I know a lot about that. You may want to check with your home owners insurance and see what they recommend. In my child care center we chose to not have swings because the insurance for having them was astromnomical but we did have sand under the climbing equipment.