AboutBob Meihaus Expertise I can provide experienced answers, options, solutions and personal opinion on almost any topic concerning children`s playgrounds residential or commercial. Including questions on design, construction, maintenance, groundcover, accesiblity and most importantly safety.
Experience For 23 years owner of custom design and build playground company. Over that time designed and built thousands of residential and commercial play structures.
Organizations Certified Safety Inspector and member ASTM committees on playground safety for commercial and residential play areas.
Expert: Bob Meihaus Date: 7/1/2008 Subject: Ground cover for play ground
Question Hi Bob I am trying to figure out what kind of ground covering to put under our swingset. It's a large wooden swingset in an area aprox. 12'x15'. I have two concerns. One, if my girls fall what will be the best for impact and two, we have a ton of cats in the neighborhood. The cats are constantly using the mulch as their litter box. My husband and I have already looked at wood chips, but I'm still concerned the cats will ruin it. The area under the swingset is just dirt right now. I would like to have something to finish it off and make it look nice. Do you have any suggestions??? Thank you for your time. Danielle
Answer Danielle, you have only two choices that are affordable. One is a loose fill organic like all natural oakchips, not mulch, never known cats to be a problem with oakchips but I have been proven wrong before. The other is "P" gravel, really small little rocks. Gravel is cheap, lasts forever, drains well, cleaner and actually has some play value. Draw backs are that it might not be available in your area and that it takes a good boarder to contain the gravel, 6 to 9 inches deep. Most people would use a double row of 6x6 oak ties to contain the gravel, the boarder should be 6 feet away from the structure and end of slide plus 12 to 14 feet away front and back of swing zone. So this type of boarder takes up a lot of extra space in yard. A containment boarder is actually more dangerous than just grass if it is too close and children could fall on it. If your children are creating a hole under swings ? You have your swings hung to low, remember children grow and you have to adjust swing heights. I have seen people just but ground cover in worn areas, helps with wear problem but not fall concerns. Good luck Bob
