Playsets are a great way to provide your children with hours of entertainment and exercise, but it can also be a lot of work getting them set up. You need to prepare the ground, decide what kind of play surface you want, and figure out how to install the equipment on an uneven yard.
While helping my sister with some decisions on installing a playset for her kids in their backyard, we ended up with some questions that we didn’t have when we first started the process. So, I’ve compiled those questions and provided some answers courtesy of experts, other parents, and what we’ve been learning along the way.
What Do You Put Under An Outdoor Play Set?
In general, outdoor playset installation can be on a layer of sand or rubber mats if the ground is relatively flat. If your yard has some slight slopes and bumps, then you might want to opt for wood chips or bark mulch since it will help fill in those imperfections.
What you’re going to put down under your playset is a decision that needs to be made before you start digging and building. If your yard has any kind of slope, it’s likely going to need some extra support if you want the playing surface to remain flat for years after installation.
Wood chips or bark mulch can do the trick as they help level out those hills and dips. You will want the perimeter of your mulch or wood chips to extend out about a foot beyond the footprint of your playset to allow for additional settling.
If there’s no slope, then topsoil or sand will work just fine. You can also find rubber mats specifically made for this purpose which lay flat and are easy to install over grassy yards as well.
The upside to using rubber mats is that they will last for years, whereas wood chips or mulch will decay and get blown away by the wind meaning you’ll have to keep adding back to it. In addition, rubber mats won’t allow weeds to grow through them and are relatively easy to put down.
| Product | Price (per Cubic Yard) |
| Topsoil | $50 |
| Sifted (Screened) Sand | $20 |
| Bark Mulch | $93 |
| Wood Chips | $24 |
| Rubber Mulch | $120 |
How Do You Prepare The Ground For An Outdoor Play Set?
When preparing the ground for a playset, start by removing any large rocks or sticks in the area where the installation will take place. Determine what sort of ground covering you want under your playset and if your yard is uneven, it’s going to need some extra support as well as leveling.
Once you have an area of your yard free from any debris, the next step is to level it out so there are no dips or hills in place. This can be done by using a plate compactor which basically presses everything down until it’s nice and flat or, for smaller jobs, you can use a shovel to pack down the dirt.
Once you’re happy with how flat everything is, go ahead and lay out whatever you have decided to use as a ground-covering under the playset.
Some playset manufacturers actually recommend that you build a wood or block frame to place underneath the equipment, but most will work just fine with a flat surface.
A lot of people don’t want to mess around with special ground coverings like sand or mulch and prefer to just stick with grass. This way, once their kids outgrow the playset, they can just remove it and do some light landscaping to reintegrate that area into the rest of your yard.
This is perfectly valid…I even told my sister that if it were me I would just leave a natural, grass covering…but there are some downsides to doing this:
- Could end up with bald spots in grass.
- Extra obstacle when mowing the lawn.
- Dogs may still use the area for…their deposits.
While grass is very resilient, know that the area under the playset is going to get a lot of extra traffic from kids running and jumping around. You may end up with some bald spots that will need to be replanted in the future.
You’re also giving yourself an obstacle when mowing the lawn…this one probably isn’t a huge deal since a mower can still do the bulk of the work and a weed-whacker can take care of the areas around the ground posts. But I thought it was still worth mentioning.
Lastly, if you have dogs and you leave natural grass under your playset chances it will get some fun little surprises left there…just make sure you look a little harder when cleaning this area.
Can You Put A Play Set On Grass?
As long as you’re okay with having to reseed in the future and the ground is fairly even, installing an outdoor playset is perfectly fine. If your yard is slanted or has undulation, you will want to put down a layer of mulch or wood chips to help level it out.
Most playsets will come with detailed instructions on how to best install on various ground coverings, including grass.
If your house uses a septic system…rather than city sewage…you will want to make sure your playset isn’t installed over the leach field or so that it blocks access to where the pumping techs need to run their drainage lines.
This is a fairly unique circumstance nowadays, but important enough that I felt I should mention it...I also have an article over here that goes into more detail about your yard and septic systems.
Can You Use Rubber Mulch Under An Outdoor Play Set?
Many people installing outdoor playsets in their backyards opt to use rubber mulch since it will last longer than natural materials like wood chips and wood mulch. Rubber mulch can also add extra protection since it won’t create splinters or hold moisture.
Like any ground covering, you will need to do a little prep work before laying down a layer of rubber mulch.
- Remove any large rocks or sticks.
- Ensure that the ground is relatively flat.
- You may also want to build a wooden frame to help contain all of the rubber mulch.
Once you’ve mapped out the footprint of your playset, you will want to set down landscape fabric to help hold everything in place. Landscape fabric will also help prevent any weed growth.
Rubber mulch is a fantastic surface to use if your yard is uneven since it is large and may be used to cover up the low areas, resulting in an even layout.
While a majority of people are choosing rubber mulch over the more traditional wood chips, you have to keep in mind that it can get very hot underfoot…if this is an issue for your family consider using a layer of sand underneath.
You may also want to spray some water every once in a while in the summer months to keep the rubber pieces cool. This will make it easier on your kids while playing and help keep the area around the pay set a bit cooler as well.
Does Rubber Mulch Attract Snakes?
In general, snakes won’t be attracted to rubber mulch any more than they will be attracted to wood chips or other types of ground coverings. Snakes are going to go where they can nest and hunt for food, rubber mulch doesn’t lend itself to either of these.
This isn’t to say that a snake will never find its way into your rubber mulch or on the playset. Animals are fairly unpredictable and if the snake thinks there is a good opportunity to find something to eat or hunker down then one may slither its way in.
If you live in an area with a lot of snake activity, especially venomous snakes, then you will want to consider other protective measures.
Snakes aren’t evil creatures and while their presence can be a bit nerve-racking, they may actually help you out by getting rid of some bugs. Just make sure to keep an eye on your kids around the playset…you never know what type of snake will turn up!
How Much Mulch Do I Need For A Play Set?
On average, you will want enough to fill the dimensions of your playset PLUS 6 inches on each side. As for depth, you should put down several inches worth to completely cover the landscape fabric, but overdoing it can make walking and running cumbersome.
Before determining the amount of rubber or wood mulch that is needed for your backyard playset, take an accurate measurement of all sides then add about six inches to each side so that everything has some overlap.
It is highly recommended that you build a wooden frame around this area so that it will keep the landscape fabric “pinned” in place and keep all of your mulch contained in one area.
If you aren’t sure how much mulch to order then it is a good idea to buy some extra just in case, this will also help if any areas need filling in down the line.
If you end up putting too much down you can always shovel some back into a bag or bucket and store it for later, you will need to do this quickly though since you wouldn’t want to put wet or dirty mulch in with the clean and dry stuff…of course, this is a moot point if you’re using rubber mulch.
Final Thoughts
To sum things up, you really can’t go wrong with any type of ground covering…just as long as your ground is fairly flat and free of any stumps, tree roots, large rocks, and sticks.
Rubber mulch is a great ground cover for your outdoor playset because it helps to even out the terrain and can be used in conjunction with landscaping fabric. Keep in mind that this type of surface may get hot, so you should take measures like spraying water on it periodically or using sand as an insulator if necessary.
Snakes are unlikely to invade your space while hunting for food because rubber mulch doesn’t offer much opportunity for nesting or scavenging but they might turn up when seeking bugs!
If you’re worried about snakes coming into contact with children playing near the playset then consider building a wooden frame around the area before laying down any landscape fabric, which will also help protect against weeds from growing through the cracks.
Natural wood or tree bark mulch/chips are going to provide a more natural look and feel for your backyard. This is great if you are looking for a more rustic feel but it will require frequent upkeep, especially in the hotter months where mulch may dry up quickly and blow away with wind gusts.
One final thought…Your warranty may require specific types of ground coverings for your playset’s surface, so be sure to check with the manufacturer beforehand!