If you’ve already purchased a swing set or are thinking about one for your backyard, you’ll want to consider what to put under it.
While there isn’t an ideal material that will totally eliminate injuries in the event of a fall from a swing set, we will discuss the best material to protect against injury should it happen.
What to Expect? We will cover various materials and include pros and cons to each option. We will consider safety, maintenance, cost, and durability in determining what may work best.
Why is it important to consider the material under a swing set?
Even if you keep a watchful eye on your little ones, you can’t place them into bubble wrap.
Eventually, there will come a moment when one will stumble and fall or decide to leap off or do some other mad-tastic trick that children do.
Kids can injure themselves walking to school or just tripping over their own feet so it’s worth taking a minute to think about possible surface material for under the swing set, since if they fall, they may be falling from a significant height.
If you take into consideration a surface material, you will want to make sure it has some kind of “shock absorbing” capability.
For example, if you were to put a swing on a hard surface, like concrete, the injury spectrum then starts to be more about cuts, bruises and broken bones.
There are several types of surfaces that would do a better job of absorbing the unpleasantness.
As the parent or caregiver, you would want the surface of your swing set to absorb well and not your child’s body.
There are tons of materials out there for under a swing set. In this guide, we will share them all with you and give you our suggestion for the top one!
What is the best material to put under a swing set?
The most popular types of surface material are:
- pea gravel
- wood mulch or chippings
- sand
- grass
- rubber mats
- and rubber mulch
But which one is the best, though?
Only you can answer this question. If you’re like the majority of individuals, and you’re looking for a quick answer, then we recommend rubber mulch. If the swing set is for toddlers, rubber mats are also an option but that’s just to mitigate choking hazards and not something that you would get hurt from impact.
When it comes to selected the best material to protect against unnecessary injuries, rubber mulch is our clear winner.
Rubber mulch is typically more expensive in the short run, but lasts a long time and doesn’t really require a replacement when compared to sand or wood mulch.
Rubber mulch is also almost maintenance free!
What do we advise against for swing set surface materials?
Not all hard, solid items are appropriate as a base underneath a swing set, as hard material has very little – if any – shock absorbing qualities.
This may be surprising, but even grass is not suitable!
Grass
It’s fairly common to see grass under a backyard swing set – usually because that’s how it was when a swing set went in under a builder’s supervision and many never think twice about it otherwise.
Unfortunately, grass is not an ideal surface material for under a swing set and there are many reasons why.
First of all, when the weather is dry (which is when chances are a swing set will be used), the ground becomes rock hard.
This is especially true in the hotter months when it barely rains, if rain even comes at all.
So, as a result – there is not a lot of protective surface under grass when kids fall off a swing set after using it as designed. Grass has the least resistance to impact compared to all popular materials used for swing set surfaces.
Second, when the weather is wet, or after it has rained, grass becomes very slippery.
This means when your kids try to get on or off the swing or they jump off or run around, they are more likely to slip.
Lastly, your grass will look lush and green in the spring when you have installed your swing set, but after using it often, it quickly wears out, and you are left with hard, dusty (or muddy) patch of ground.
Not a protecting surface at all.
If the budget determines that you only have grass, take comfort in knowing that for most of the time (when the ground is wet and not compacted) grass is more protective than asphalt or concrete.
Artificial Grass
Artificial grass is becoming a popular surface material – it has the same benefits of grass, without the need for a mowing.
While it doesn’t require mowing, it probably requires some washing from time to time, and it can look a little out of place in the height of summer when the grass is brown and dead, while your artificial grass is still green and lush.
As a surface material for a swing set, artificial grass provides only minimal added protection over not having artificial grass as a surface.
When installing artificial grass and you know you will be adding a swing set, you could also install some shock-resistance pads under the swings, but it is still a hard surface.
Keep in the mind – specifications of the artificial grass state it often drains better, thus is not as slippery when wet, however it does heat up quite significantly in the sun and can burn bare skin. Cost is also an important factor to consider when justifying artificial grass versus traditional grass surface.
Other unsuitable surfaces
When asking yourself what is the best material to put under a swing set, you probably already have an idea of what else isn’t suitable.
Included in the list of unsuitable materials are:
- Flagged paving
- Concrete
- Decking boards
- Asphalt
- Bare dirt (this can become compacted and hard)
All of these materials are not suitable because they have no shock-absorbency.
Surface materials that can be used under swing sets
When you are contemplating what material is ideal for a half pipe, one thing you will want to consider is what will protect and last.
Here are some suggestions, with some pros and cons.
Rubber Mulch
As already stated above, we considered rubber mulch as the best material for under a swing set.
This material is often specifically designed as a surface material in kids’ play areas, which is why it is found in lots of public playgrounds.
When purchasing this material, you should try to find one that is designed for playground surfaces.
If it’s not, you will want to check it over to ensure no sharp, metal pieces are sticking out that could have occurred during manufacturing.
If the product is certified to ASTM F1292, it’s safe.
Advantages
- When it comes to shock absorption, this is the best surface material available. Six inches of material will protect you from falls up to ten feet.
- No bugs and insects will be attracted to it.
- Least cost in the long run – it will not degrade over time, so it does not need to be replaced.
- Very little maintenance – simply rake every so often so it does not get too uneven.
- Great way to recycle old tires.
- Comes in many colors.
Disadvantage
- Hight initial cost (compared to other loose-fill materials).
- It does not prevent weed growth as effectively as wood mulch.
- It is flammable (although fires are not common) and emits toxic fumes.
Wood Mulch or Wood Chips
Wood chips provide a little added impact resistance, but are significantly more expensive than wood mulch.
If you find something called EWF (engineered wood fiber), it will look similar but is designed and tested specifically as a play area surface material.
When looking at wood mulch—if it complies to the ASTM F2075 safety standard—you will know that it will be safe for playground use.
Take care when evaluating wood mulch and ensure that it has not been made with pressure-treated wood using CCA (chromated copper arsenate) as a preservative. Because pressure-treated wood is not safe for playground use.
Advantages
- 9” of wood mulch will protect from a 7-foot fall, and 9” of wood chips will protect from 10 feet of fall.
- It has good drainage and absorbs rainwater.
- It is not slippery.
- It costs less upfront than rubber mulch.
- It is widely available.
- It can easily be raked back into place.
- It has a natural color and looks good in a garden.
- It will help control weeds.
- It is environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages
- It should be replenished on a regular basis.
- It can be splintery.
- It should be replenished on a regular basis.
- It can get displaced in high traffic areas very easily.
- It can attract bugs.
- It may become moldy.
- It can freeze in cold temperatures, which makes it less safe.
Pea gravel
Pea gravel Costs very little, has nice drainage, and can be found in lots of places.
But, it doesn’t provide much in shock absorbency.
Although it looks beautiful in a back yard, it will likely need replenishing frequently.
Advantages
- It is sanitary (it gets washed when it rains).
- It won’t harbor microbial organisms.
- It is inexpensive.
- It is a natural product that looks nice in the garden.
- It is a long-lasting product.
- It will stay in place better than the sand product.
Disadvantages
- It’s not as effective at shock absorbency as other loose-fill materials. Nine inches will give you protection from five foot falls (this is probably enough for a swing set).
- Anyone with mobility problems will have a tough time moving on it.
- You might find wildlife or local cats using it for a toilet.
- It can break into little pieces, which may create a harder landing surface.
- It will need to be replaced more (though not as much as sand).
- It scatters easily and requires maintenance (raking it back in place) to keep it even.
Sand
Sand is inexpensive and a good material.
Just ensure you are using play sand versus building sand.
However, it would not provide as much shock absorbency compared to other loose-fill materials.
Advantages
- It is cheap.
- It is readily available.
- It is a natural product that looks great in gardens.
- It can double up as a sandbox.
Disadvantages
- 9” will only provide protection for falls from four feet up.
- Becomes rigid when moist and, thus, provides less protection.
- Difficult to walk on if you have mobility issues.
- Potentially may be used as a cat litter box, which may not be ideal.
- Attracts insects, e.g., ants, frequenting the poles where potential for spills and messes are most likely.
- It might spread out on undeveloped areas in the yard, or even blow away.
- Non-compacted, would require consistent raking and topping up with new material.
Final thoughts – what is the best material to put under a swing set?
When deciding on a material for under your kids’ swing set, it’s best to pick something safe.
When it comes to safety, rubber mulch is the best option.
That isn’t to say there are not other materials that are better for you or your family.
I hope this guide gave you a good overview of the pros and cons of swing set surface material to help you make your decision.