Summary
- Playsafer Rubber Mulch Nuggets provide safe padding with multiple color options and shock absorbency.
- Margo Garden Products Rainforest Gravel offers affordability, erosion prevention, and residential landscaping design.
- Vundahboah Amish Goods Cedar Wood Mulch repels insects, regulates soil moisture, and comes in big batches.
You probably hardly heard of ground coverings for playgrounds before owning a backyard and having kids around. A firm but soft surface is a vital component of safe play that allows for running, jumping, and inevitably falling without risk of injury for little ones.
If you're a bit confused with all the different surfaces available for your playground, take a look at the pros and cons of the most relevant types of mulch, and the best playground covering materials available.
Backyard Boss Top 5 Ground Coverings for Playgrounds
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Best Play Safe Mulch
Playsafer Rubber Mulch Nuggets
Good rubber mulch provides safe padding for high-impact outdoor play areas
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Pros:
- Six color options
- Shock absorbent
- Anti-mold and weed growth
- ADA Approved & IPEMA Certified
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Cons:
- Potential for off-gassing
- Shipping takes a while
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Why We Like It: This mulch is made of recycled tires that have been processed to be non-toxic and safe for children. These rubber nuggets are incredibly shock-absorbant and easy to install, effortlessly providing safe padding for clumsy children. It’s also weather-proof and prevents dust, mud, mold, and insect growth while keeping the soil healthy and moisturized. It’s low maintenance, long-lasting, available in a variety of colors, and has IPEMA certification and ADA Approval.
Why You Should Buy It: Rubber is great for those looking for the most shock absorbance in their mulch.
Best Budget Option
Margo Garden Products Rainforest Gravel
Gravel is an affordable way to landscape and create a distinct border around your playground
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Pros:
- Prevents weed growth
- Designed for residential landscaping
- Prevents erosion
- Mulch and Soil Council-certified
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Cons:
- Very small size
- Better for small areas
- High maintenance
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Why We Like It: Pea gravel is another popular choice for playgrounds and provides them with a natural touch. These small stones are often used in landscaping and gardening to help retain soil moisture while preventing erosion and weed growth. What it lacks in shock absorption is made up for in its microbial properties and the fact that it doesn’t attract animals.
Why You Should Buy It: Gravel is a great option for anyone looking to create a border around their playground.
Best Wood Chips
Vundahboah Amish Goods Cedar Wood Mulch
Cedar mulch gives children an insect-less space to have fun in their playgrounds
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Pros:
- Fresh and organic
- Retains soil moisture
- Regulates ground temps
- Large wood chunks and shavings
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Cons:
- Needs annual maintenance
- Could result in scrapes if too rowdy
- Decomposes naturally
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Why We Like It: Cedar wood chips and shavings are great for outdoor landscaping. Using these chips creates a fresh cedar aroma that naturally repels insects. It also promotes moisture retention in soil, helps regulate ground temperature, and stops weeds from growing. The wood is naturally harvested and hand-sourced from the Old Order Amish in Tennessee and comes in big batches that make it easy to set up. Cedar’s natural oils also help it last much longer than other natural wood mulch varieties.
Why You Should Buy It: Cedar mulch is fantastic for those worried about insect bites on the playground.
Best Straw Mulch
EZ Straw Mulch
Straw mulch minimizes the mud that a child could collect while playing outdoors
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Pros:
- Uses Tackifier
- Promotes soil health, even during decomposition
- Long-lasting
- Prevents weed growth
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Cons:
- Fine straw could cause sneezing
- Promotes potentially disruptive seed and weed growth
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Why We Like It: EZ straw mulch is made of processed straw that’s been specially treated with a Tackifier, a natural bonding agent that holds the straw in place even with wind and rain. It’s specially designed for seeding, meaning it also helps nourish the soil and keep it healthy. The straw provides kids with natural and soft padding and helps prevent mud from sticking to their shoes and tracking it indoors!
Why You Should Buy It: Straw mulch is great for those with wet gardens, since the straw helps manage muddy areas.
Best for Young Children
Rubber-Cal Eco-Sport Interlocking Tile
Rubber tiles are a neat solution that is almost zero-maintenance and can be easily cleaned
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Pros:
- Solid, nothing falls in between
- No choking hazard
- Low maintenance costs
- Color options
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Cons:
- High upfront costs
- Dark colors can heat up under the sun
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Why We Like It: Peace of mind can be everything when it comes to toddlers. Not only are these rubber tiles durable and wear-resistant, but their ¾-inch thickness is also designed to absorb shock and impact. For this reason, rubber tiles are the best option when it comes to small children.
Why You Should Buy It: People with toddlers, as there's no other playground ground covering that offers the same degree of safety for children of that age.
Things to Consider When Choosing Playground Ground Covering
With such a diverse range of options, it can become difficult to decide what's best for you. Make out a list of attributes that are most important for you and assign them an order of priority. There are tons of factors that go into choosing a ground cover for your playground, and they vary from person to person. However, the safety, cost, longevity, sustainability, and beauty of each material are universal considerations.
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Safety |
This is more clear-cut in case you have toddlers, as their safety should be clearly on top of your list. The height of your playground is also a determining factor in its safety. The taller the set, the better the ground cover needs to be at absorbing shock. Loose options like shredded rubber can safely absorb the energy of falls, with 6 inches of the material being able to protect falls from up to 10 feet. |
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Cost |
In case your playset isn't that tall and your children are older, safety considerations might take a backseat to aspects like costs, maintenance, and looks. When it comes to costs, you'll need to evaluate both up-front and long-term costs. Playground ground covering comes at varying price points. Depending on the cover variety and brand, some are more costly due to being specially designed for playground use, such as rubber mulch and tiles, which serve as a long-term investment. |
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Longevity |
Ground cover longevity is a huge factor to weigh, considering that natural wood, straw, and stone options break down much more quickly than synthetic materials. Natural mulch needs more involved maintenance thanks to organic decomposition and wear and tear. You should also consider if you’re willing to regularly invest your time, effort, and money for the upkeep. |
On the other hand, synthetic mulch lasts longer as long as it has been properly set up. These can last years and won’t require much involvement and checkups. |
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Sustainability |
Sustainability is an important element, even with playground mulch. Technology has allowed mulch to be more sustainably harvested and sold, using eco-friendly processes for natural options and recycling tires for rubber materials. Mulch is also made to aid soil health through green materials, treatments, and colorants that won’t negatively impact the environment. |
Disposal is another facet of sustainability. While natural mulch decomposes on its own and gravel is easy to repurpose or transfer, synthetic mulch materials will need more time and care for proper disposal. If you can’t commit to proper disposal, this can help you decide on a mulch option for you. |
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Aesthetics |
Last but not least, there's the aesthetic component. Appearance is something that shouldn't be underestimated. After all, you'll be seeing the playset daily for years to come. |
Wood mulch, sand, and pea gravel are sought-after because they look natural and complement the outdoor feeling of most backyards and gardens. Plus, they're friendly with the environment, unlike their synthetic counterparts. Beauty, however, is in the eye of the beholder. If hot pink shredded rubber mulch is what fancies your taste, go for it! |
Most Recommended for Your Playground
Taking all the different variables into account, our choice for the best playground surface is the Playsafer Rubber Mulch Nuggets.
When digging deep into aspects such as safety, lifetime costs, ease of maintenance/replacement, and aesthetics, this product offers the best overall performance. Rubber nuggets are a considerable investment, but this initial investment is offset by years of reliable service, little to no maintenance, and peace of mind of knowing that your children are safe.
In terms of looks, although not as natural looking as wood or gravel, the breadth of colors you can choose from means you'll more than likely find the hue that perfectly matches the style of your property.
Beyond our top choice for the best playground mulch, our recommendation for you is to analyze your circumstances and choose the most suitable fit. If upfront costs are a deal-breaker, then go for what gives you the best value and strive for a compromise between safety, upkeep, and looks.