Pros And Cons Of Different Base Materials For Your Rainbow Swing Set
When you have a rainbow swing set delivered to your home, you're sure to have happy children who will be eagerly anticipating the joy that they'll experience playing on this play structure. Before the swing set can be installed, however, you'll have to decide on the base material that will sit beneath it. Generally, homeowners have some manner of base material under their swing set structures, rather than having these play structures sitting on the grass. There are several different base materials to consider, and each has its own pros and cons.
Wood Mulch
Pros: Wood mulch is desirable as a base material for your rainbow swing set because it's readily available and is generally affordable. For example, you can often buy large bags or even cubic yards of natural wood mulch at your local garden center without spending much money. If you have a treed property and rent a wood chipper, you can even make your own mulch.
Cons: One downfall to wood mulch is that it has rough edges, which means that your children may get slivers if they fall on it awkwardly. Additionally, your kids won't be able to run around on it in their bare feet. Additionally, wood mulch does break down over time, which means that you may need to replace this base material in a few years.
Rubber Mulch
Pros: Rubber mulch is a modern alternative to wood mulch, and is often made from recycling rubber items such as car and truck tires. It's desirable as a base for your swing set structure because it has an extremely long life and won't break down. Additionally, it's soft underfoot, which means that it can provide some cushioning in the event of a child taking a fall.
Cons: Because it's not a natural material, you'll need to remove it in the event that you no longer need it. For example, if you're moving and you want to take the swing set with you, you won't want to leave a patch of rubber mulch in your yard. The process of raking it up and bagging it can be time consuming.
Sand
Pros: Sand is another material that people often choose as a base for their swing sets. It's soft underfoot and children will enjoy running around barefoot on it. It also serves as an added attraction for making sand castles and other structures.
Cons: When it's wet, sand can be messy. This means that your children may track sand into the house. Additionally, neighborhood cats can occasionally few sand as a makeshift litter box, so you may have the occasional mess to clean up.
Contact a company like Rainbow Play Systems of Colorado to find out which material they would recommend.