Choosing A Site
When you plan a home playground, a location away from roads and driveways – which is also readily visible from inside the home, patios, or porches – is important.  So, keep the following points in mind:

• Create a site free of obstacles that could cause injuries – such as low overhanging tree branches, overhead wires, tree stumps and/or roots, large rocks, bricks, and concrete.
• Choose a level location for the equipment.  This can reduce the likelihood of the play set tipping over and loose-fill surfacing materials washing away during heavy rains.  Some sites may need re-grading to improve drainage or to reduce the slope.
• Locate play equipment at least 6 feet from any structure or obstacle, such as a house, fence, sheds, trees or poles.  Swings should be further away from structures to the front and rear of the swings – a distance equal to twice the height of the top bar from which the swing is suspended.

Providing Play Areas
Children can injure themselves when they fall or run between pieces of play equipment.  To help prevent this, you can do the following:

• Provide shock-absorbing protective surfacing material underneath and at least 6 feet beyond the perimeter of the play structure.
• Provide enough room so that children can use the equipment safely.  For example, for structures with multiple play activities, a slide should not exit in front of a swing.
• Separate active and quiet activities from each other.  For example, locate sandboxes away from swings or use a guardrail or barrier to separate the sandbox from the movement of the swings.

Protective Surfacing
One of the most important things you can do to reduce the likelihood of serious head injuries is to install shock-absorbing protective surfacing under and around your play equipment.  The protective surfacing should be applied to a depth that is suitable for the equipment height in accordance with ASTM F1292.  There are different types of surfacing to choose from; whichever product you select, follow these guidelines:

• Do not install loose fill surfacing over hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt.
• Maintain a minimum depth of 9 inches of loose-fill materials such as wood mulch/chips, engineered wood fiber (EWF), or shredded/recycled rubber mulch for equipment up to 8 feet high; and 9 inches of sand or pea gravel for equipment up to 5 feet high.  NOTE:  an initial fill level of 12 inches will compress to about a 9-inch depth of surfacing over time.  The surfacing will also compact, displace, and settle, and should be periodically refilled to maintain at least a 9-inch depth.
• Use a minimum of 6 inches of protective surfacing for play equipment less than 4 feet in height.  If maintained properly, this should be adequate.  (At depths less than 6 inches, the protective material is too easily displace or compacted.)
• To maintain the right amount of loose-fill materials, mark the correct level on play equipment support posts.  That way you can easily see when to replenish and/or redistribute the surfacing.
• Use containment, such as digging out around the perimeter and/or lining the perimeter with landscape edging.  Don’t forget to account for water drainage.
• You likely have several good sources for mulch and other surface materials in your area; you may also want to evaluate the products found at: www.majesticmulch.com.  This company is not affiliated with HomePlace Structures, and their contact information is provided to you simply as a resource.