Have you ever noticed that playgrounds at city parks and schools usually have wood chips surrounding each piece of equipment?

This type of playground mulch is popular for good reason. Wood mulch is affordable, easy to source, and can offer quite a bit of cushioning to help protect children playing on larger pieces of equipment.

If you are thinking about installing mulch in your backyard playground, here are three tips that you should follow to ensure you stay happy with your playground mulch over time.

1. Create a Perimeter Outline

You should always begin a playground mulch project by identifying where you want the perimeter of your play area to be. It's important to outline this perimeter with suitable landscape edging before you bring in truckloads of wood mulch.

Some types of landscape edging that you should consider when installing playground mulch include poured concrete curbing, brick, and landscape plastics.

These edging materials help prevent your mulch from migrating out of the designated playground area and onto any nearby grass.

2. Use Landscape Fabric

After you have created a perimeter outline and excavated the area where you want to install your wood mulch, you must take the time to line the entire playground area with a quality landscape fabric.

Landscape fabric is uniquely designed to prevent any vegetation from growing up through the fabric barrier. This means that using landscape fabric beneath your wood mulch will help prevent any weeds from compromising the aesthetic of your playground.

The time it takes to install landscape fabric pales in comparison to the time you will save on routine maintenance once your playground mulch has been installed.

3. Lay Enough Mulch

You can't scrimp when it comes to laying down mulch in your backyard playground. Wood chip mulch can only cushion a child's fall if the mulch layer is deep enough.

Experts suggest that the mulch layer below your playground equipment be at least 9 inches deep to ensure maximum protection.

It can be beneficial to create an even deeper layer in high-traffic areas, like at the end of slides or underneath swing sets. The additional mulch you place in these areas will help to compensate for the displacement of wood chips that may occur with normal use, and help to maintain adequate mulch depth at all times.

Wood chips can be a valuable addition to your backyard playground. With proper installation, wood playground mulch can help make your backyard a little safer. 

For more information, contact a local company like Watson's Tree Services-Soil & Mulch.