Installing mulch around a daycare playround

[ExecutiveLawns]

I have a customer that has a daycare that they want new mulch installed. I have never installed mulch around a playground before and dont know how deep it needs to be for safety reasons. can any one help me out with this one?

Thanks

[KINGSBURYLANDSCAPELLC]

i believe it is 6"-8"

[carcrz]

Why not just ask her how thick she would like it installed. Everyone has their preference. I have had daycares/playgrounds go as thin as 4" & as thick as 8". It really depends on how much they have budgeted for the project as it seems many of the daycares around here tend to go through new management yearly.

[KINGSBURYLANDSCAPELLC]

Why not just ask her how thick she would like it installed. Everyone has their preference. I have had daycares/playgrounds go as thin as 4" & as thick as 8". It really depends on how much they have budgeted for the project as it seems many of the daycares around here tend to go through new management yearly.

Only problem with that is there is I believe a federal regulation as far as how much for it to be "safe". I thought it was something like 1" of mulch per foot in height. An example is if the highest height they could fall from is 8' then 8" of mulch for safety.

[Mike33]

Only problem with that is there is I believe a federal regulation as far as how much for it to be "safe".

I think your right on that. I do very little mulching and last winter i actually did 3 play grounds with the rubber mulch. They just told me to make it thick as possible. They received a federal grant for the purchase but there formula was so bad off coverage was lucky to be 4". That stuff was so expensive they did there own purchasing, the 1 play ground wasent that big and cost 7k. Funny thing they shipped in in 1500 lb. paste board boxes of coursse on skids.
Mike

[ExecutiveLawns]

Thanks guys you are much help. I will have to measure the highest point on the playground to see how think that way.

Thanks again

[carcrz]

I guess it would depend on how much was still there then.

[mattfromNY]

We just installed mulch into an apartment complex playground, and we were required (by mgmt of complex) to use 'certified' playground mulch. My father in law does maint. for the local school, and they are required by the state to use 'certified' materials on their playgrounds as well.
Not a lot more expensive than regular wood chips, but harder to find. I was able to charge more, also, therefore making me a little more money than I would usually just using regular wood chips.

[Uranus]

Here in Mass, OCCS mandates that there be a minimum of 6 inches of playground chips around any structure that a child may climb. They want a minimum of 3 ft around each structure. They call it a fall zone. Swings have to have playground chips 3 ft past any swing at full extension. So it there is 6 ft of chain holding swing there has to be 9 ft of playground chips front and back and 3 ft of chips to both sides. I just installed 34 yards at my kids daycare.

I would be talking to the director of the daycare. Ask if there are any state regulations that they have to follow when it comes to this. In mass we are not allowed to use mulch or wood chips. It has to be Playground chips. It is a cleaner wood chip product. no leaves, sticks or twigs.

[ExecutiveLawns]

Thanks again guys ill have to ask the director there to see what they say
Thanks