Bark chipping for play area - DIY

pls1 · 20 Mar 2009

I'm planning a play area for the kids in the back garden by covering an area of earth with bark chippings.
Since I have a load of wood (logs, branches etc) from various trees I have chopped down over the years I was wondering if I could hire a chipper and create the chippings myself.
I was wondering if anyone has ever done this and what the end result is like? Obviously most of the chipping will be wood and not bark so I don't know if this will make a difference or not. Also will the chippings from a hire machine be different to the purpose made stuff designed for a play area?

Thermo · 20 Mar 2009

the stuff you make from your collection of branches will only really be fit for use as muclhing beds or for pathways. It will be too rough for use as play chips. Play bark is exactly that bark, which is tumbled to lose all the rough edges.

breezer · 21 Mar 2009

I dont recomend the stuff anyway. (not that i am dissagreeing with thermo) I found that unless you have a layer 4 inches thick, it shrinks too much as it dries out, and then the wind blows it away (bit by bit, not all at once)

Thermo · 22 Mar 2009

it shouldnt be put down thinner than that as a mulch anyway anyway.

with regards playbark needs to be a minimum of 6 inches, dependent on the height of possible fall

HandyHands · 22 Mar 2009

We've used pea shingle in the kids play area - after seeing it used over in France for their play areas. The kids have had numerous falls from swings, slides etc, and no broken bones yet.

Symptoms · 22 Mar 2009

pls - expect loads of splinters in the nippers' knees and ars*s if you use your home-made chippings. Another consideration is some timber is toxic and it's unlikely you'll be able to identify timber types from your mixed log pile ... therefore expect visits to the hospital for splinter removal, Penicillin jabs in their jacksy's after they 'come-up' in big red blotches.

Granulated-rubber pellets or HH's pea shingle is the answer.

Thermo · 22 Mar 2009

or the proper tumbled play bark to comply with british standards.

At first i thought the pea shingle sounded a good idea, however i waould be very wary of the fact that 8 out 10 cats who expressed a preference, thought it mad a wonderful toilet!

HandyHands · 22 Mar 2009

Thermo - I had the same reservations as we have a big cat problem in the garden. However, it's been down 4 years now, and not one cat has left its calling card.

It's a great, low cost, easily maintained solution.

Thermo · 22 Mar 2009

makes sense from a safety point of view, i can see the logic in it

freddiemercurystwin · 22 Mar 2009

HandyHands said:
Thermo - I had the same reservations as we have a big cat problem in the garden. However, it's been down 4 years now, and not one cat has left its calling card.

It's a great, low cost, easily maintained solution.

Its a chance, you may be lucky, you may not.

I have pea gravel and a cat and once a week or so I find a turd, (not from my cat). I know which cat it is too pesky flearidden rotten little XXX if I ever catch it I'm gonna,
/oh wait
/calms down

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Bark chipping for play area - DIY

breezer

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