Playground Fall Areas

Fall zone areas for playground equipment are designed to absorb the shock of a fall from a playset or swingset. They also serve to designate the play area of the backyard from the rest of the yard. These fall areas are usually bordered with plastic or wood landscape timbers and filled with products such as pea gravel, engineered wood fiber, or rubber mulch. The potential fall height from play equipment has a lot to with material choice and depth of fill material. The Consumer Product Safety Commission a chart outlining each product and it's critical fall height shock absorption value. See this chart and other important playground safety information at:  CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook

We only sell and install plastic borders. These types of borders are engineered specifically for fall areas and can contain a large volume of fill material. They are secured together with large stakes that anchor almost 24" into the ground. Plastic borders can be resold when the family playset is dismantled and the fall area is removed. These plastic borders could potentially be repurposed for 20-30 years for several families. They can also be used for raised gardens, sandboxes, a turtle run or more.

Wood Borders

Wood landscape borders are the easiest to obtain locally and fairly inexpensive, however, the labor cost is more to build the enclosure properly. It takes more than a few timbers stacked on top of each other. Most of the time these types of borders are constructed poorly, often failing or rotting and finally spilling fill material out into the yard. The one shown above should be three landscape timbers high, the joints staggered for added strength and anchored to contain the large amount of fill material for this project. Due to the chemical treatment in the wood, some landfills will not accept them for disposal. 

Fill Material

The CPSC rates Engineered Wood Fiber and rubber mulch for best shock absorption. While rubber mulch requires less depth for greater fall heights, it does have drawbacks in residential applications. It's costly, it does get hot, it can smell and at some point its need will pass and you will have to find a way to dispose of or remove it from your backyard. Even though EWF requires greater depth, we prefer EWF because it's more affordable, it's natural and it's easier to dispose of just by spreading it in the garden or flower beds. You will have to fluff, mix or loosen it annually and let it re-pack for added life and fall absorption.

Proper Construction

Once you've decided on border type and cushioning material, the next task is the proper construction of your playset fall area.
Here are a few tips for installation.
  • Install playset securely on solid ground. Refer to CPSC guidelines for distance.
  • Layout area with stakes and string.
  • Install borders along string line.
  • Fill area with 1-2 inches of pea gravel for increased water drainage.
  • Cover pea gravel with geotextile cloth.
  • Fill fall area with fall surface material.

Things to think about before you hire a playset installer

  • ​Do they have a website? In the 21st century, what real business doesn't?
  • Beware of swingset installers who don't list a phone number or an e-mail address in their ad. Where will they be next month or next year?​
  • ​Believe it or not finding the cheapest deal isn't always the best thing. Beware of installers who don't charge enough. They could be hard up for cash and don't care what happens after they're paid. Playset installation is always a mental challenge and hard work. A professional will know their value.
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