What to put under a trampoline? 5 Excellent Ideas!

Trampoline is one of the most expensive outdoor fun sports devices and people have lots of ideas about it. Recently, I heard a few stories of people getting hurt by overloading the trampoline when the base sunk to the ground.

Well, people also sort out the answer. It’s just putting things under a trampoline. But the question is what are the best things to put under your trampoline?

Well, I have lots of ideas about it. It can be a rubber mat, mulch, sandbox, or others. But you can’t choose any option randomly. You need to understand the benefits, downsides, ultimate costs, and hassle of installation. 

To help you in finding the best solution this content is going to be enough. Today, I am going to discuss the list of things to put under the trampoline.

What to put under a trampoline? Let’s break down the 5 Great Ideas.

1. Rubber Mulch

If you think logically then the first thing you should put under your trampoline is rubber mulch. Very often we jump higher and that results much like landing on the ground. 

I heard different stories like kids are jumping and suddenly an excited dad joins the kid. The over force led the trampoline base touching the ground and none of them expected that kind of trampoline to sunk and experienced a harsh landing. 

Hopefully, you don’t want it to happen to you. If so then use rubber mulch. It will always ensure safe landings. 

Aside from using them under trampoline, some clubs are using them on the football ground. There are few reasons to use them under a trampoline. Here I am explaining some briefly.

• The deterioration period of rubber mulch is very long. So, once you buy them you can use them for so long.
• Rubber mulch is bouncier and softer. So enjoying high jumps on a trampoline and another bouncier option underneath is more preferable.
• You don’t need any more protection as they are soft enough.
• If you are worried about the unnecessary growth of grass and other plants then rubber mulch is the best option to use. It will keep them at bay.
• For any unexpected accidents, rubber mulch will be extra security.

Simple instructions to apply rubber mulch

Many of us don’t know the proper way to apply it under a trampoline. For them, I am sharing a little guideline.

1. First, get high-quality rubber mulch. I would recommend “Playsafer Rubber Mulch Nuggets” 
2. Dig a circle with a minimum depth of 3 inches.
3. If your trampoline is 14 feet and circle-shaped then it will require 43 cubic feet or 157 sq. feet of mulch.
4. Apply them to the dug area.
5. Move your trampoline or install it on the mulch.

2. Bury the Trampoline

I bet you have seen many people using this formula because there are a good number of benefits of burying a trampoline.

First of all, people do it for safety purposes. After burying it, the trampoline is no longer just a few feet off the ground. So, there is no chance for the kids to fall off and get hurt.

The next advantage is it Increases the load capacity of a trampoline. I remember when I visited one of my friends who had a buried trampoline, we had upward of 3 kids and 2 adults on the trampoline jumping together.

There is a way to make an in-ground trampoline more secure. To do so you can build a frame around the hole and add the trampoline to the frame by screwing.

The downside of burying a trampoline 

Along with some upside, there are also some downsides of this method. 

• The worst thing is sometimes kids or pets climb under the trampoline and if there is any come-off spring under the trampoline that can be an injurious tool for your kids or pets.
• Again the come-off spring can seriously hurt anyone while jumping on it.
• If you have a round trampoline and you plan to bury it then you have to cost a lot of time preparing the hole. But in the case of a rectangular trampoline, it won’t be that much tougher.

Read more About 9 Different Types of Trampolines

3. Play Sand

If you don’t think rubber mulch isn’t a good idea then the alternative is play sand. Play sand comes with almost the same benefits as rubber mulch and comparing the prices they are slightly expensive. Let’s get the benefits at a glance.

• Just like the other things they ensure safety for kids and adults.
• They are soft but not too bouncy like mulch.
• Installing play sand is a lot easier than mulch. 
• They will provide very long-lasting service.

Estimated Cost

As I mentioned before, using sandbags will be costlier. I have calculated the estimated cost. Here are some ideas.

Per bag sand will cost $5 and it will be capable of covering 1/2 cubic feet area. So, you will need approximately 80 bag sands. That means it will cost around $400.

4. Wood Chips

Another alternative to rubber mulch is wood chips. Fortunately, wood chips are widely available so the overall cost is very low if you use wood chips.

Gladly informing you every bag of wood chips costs around only $3-$5 and they are capable of covering 2 cubic feet. So, you can cover the whole area costing less than $100. 

NB: There are different types of wood chips. The expensive chips will cost $150 or more.

As they are cheaper there are some downsides. First, they are not soft like sandbags or rubber mulch, and second, they are not bouncier. So, you may get a little hurt after a harsh landing. 

However, wood chips are easy to apply under the trampoline. Moreover, there is no chance of finding unexpected plants under the trampoline when there are wood chips.

5. Grass Mat

If you want to maintain both an aesthetic look and safety then the best option is grass mat. Actually, everyone loves the look but no one wants to take the hassle of maintenance. For the. An artificial grass mat is an ideal option.

Trampoline grass mats also contain soft cushioning. As a result, if you fall off the trampoline then you won’t be hurt seriously. However, I would recommend rubber mulch if your priority is a soft surface. 

The extra thing is the green grassy look without any maintenance. Well, small plants can grow under the mat but they won’t grow much and come out. 

The best thing is, installing a grass mat is very simple. On top of that, their longevity is also appreciated.

However, the only downside of grass mats is their overall price. For every 15 square feet, it will cost around $40. So the estimated cost will be near $400 or more. Just for being so costly most people avoid using grass mats.

Related content you may like – How long should you jump on a trampoline for a workout

How to Close off the area under a Trampoline?

Many of us want to close off the area under the trampoline. However, there isn’t a very big gap under my trampoline so I didn’t have to think much about it. But I got some experience as my friend had closed off the area a few days ago. I am going to show you the way but before that, you should know the reason behind it.

Why should you close off the area under the trampoline?

There are mainly 2 reasons behind it. First for the safety of your kids and pets and second to secure the trampoline.

Secure your kids and pets: Very often we see kids and pets try to enter the place under the trampoline. As a result, they can get injured. Especially the come-off springs can be a reason for your pet’s/kid’s serious injury. So it is necessary to close off the area.

For the safety of the trampoline: I don’t know where you live but if there is any nearby forest then there are possibilities that animals can visit your yard and tear off the trampoline. 

If you use safety nets then there is no possibility to attack get harmed from the upside but the downside is always unprotected. If you can close off the downside then your trampoline will remain safe and secure.

Now you know why it’s necessary to close off the trampoline. But here are 2 different ways to close off the trampoline.

1. Wooden wall: A professional way to close-off the space is by building wooden walls around the gaps. It will be like a wooden frame underneath the trampoline. 

Luckily it won’t cost a lot but requires physical labor. However, ask for any of your friends and you don’t need to hire any mechanic I guess. Plus, if you have the wood in the house then you can build it costing anything. 

2. Using storage box: If you don’t have enough time to set up a wooden frame you can make the job done using the unnecessary storage box or other large applications that don’t come to us.

People generally choose this way to save their pocket money. But the only negativity comes forward is your trampoline may look like a mess if you follow this way. Also, be careful not to place any sharp boxes which are torn off the trampoline.

Can you Set up a Trampoline on Grass?

Yes, if it is level grass then you can install the trampoline on the grass. It is even the most convenient way to install a trampoline. However, make sure the land is not uneven. 

The question arises actually for some reasons. The reason is the dying grass. In the next segment, I am going to discuss some related facts.

Why Grasses Die under Trampoline and What is the Consequence?

There are mainly 3 reasons behind this crux. Here the reasons are explained below.

1. The first thing is the lack of sunlight. Some types of grasses require sunlight to live. But when they go underneath the trampoline they don’t get proper sunlight. As a result, they die within a few days.
2. The second reason is the lack of water. Less or much of every plant requires water. But when the grasses are under the trampoline they don’t get enough water and the soil under the trampoline doesn’t get wet enough. So, water is another major reason.
3. The third reason is excessive heat. Some of you may be thinking of as they remain under cover of the trampoline, how will they get heat up? Well during summer, the jumping mat resisted more heat down to the ground as well as the steel frame passes excessive heat. As a consequence, the grasses die.

What Will Happen if the Grasses Die?

You may encounter a few minor problems with dying grasses. Here I am giving a shortlist.

• The biggest problem you may face, when the grasses die the legs of the trampoline shrinks which makes the trampoline lopsided. It may be a reason for different accidents.
• The next problem is the trampoline frame will get dirtier very often due to the lack of grasses.

How to Keep the Grasses Alive Under Trampoline?

It’s a very common question and I have come up with few tricks to help you. Let’s get them

1. The first and foremost thing is proper maintenance. When it is summer water the grasses and keep the soil wet. 
2. If it is possible then cover the trampoline legs with any sort of thick cloth which can absorb some heat and prevent from making the soil drier.
3. This task will be a bit tougher but the best practice is to install the trampoline on even ground where you can move them after a few days. So the grasses will get enough sunlight and water and grow. By changing the trampoline position you can keep the grasses alive.

Read More – How to Keep a trampoline from blowing away?

Final Verdict

I have already mentioned and explained several things to put under your trampoline. Once again I am classifying the advantages among them.

For the ultimate protection, rubber mulch under trampoline is the best option. To keep it decorative I would recommend the grass mats. For easy installation, sandbags will be more helpful. And finally, for a cheap suggestion, it must the wood chips under trampoline.

So now you know what to put under the trampoline? But keep in mind netting is more important than this. To know more click the link on How to put a net on a trampoline?. 

That’s all for now. See you next time with something more interesting.