My specific question: do I build the playset directly on the earth, and then put mulch/etc. around/under the playset? Or do I build the playset on top of the foundation (pea gravel, mulch)? See below for why neither option seems to meet the safety requirements.Details:I have purchased a playset to assemble for my son. I am currently using a tiller/shovel to flatten the earth under where the playset will go (from highest point to lowest point the earth was sloped ~14 inches). I plan to reduce the slope to about 2" to allow for water runoff and many tutorials explain I should include about 2" of pea gravel to help with water drainage. I would like for the top surface to be rubber mulch. The manual for the playground recommends ~6" of mulch to provide for adequate protection should a child fall from a height of 6 feet.(I know a lot of people are anti-rubber mulch - please refrain from all the comments - that is what we have decided to use.)Here is what is confusing me. I believe I should assemble the playset directly on the earth, so that it is most stable. It is a wood playset with stakes. But, the playset has a "sandbox" area and the walls are only about 4" tall. If I build directly on the earth, and then include 2" of pea gravel and 6" of mulch, that would be well above the height of the sandbox walls. That doesn't make sense to me (the mulch would just fall into the sandbox).The playset: http://ift.tt/2h7H5oW I overthinking this?Thank you! via /r/DIY http://ift.tt/2uIKrBR
