Weed cloth under rubber mulch for swing set?

[yrag.neslo]

I've cleared out about a 3" depth under and around a wood play set with a c ouple of swings and a slide. The play set is surrounded by on 2 sides by a cement patio and on the other sides by pavers. Going to put green rubber mu lch under and around the play set up to the cement and pavers.

I've had people question whether I should use weed block cloth under the mu lch. My thought is no because I'm afraid the cloth would get kicked up and I've have a major PITA pulling it all up. Others say it wall keep the mulch clean since it won't be touching dirt.

Any ideas?

[songbird]

as it is a play area i would put the weed barrier fabric around the edges where there is light traffic, but would not put it around places where the kids may cause gouges as then the weed barrier fabric gets exposed and then gets degraded by exposure to the sun.

yes, you will get dirt mixing in, but that's just what kids do...

the other alternative would be to put the rubber mulch down very thick in the high traffic areas so that the kids don't get through it to the fabric.

personally, i'd think that stuff will stink, look ugly and be very hot. if i were a kid i'd be finding someplace else to play...

songbird

[Muggles]

For something like that I'd buy some indoor/outdoor carpet that you can get in 6'x8' roles at Lowe's or Home depot and put that under the mulch and pin it to the ground with 6 inch U garden staples overlapping the edges. Once you get that put down then put your mulch on top of it. The kids won't be able to kick the carpet liner around even if the mulch gets kicked around, and the mulch won't get dirty, either. The weeds won't see the light of day which equals no work on all fronts. It works great!

[micky]

Yeah, how far away is the cement and the pavers, for when a kid goes face down, skull down, or even butt down. Even the dirt can hurt him but cement?