Where to place your trampoline for best use
Having a trampoline in the backyard makes for a lot of fun, and your kids will love it. However, when you need to position it, there are some things you should keep in mind. The following advice will help you make an educated decision in this regard.
Consider the surface it will sit on
It is never a good idea to place a trampoline on concrete because the legs will continuously rub against the cement. Expect abrasive sounds, and a much shorter lifespan for your trampoline legs, if you let it sit on concrete; without some protective rubber under the legs. If The kids were to fall off or out of the trampoline best to have the trampoline entrance surrounded by some type of soft fall material.
On a wooden deck, you will find a better place, but still not good enough. A bit of rubber or foam under the legs will also work like a charm as this will minimise damage to your timber and reduce the knocking sound as the kids bounce.
Placing the trampoline directly on the ground is a good solution. But be aware of acidic soils that may make the metal legs rust prematurely. (If you do have highly acidic soil then put either sit it on some material that will allow the moisture to flow through but be a barrier from the soil. (weed matting/shade cloth)
Safety first
Your kids will potentially use the trampoline sometimes for hours at a time. The last thing you want is to see them hurt. While the safety net and padding helps to keep them safe inside, be aware of where you place your trampoline. Make sure that the trampoline is at least 1.5m away from any hard objects, such as brick walls, fences or even rose bushes. Also, check overhead clearance. Most trampolines are approx 3m high so look up before building the trampoline too to avoid branches or wires, house eves, awnings etc.
Sloping ground
The trampoline needs to be stable so that it does not easily tip over when used more vigorously. Do not place your trampoline on a severe slope, (gentle slopes are tolerable) because there may be accidents you will not be able to prevent. With this option, you can half dig the trampoline into the ground, or even bolt some timber on the legs to elevate the trampoline to minimise the effect of the gradient. Vuly has now introduced a level kit that can make it easy to position a trampoline on uneven ground.
Trees
Be aware of the sap dripping from trees. If the jumping mat gets stained with sap, it will be very difficult to remove it. Also, some saps can react with the mat material and reduce the life of the mat. Deciduous trees in Autumn can be a problem dropping excessive leaf litter onto the trampoline. Once wet the leaves can be hard to push off the trampoline. Putting a fruit tree netting over the top can reduce the amount that falls onto the trampoline. Make sure to cut overhanging branches, too, a completed trampoline with net stands approx 3m high.
What next?
Overall you want the trampoline for the kids to be in a practical place taking into consideration the above factors. While your kids are younger you will want to see them easily from the main rooms in the house, as they get older it may not be such an issue, same with having a trampoline in the front yard and no front fence for example. Once you have decided on the available space to put the trampoline and how to overcome any issues with the location, you may even decide to put the trampoline in-ground to overcome some of the issues of the location.
With that all sorted you will then be wanting to choose the trampoline, scroll down for further things to look out for when buying a trampoline online. Shape, how kids use the trampoline etc. Feel free to call us on (03) 5292 1100 or contact us here to answer any questions directly.
Photo - Flickr - David Mulder
