Home Improvement/Remodel Thread

[MWil23]

1 hour ago, theJ said:

Anyone ever put in rubber mulch for a residential playground?  Found a few sources online.  It's expensive, but i'm considering it to avoid regular mulch.  Regular mulch seems to attract all sorts of bugs, and you have to replace it every 1-2 years.  These sites suggest the rubber mulch will last 10-12 years, which would take my kids through playground age.  At which point i could remove it, and the playground.

I built my own playground (20 hours with help from my brother in laws and father in law) and I'd highly recommend the rubber mulch. The up front cost is about TWICE what a normal cost is, but it will last 10 years, helps with drainage (I'd still put drainage in TBH), and it won't give the kids splinters. If you can swing it up front, it's worth it.

[theJ]

3 minutes ago, MWil23 said:

I built my own playground (20 hours with help from my brother in laws and father in law) and I'd highly recommend the rubber mulch. The up front cost is about TWICE what a normal cost is, but it will last 10 years, helps with drainage (I'd still put drainage in TBH), and it won't give the kids splinters. If you can swing it up front, it's worth it.

Does their claim on 10 years of service life check out?  How long have you had it in?

What did you do the area to prep it before you put the mulch down?

[MWil23]

Just now, theJ said:

Does their claim on 10 years of service life check out?  How long have you had it in?

Most companies have a "built in guarantee" for that period of time. 

Just now, theJ said:

What did you do the area to prep it before you put the mulch down?

Nothing super special, just some 2x4's with some basic extended plastic tubing (similar to what you'd attach to the downspout) that sticks out of the 2x4s, running water away from the playground into a set spot in your back yard. Just don't be "that guy" and put it in your neighbor's yard, LOL.

I've also seen some people put down some basic gravel, but it'll turn into a muddy mess at points. Gravel is definitely the more cost effective option.

[theJ]

1 minute ago, MWil23 said:

Nothing super special, just some 2x4's with some basic extended plastic tubing (similar to what you'd attach to the downspout) that sticks out of the 2x4s, running water away from the playground into a set spot in your back yard. Just don't be "that guy" and put it in your neighbor's yard, LOL.

I've also seen some people put down some basic gravel, but it'll turn into a muddy mess at points. Gravel is definitely the more cost effective option.

Thanks.  In your case what caused the drainage issue?  I was looking at some landscaping fabric that claims it will drain just fine.  I wasn't going to put down plastic and create mulch soup.

I'll have to survey the new place when we get possession and see if the spot i'm thinking putting this in has any drainage issues.  It's been raining like crazy around here, and doesn't look like it's going to stop.  So this would be the time to see...

[Hockey5djh]

1 hour ago, theJ said:

Anyone ever put in rubber mulch for a residential playground?  Found a few sources online.  It's expensive, but i'm considering it to avoid regular mulch.  Regular mulch seems to attract all sorts of bugs, and you have to replace it every 1-2 years.  These sites suggest the rubber mulch will last 10-12 years, which would take my kids through playground age.  At which point i could remove it, and the playground.

2 big things that come to mind with rubber mulch. 1) Black gets everywhere. 2) more importantly, safety. I know there were some reports a few years back about rubber mulch potentially causing cancer since its a "secondary use/recycled waste" type of product. I haven't looked into it in detail because it didn't apply to me but I'd definitely do some research there.

[vike daddy]

1 hour ago, theJ said:

Do you have a recommendation on how to prep the landing spot for the playground?  

i'm sure the manufacturer would have their specs, follow them.

[MWil23]

19 minutes ago, theJ said:

Thanks.  In your case what caused the drainage issue? 

Downslope in my back-yard right where the playground was built.

19 minutes ago, theJ said:

I was looking at some landscaping fabric that claims it will drain just fine.  I wasn't going to put down plastic and create mulch soup.

That will work great too!

19 minutes ago, theJ said:

I'll have to survey the new place when we get possession and see if the spot i'm thinking putting this in has any drainage issues.  It's been raining like crazy around here, and doesn't look like it's going to stop.  So this would be the time to see...

100% absolutely. Plus, you can always go back and add some stuff later. It's not too hard.

[SimsZilla]

So I am getting 5 estimates this week for seamless gutters haha. I was easily convinced 

[vike daddy]

6 hours ago, SimsZilla said:

So I am getting 5 estimates this week for seamless gutters haha. I was easily convinced 

good man.

i bet there won't be a huge difference in their quotes, dollarwise, as it's based on a lineal footage price. so look for other things that set them apart from each other.

• length of warranties
• availability of startup
• whether someone is asking for money upfront

[SimsZilla]

6 hours ago, vike daddy said:

good man.

i bet there won't be a huge difference in their quotes, dollarwise, as it's based on a lineal footage price. so look for other things that set them apart from each other.

• length of warranties
• availability of startup
• whether someone is asking for money upfront

Yeah that sounds like good advice. Thanks! I’m gonna take them down myself so that might decrease price hopefully a tad. Ideally I’d like to take them down and scrub them and clean the house before 

[SimsZilla]

First quote came back at 1300. I wasn't home and they did the service while i was at work. seems high. Read the quote and he measured 197 feet of gutters, when i measured i measured 130. so i need to get some information back on why he was so high on measuring. i have another tomorrow morning at 10am so well see what he comes up with. 

[vike daddy]

7 hours ago, SimsZilla said:

First quote came back at 1300. I wasn't home and they did the service while i was at work. seems high. Read the quote and he measured 197 feet of gutters, when i measured i measured 130. so i need to get some information back on why he was so high on measuring. i have another tomorrow morning at 10am so well see what he comes up with. 

did you add in the lengths of the vertical downspouts also...?

i bet he did.

[SimsZilla]

8 hours ago, vike daddy said:

did you add in the lengths of the vertical downspouts also...?

i bet he did.

those he included in a different part of the quote. just the 5" gutters were 197 feet. then he had the downspouts. im going to call him back later after work

[theJ]

On 4/29/2019 at 12:08 PM, Hockey5djh said:

2 big things that come to mind with rubber mulch. 1) Black gets everywhere. 2) more importantly, safety. I know there were some reports a few years back about rubber mulch potentially causing cancer since its a "secondary use/recycled waste" type of product. I haven't looked into it in detail because it didn't apply to me but I'd definitely do some research there.

So this was a good note.  After a bit of research, i've only found company that uses virgin rubber to avoid some of the health effects referenced.  But even that company doesn't promise more than just "No VOC's".  And it's more than that.

So i think i'm back to just grass and mowing around it.

[MWil23]

7 minutes ago, theJ said:

So this was a good note.  After a bit of research, i've only found company that uses virgin rubber to avoid some of the health effects referenced.  But even that company doesn't promise more than just "No VOC's".  And it's more than that.

So i think i'm back to just grass and mowing around it.

You'll save about $1,000 doing that too. Plus you can always change your mind in the future and still do it.