How can I make the underneath of an outdoor playset usable and not a mudpit?

Question

Based on this bulletpoint from the allowed topics:

• Which tools, materials, and best practices for home improvement task.

I'm looking for advice on dealing with our playset. Specifically the area beneath it that they usually recommend being a sandbox. We don't want a sandbox. However, since we haven't done anything with it yet, the thing ended up being a mud pit with some interesting weeds growing.

So my questions are:

1. What materials and best practices can I use to make the area a usable "indoor" space for the kids with a flooring of some kind and maybe even a door or gate?
2. What do I need to do to make sure the flooring is weatherproof and won't become muddy or allow weeds/grass to eventually poke through?
3. Any advice on making sure critters, bugs, spiders, hornets, etc. don't decide to take up residence inside?

Answer 1

Under our playset we have landscaping mesh with rubber mulch over the top. The top layer of mulch is for comfort and protects the mesh. The mesh keeps things from growing up through the mesh. It's been there for 4+ years and not a single weed.

Answer 2

There's really two things you need to deal with - water (mud) and weeds. The standard way to prevent weeds growing in a garden, sandbox, etc. is to lay landscaping fabric under the surface. This allows water to drain through but will not allow anything to grow through.

To control the mud, you need a cover material that drains easily. Since you don't want sand, you need to consider alternatives like mulch or shredded tires. If it wasn't used for kids playing, crushed stone would be a likely choice. There are likely a variety of other materials available depending on your location. This will probably need to be topped up every few years.

Answer 3

I would add some base board around the inside edges using treated lumber and then I would run composite deck boards across the top and just create a flooring inside. You can also add a really good weed control fabric over the mud to stop weeds from coming through.