The Dos And Don’ts Of Trampoline Placement

Placing your trampoline correctly and in the right place is vital since it determines the safety of those jumping on it. Put it in the wrong place, and you risk injuring those who use it. So what are the dos and don’t of trampoline placement?

You can place your trampoline on level ground, dirt, grass, on gravel, on a deck, or even in the ground. However, you should avoid putting it on a slope, near a pool, under a roof, on concrete, under trees, or on a septic tank or drain field to prevent.

Most people usually have limited space in their garden or backyard, making trampoline placement trickier. Not to mention, you want to place it so your children can enjoy hours of backyard fun without risking their safety. Here’s how you can do that.

Where Should You Put a Trampoline?

A safe trampoline is kept in the green garden

Once you’ve purchased your desired trampoline with the right size and shape, the next step is to put it in its proper place. Ensure you have an area 3 feet larger than the trampoline (on each side). Here are some places where it’s safe to put your trampoline.

On Level Grounds

Choosing level ground is crucial since you want the children to stay in the middle of the trampoline while jumping. Jumping while the trampoline is on a slope will only make them bounce downhill. 

In addition to level ground, you also want to ensure no roots, rocks, or other items are under the trampoline legs.

Otherwise, the bounce won’t be solid, and the trampoline will move with each jump and eventually make its way across the yard. It might even end up in someplace dangerous! 

If you don’t have any area with level ground, you can try to make a terraced area. Ensure that you include the 3-feet space around the trampoline into the terrace so your children can safely reach the ladder. Also, make sure to remove any shrubs from the jumping zone.

If you’re in need of some landscaping inspiration, be sure to check out our other article here.

On Dirt or Grass

Home street trampoline on an aluminum frame

Dirt, grass on firm soil, and other impact-absorbing surfaces like bark and rubber matting are also good choices. The ground should have some give in it, but not so much that it lowers stability.

On a Deck 

You can put your trampoline on your deck if it can handle its weight and the weight of the individuals jumping on it. But it would be best if you also considered other safety factors before doing so, such as proper clearance around the trampoline and how you can install anchors to keep it in place.

Generally, you don’t need to worry about your deck being unable to withstand the trampoline’s weight. But things get a little tricky when considering the trampoline’s movement and the safety clearances. 

There’s no way the trampoline won’t move when it’s placed on a deck. However, this can be dangerous for the people using it, and it can damage or scratch the decking material if it’s not anchored correctly in place. Plus, you need to ensure that the area around and over the trampoline doesn’t have anything that can cause injury.

The bottom line is, make sure you have a structurally sound deck before you put your trampoline on it. And if you have any doubts about your deck being able to handle it, it’s better if you don’t risk it.

On Gravel

Gravel is not the best option to fall onto, but it’s better than falling on other, less forgiving materials like asphalt and concrete. And if it’s thick enough, it’ll let the trampoline sink into it and prevent it from moving.

Note that gravel on asphalt or concrete is not a good option to put your trampoline on, but gravel on earth is still a better option. Even if you go with the latter, you should get a net closure for the trampoline since falling on gravel can cause scrapes, cuts, and other painful injuries.  

In the Ground

Putting your trampoline in the ground is preferable since it doesn’t just look cool but also provides additional safety. However, keep in mind that moving your trampoline will be much trickier once it’s installed in the ground. 

And before you go ahead and dig up your yard, there are some things you need to be mindful of, such as shoring the sides to prevent dirt from piling underneath and making sure there’s some room for air to escape.

If you don’t have an in-ground trampoline, there’s a simple way to work around this. Just dig a hole such that the top 4-6 inches of the trampoline stay over the ground while leaving enough space for air to escape when people bounce on it. 

You should also surround your trampoline with some barrier so that dirt doesn’t gather under the mat. 

Where Should You Not Put a Trampoline?

We’ve looked at a few places where it’s safe to place the trampoline. Let’s also look at places where you should avoid putting it. 

On a Slope

You shouldn’t put a trampoline on a slope unless you make significant changes to it, so the equipment stays level. As mentioned earlier, letting people get on an uneven trampoline is dangerous. Depending on the slope’s degree, making it level could be easy or fairly difficult. 

Near a Pool

Placing your trampoline near a pool is a terrible idea and only increases the risk of injury. Not to mention, someone or the other will try jumping from the trampoline right into the pool. 

In doing so, someone is bound to get hurt. For instance, people can get tangled up in the trampoline springs, resulting in breaks and sprains. Plus, the equipment tends to get quite slippery when wet, making injuries more likely. 

This is why it’s safer to put the trampoline in the ground, somewhere near the pool, if you have the proper setup. But it still doesn’t eliminate the chance of injury. 

Under a Roof

You shouldn’t put a trampoline somewhere with things like roofing, guttering, awning, or eaves of the house hanging on top since it can be pretty unsafe.

And if your trampoline has an enclosure net, keeping it a minimum of 8 feet away (ideally 10-12 feet away) from the building’s side is better. The closer it is to a part of the building, the higher the chance of someone getting injured by falling right into the structure.  

On Concrete

You should never put your trampoline on concrete or other hard surfaces like tarmac. It not only poses a high risk of injury for those jumping on it, but it can also damage the trampoline. 

Luckily, you can make the concrete slab a good place to keep the trampoline if you take some precautions. For instance, you can put some padding around and under the trampoline to protect jumpers who accidentally end up outside the net. 

The padding will also prevent the trampoline from moving and sliding around on the concrete, which can otherwise damage the legs and reduce its life. Hard surfaces also damage the frame since the impact of the bounce goes through the trampoline instead of the ground.

Plus, it’s always better to anchor the trampoline, but you can’t do that on concrete. 

On a Septic Field

Another place you should avoid putting the trampoline is on the septic field since a trampoline is too heavy for it. The weight of the trampoline and the weight of people jumping on it can crush and break the percolation pipes, so it’s better to keep it away from the septic drain field and septic tank.

Under Trees

Putting a trampoline under a tree can be quite tempting since it provides shade from the scorching heat of the sun and even a little protection. However, that’s not the best idea since falling branches can injure the jumpers and damage the trampoline. Plus, just the thought of cleaning bird droppings every day sounds taxing. 

However, if you have large enough trees in your yard, you can put the trampoline such that you can benefit from the shade provided by the tree but without directly being under it.

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