Hi,
I need to get my hands on a lot of bark chips/wood chips for my garden.
I need to convert my garden into a child friendly place as I am in the process of registering to be a homebased childcarer. I am turning approx 1/4 of my back garden into a chippings area for climbing frame/slide.
from my understanding it needs to be dug out to the depth of at least 12 inches. So I will need a lot!!!!

anyone having some trees took down and need to get rid of the chippings?
thanks

Greetings, I spotted your thread just now and might be able to help. Not sure you need 12 inch of bark to be honest, that will be very spongy and hard to walk on! I run a gardening business and am going to place an order for some chippings myself this week. It might be possible to share the delivery cost and get some good stuff at the same time. If you like I could come and look at what you need, and offer you some advice if you need it.
All the best, Alex

thanks for the offer!

the area isnt even cleared yet, I was just wondering how easily they were to get hold of. we are toying between the idea of bark chippings and rubber chippings. (bark cheaper, rubber lasts longer) as I am creating an outdoor play area. I am waiting for the guidelines from OFSTED about out door play area's as to how deep the chippings should be.

Just wanted to warn you, i had bark in my front garden rather than grass ended up taking it all up last year because the neighbours stinking cats used it as their toilet :gag:

You can actually buy outdoor rubber mats, maybe that would be better? :?

Just wanted to warn you, i had bark in my front garden rather than grass ended up taking it all up last year because the neighbours stinking cats used it as their toilet :gag:

Thanks.I was thinking of putting some bark down.Not now, as we are surrounded by cats.

hmmmm

we have a lot of cats around us too....
might have to save up and go for the rubber chippings idea.

I did a play area 2 years ago for my Grandson with sleepers and a good 6 inches of bark chips, the local cats did indeed think it was a nice new toilet for their use. The solution was to buy the thick strong plastic netting stuff, not plastic coated wire, comes on a roll at the garden centre or B&Q,it has squares about 2 inches large, I removed the top 2 inches of bark,pegged the plastic "net" over the remainder,then put fresh bark over the top. The cats can't dig it up, so they can't poo.

for a soloution for the cats i tryed this a few year ago at my last house and it worked moth balls they hate the smell and go somewhere else

any more cat solutions?
thanks

To stop cats spray used tea bags with ralgex and spread near area

I ended up using rubber chippings from eco-bark and the cats still try to use it as a toilet!!!

:(

cover the area with mesh and clean and sanitise often!

Or capture the moggy and hold it ransom till the idiot owners clean up for you. :hihi:

I have been trying to find vast quantaties of bark chippings for my allotment but none of the tree surgeons seem to keep them onsite anymore. DOes anyone know where to get any free?

Many Thanks

If your wanting to do things properly you may need play bark which is what we have had to put down in children's nurseries before it contains pieces that are bouncier and more rounded so there are no sharp edges. It does also compost down do will need topping up every year a more cost effective way may be the rubber mats usually around 10 per metre2. Have a look in my gallery section at the small castle type play area with slide we did as part of a Garden refurb

I bought a garden shredder now so all my hedge clippings and small branches get cut up and will make the paths at the allotment.

You can actually buy outdoor rubber mats, maybe that would be better? :?

Thats what I was going to suggest. Specially made for play areas.

Thats what I was going to suggest. Specially made for play areas.

as I said, we bought purposefully made rubber play bark that has en safety approval and then a great big piece of mesh to cover when not in use...

wrote this post aaaaaaaaaaaaages ago!!!

as I said, we bought purposefully made rubber play bark that has en safety approval and then a great big piece of mesh to cover when not in use...

wrote this post aaaaaaaaaaaaages ago!!!

No need to get a strop on! :o I was talking about a play mat not rubber chips. I won't make any more suggestions on your threads if you can't be civil. I hope you are are more polite and understanding to the kids in your care.