In-ground Trampolines 101

Rule number one: Water and Wood don't mix. Wood will begin to deteriorate the minute it comes in contact with a liquid. Don't let anyone tell you that it takes years for that to happen.

Rule number two: Dirt must be the heaviest thing on earth! We thought we had a pretty good thing going here, but as soon as that dirt got set in, the pressure literally broke pieces of our "solid wood structure" in half.

Rule number three: Despite the weight, more dirt would have been the key. I'm going to tell you what no other website is going to tell you--I know, because I actually looked this stuff up! PACK THE DIRT AROUND THE TRAMPOLINE REALLY HARD AND KEEP PACKING IT IN THERE! The dirt itself will create a wall inside the wall and will then accept most of the pressure. That's just my own observation of physics in motion speaking--I could be way off--but I think that, had we followed that one simple procedure, you would not be seeing the sinkhole that used to be our trampoline.

Other than that, I love my backyard! It's finished...for the most part. Needs a few more plants, needs a new coat of paint on the fence (hint, hint, Allen,) but for the most part it is beautiful & functional. We put curbing around the backside of the fence with a really neutral rock. We got two maples and they're already starting to look a bit bigger. My favorite aspect is the play area.
The swingset is now set apart with some curbing and filled with wood chips. No more muddy grass under swings and the slide. No more wrestling with the glider for Allen while he's trying to mow the lawn. Everything is picture perfect... everything, except that darn trampoline!