The following piece of writing deals with an often asked question- Can you put a bounce house on concrete? Let's find out.
A bounce house or bounce castle is an intelligent way to channelize energetic kids and keep them busy. They especially come in handy during family brunches, birthday parties, and the usual summer breaks.
Therefore, you decide to buy a huge and colorful bounce house to keep the kids engaged.
The next thing that comes to your mind is the location. Where to set up the bounce house? You scan your backyard. There is grass, gravel, and concrete or cement. So you think....
Can you put a bounce house on concrete?
A bounce house can be installed on various surfaces like grass, asphalt, or concrete. The only thing to keep in mind is that the surface should be flat. In fact, a bounce house can be set up indoors, in garages as well, and on the driveways too. So, there are options in the choice of location too.
Coming back to the issue of flat surfaces. A bounce house works best on a leveled surface and that too in an area where there are sufficient resources to anchor the bounce house properly.
Choice of Flat Surfaces
A bounce house should not be placed on areas that have sharp objects like dry weeds, mulch, sticks, or rocks. A backyard mostly is covered with grass so the obvious choice is to place the bounce house on grass. It is easy to anchor down a bounce house on grass. However, the key question still remains. Can you put a bounce house on concrete?
Actually, concrete and asphalt work just fine as well.
Criteria for the best location
There are several things to keep in mind while selecting the best location for the bounce house. Anchoring the bounce house, flat surface, proximity to the power source, a larger location, cleaning up, and a protective layer are the few things to always keep in mind while setting up a bounce house. Let's explore each.
1. Anchoring the bounce house-
Before setting up the bounce house make sure you select a location where it can be anchored properly. So that in case of a windstorm the bounce house won't fly away. At times a bounce house needs to be placed on a slightly slanted surface, do anchor it well. If you happen to rent a bounce house, some rentals provide you with sandbags so that the bounce house can be held down properly. Other rental companies expect you to anchor down the bounce house before anyone uses it. A bounce house shifts a lot while inflating it. So make sure you inflate it before anchoring it. There are several tips to keep in mind while anchoring the bounce house. This, we will deal with later.
2. Flat Surface-
Make sure you install a bounce house on as flat a surface as possible. A bounce house on a 5% slope can work too. Just make sure it is anchored well because more slope means higher chances of a bounce house tipping over. Concrete, mostly is flat. Therefore, it answers the main question- can you put a bounce house on concrete?
3. Proximity to the power source-
This is a very important criterion because the last thing you want is a child tripping over an extension cord or wires. Make sure you set up the bounce house as close to a power source as possible. Once the kids start using it they do not worry about safety. Therefore, be proactive here.
4. A Protective layer-
A layer like a tarp under the bounce house protects it, especially if you have bought a new one. Most rental companies provide a tarp to go under the bounce house. While buying one to protect your investment make sure to pick a light color and a big one to cover the entire bounce house. Avoid buying a dark color tarp because if you happen to place the bounce house on grass, it will heat up and ruin your grass.
5. Larger location-
Make sure to place your bounce house on not just a flat surface but on a larger area too. So that kids can run around and adults can walk easily. Remove any obstructions like furniture, cars, toys, bikes, and stay away from the fence.
6. Cleaning up afterward-
Make sure you do not set up a bounce house on wet grass or near a sandpit. This is because the movement can cause sand and grass to enter the bounce house making your job of cleaning up extremely difficult.
Tips to keep in mind while anchoring the bounce house
Whether you plan to place the bounce house on grass or concrete, there are several things to keep in mind while anchoring it.
- Anchoring the bounce house on grass or soil- ropes and stakes can be used to hold down the bounce house on grass or soil.
- Anchoring the bounce house indoors or garage- while using it indoors, you don't really need to anchor it well. By placing it against the wall you can avoid the bounce house getting tipped over or blown away by the wind. If you are safety conscious you can use sandbags to anchor it.
- Anchoring the bounce house on concrete, pavement, and driveway- this brings us to the main question at hand. Can you put a bounce house on concrete?
YES, you can. However, stakes won't work here. You will need sandbags or water bags to hold down the bounce house. You can also tie up the bounce house to the nearest stationary heavy concrete object. Also do not forget to place a tarp or a rubber mat under the bounce house to avoid it getting scratched.
Limitations to placing a bounce house on concrete
There are some rental companies that avoid placing a bounce house on concrete. If you absolutely have to place it on concrete and there is no option, then there are some limitations to it.
Some companies aren't too keen on concrete as it can pose a major danger to the kids. Since children use a bounce house the most, make sure it is not too a windy day if your bounce house is on concrete. Experts do not prefer placing it on concrete as it can cause serious injuries to children and at times even death. That is the reason why some rental companies out rightly refuse to install a bounce house on concrete.
The wind speed is another issue. If the wind is more than 24mph, it is advised not to place the bounce house on a concrete surface. No matter how many thunderbolts are used, it is still a dangerous proposition. The bounce house can blow away if there is high speed wind.
If you plan on buying one yourself and placing it on concrete, weigh your options well. Adopt all the safety measures and make sure you do not land yourself in trouble. The above limitations to some extend answere the question at hand- can you put a bounce house on concrete?
How can I secure my bounce house on concrete?
The best way to secure a bounce house on concrete is to hold it down with sandbags or water bags of the correct weight so that it doesn't trip over while in use.
Use a minimum of 40 sandbags to hold down the bounce house. Now that is a lot of sandbags. Therefore, at times placing a bounce house on concrete isn't a practical one.
You can make use of other items like tie it to a strong vehicle or concrete blocks or even a wall. However, the impracticality of this solution is evident. You will have a lot of ropes around making the use of the bounce house a precarious one.
You can use thunderbolts to anchor the bounce house. By drilling about six holes into the concrete and placing the bounce house appropriately, you can somewhat secure it. The downside of this solution is you are left with six holes in your concrete.
Lastly, make sure you place a protective mat like a tarp under the bounce house to avoid it getting ruined. With continuous usage, the material underneath the bounce house can slowly wear off, especially on concrete.
Locations to avoid while placing the bounce house
There are certain areas you should stay clear of while placing a bounce house. Rocks, pointy grass, sticks, etc. have the tendency to puncture and deflate the bounce house. This can especially become problematic if the children are inside the bounce house and something unfortunate happens.
Here is a list of locations one should avoid while placing the bounce house-
- Gravel
- Sticks
- Wood chips
- Branches
- Mulch
- Roots
- Irrigation system
- Plants
- Weeds
- Rocks
Other related questions
At times people think placing a bounce house may ruin their grass. It all depends on the weather that day and the color of the tarp in use. Avoid using bounce house on a very hot day because the grass underneath can ruin. Also, avoid using a dark color tarp, as mentioned before, so that it doesn't attract sun and the grass won't ruin. Keep shifting the location of the bounce house and avoid leaving it out in the sun for too long.
Final words
A bounce house can be a great way to keep the children busy for long hours. The above discussion provides ample answers to the question- can you put a bounce house on concrete? Placing one on concrete isn't a bad option if correct safety measures are adopted and the weather plays a sport. Carry out a thorough research before installing a bounce house and do take the help of experts if needed.