Written by Luke
No – we don't put bouncy castles outside on concrete, tarmac, block paving or patios. Outdoors, our castles only go on grass, where they can be pegged down properly. Indoors, hard floors are fine. Some companies will set up on a driveway; we won't, and this post explains why.
Bouncy castles are a brilliant way to keep children entertained, but our first and only thought is safety. The best way to enjoy a castle is at a BBQ in the back garden on a summer's day, and most back gardens have grass. But what if you have a hard surface or artificial grass?
How we secure bouncy castles
Indoors
Indoors, we use 25kg sandbags filled with either sand or small stones inside a PVC bag, which we attach to the castle using a carabiner clip. This helps reduce movement during an indoor hire.
On grass
When the castle is outside on grass, we use bouncy castle pegs that are 400mm long and 18mm thick, rated to BS EN 14960 standards. It's very rare that we have any issues putting pegs into the grass.
Artificial grass
Artificial grass will depend on what is underneath it. We still have to use bouncy castle pegs, and we have to peg through the artificial grass into the ground below. The peg will need to hold well and be difficult to remove.
Unfortunately, sometimes this doesn't work, and we can't go ahead with the hire. In this case, you would lose your hire cost (see our cancellations policy), so we highly recommend adding the measuring service at the time of booking so we can check the ground before the day.
Hard ground such as tarmac, concrete or block paving
When it comes to hard ground such as tarmac, concrete or block paving, it's a no from us at Best Party Hire, as we can't see how it can be made safe.
Why hard surfaces are a problem outdoors
Under the UK and European standard BS EN 14960, every anchor point on a bouncy castle must be able to withstand a force of 1.6kN, equivalent to approximately 163kg or 360lbs of pull-out force. This applies to all required anchor points, and standard castles typically have at least six anchor points. I'm an RPII tester and test our own inflatables, and the anchor points are one of the things checked.
On grass, this can be achieved with standard bouncy castle pegs. On hard surfaces, there are two options.
The first is ground bolts, where bolts are drilled into the ground and clipped to the castle. However, without specialist testing equipment, it's impossible to tell if the required force has been achieved, especially with tarmac, as it can be crumbly.
The second option is using sandbags, but to reach the correct weight you would need around six sandbags per anchor point, which is unrealistic.
Other "fixes" you might see (and why they're risky)
Tying to walls, posts or vehicles
This creates ropes around the inflatable, which become a serious trip hazard, especially on hard surfaces where falls are more dangerous.
What about indoors on a hard floor?
Indoors is a completely different story. In village halls and community centres:
- There's no wind to contend with
- Inflatables are weighted and positioned differently
- Safety mats are used around the open sides
This is why bouncy castles are absolutely fine on hard floors indoors, as long as the space is suitable.
Wind speed rules (very important)
This rule applies everywhere, regardless of surface: if wind speeds reach 24mph or above, no inflatable should be used outdoors. It doesn't matter if it's pegged, weighted or bolted down. Anchor points are tested to specific limits, and adding more weight or bigger pegs doesn't change those limits.
We first check the forecast on the Wednesday before your hire, check again closer to the day, and test the wind with an anemometer when we set up – there's more in our windy weather guide.
Our outdoor hire rules
To keep things simple and safe, our outdoor rules are:
- Grass only – no concrete, tarmac, paving or decking (artificial grass only if we can peg through it into the ground)
- Flat and clear area – no slopes, stones or sharp objects
- Weather dependent – no high winds or severe conditions
- Private land preferred – public fields usually need council permission
If the weather turns or grass isn't available, we'll always talk you through safe alternatives.
"But we had one on our driveway last year…"
We hear this a lot. Unfortunately, not every company follows the rules. Some will take shortcuts that put children at risk and invalidate insurance.
A properly run inflatable business will always say no if something isn't safe, even if it means turning down work.
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