Written By Luke
If you have artificial grass, let your hire company know as soon as possible, as it may affect your hire. Whether an inflatable can be safely set up on artificial grass will depend on whether the sub-base is suitable for accepting the required anchor pegs.
How We Secure Inflatables on Artificial Grass
Each inflatable will have at least six anchorage points, and all of them must be used to secure the inflatable safely.
There are a few ways to secure an inflatable. The first and most common method is using pegs or stakes. These are driven through the artificial grass and will leave holes approximately 16mm wide.
However, whether we can use pegs will depend on what is underneath the artificial grass. Soil is the best option, while gravel may be possible depending on the depth and what is underneath it. Solid sub-bases, such as concrete, cannot be pegged into, so an alternative anchoring method would be required.
Can Sandbags Be Used to Secure a Bouncy Castle?
What about using sandbags?
Well, sandbags are a possibility in theory, but in practice they are generally not suitable, and here’s why.
Each anchorage point requires 163kg of holding force. A standard sandbag weighs around 25kg, so each anchorage point would need seven sandbags. With even the smallest inflatables having at least six anchorage points, that would mean 42 sandbags!
That’s approximately 1,050kg of additional weight, which is more than many vans would be able to carry, especially when they are already loaded with inflatables and other equipment.
Can We Tie a Bouncy Castle to a Fence or Heavy Object?
How about using rope to tie the inflatable to a fence or other heavy objects?
Unfortunately, there are a few issues with this method too. Firstly, how do we know whether the fence or object can withstand the required 163kg of holding force? This becomes even more of an issue if several anchorage points are attached to the same object, as it may need to withstand a multiple of that force.
There are also problems with using rope. Firstly, it can create a trip hazard, particularly if it needs to run any distance between the inflatable and the anchorage point.
Secondly, knots can slip, and the constant movement of an inflatable while it is being used can cause rope to rub against concrete posts or other rough surfaces, potentially damaging or cutting through the rope.
For these reasons, we cannot simply tie an inflatable to a nearby fence, post or heavy object unless the anchoring method and fixing points are known to be suitable for the forces involved.
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