Can You Put A Trampoline On Decking? [Is It safe]

I was always a trampoline enthusiast ever since my childhood. Back then, I used to spend most of my afternoon jumping on my backyard trampoline. And when I had kids of my own, I made sure they had a trampoline to play in the yard.

However, when I had to move to a different neighborhood, the kids and I were devastated to find that the backyard had a deck installed. 

Why? This meant that we did not have enough space to put on our trampoline. But I did not want to give up and decided to put the trampoline on the deck.

But as I was looking up different ideas on putting a trampoline on the deck, I realized something. 

Though it is a very plausible idea, it is not the wisest choice in terms of safety. And since my kids would be playing on the trampoline, I decided to break down the deck instead of trying to fit the trampoline inside it.

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Why the sudden change of heart, you may wonder? Well, when I found out the different issues that may come up with this type of project, the trouble did not seem worth it at all. And that is what I will try to help you understand as you read further into this article.

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Can I Put a Trampoline on The Decking?

As I have said before, putting a trampoline on the decking is possible. However, you must check a couple of things before you attempt such a feat. Without checking these elements, installing a trampoline on the decking can be quite risky.

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Overhead Clearance

Overhead clearance is the first thing you want to check. The ceiling of the deck must be high enough to handle all the kids bouncing on it. For a low-ceiling wooden deck, installing a trampoline inside it is a strict no-no.

Weight Capacity

There is always a limit to how much weight a deck can carry. If the deck is built well and can handle the weight of the trampoline and the children bouncing around on it, then it might be possible to put a trampoline on it.

Decking Size

You also need to think about the size of the trampoline that you are buying. For example, if you have a 12 feet trampoline and the deck is only 8 feet long, you have no way to put it inside the deck.

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How To Secure a Trampoline on Decking?

Now that you know which elements of your decking require preemptive attention, you must be wondering how best to secure it. After all, if you simply put it on your decking, the trampoline will keep moving out of position as children start bouncing on it.

So, it is important to tie down the trampoline to the floor of the decking properly before you let anyone on it. For this, you can use sandbags or drill a hole on the floor of the deck and use tie-downs to anchor the trampoline tightly to the surface. On paper, it seems like the perfect solution.

However, there is a huge flaw with this method. After drilling holes on the floor, the integrity of the deck gets compromised. And since the trampoline with all the kids on top of it will undoubtedly be extremely heavy, this is not the safest option to go with.

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The above issue, however, goes away to some extent if the decking floor is not elevated. If the floor lies flush to the ground, you will be able to secure the trampoline safely to the surface. Using sandbags to hold the legs of the trampoline secure is the better option in this case since you will not have a good way to drill a hole on the floor.

Now, if you were to put the trampoline inside the deck floor, transforming it into a sunken trampoline, I would right away tell you to drop the idea. Though the idea may seem cool, it is not safe at all. A sunken trampoline can become a major hazard even if you install fence guards around it.

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Is It Safe to Put a Trampoline on Decking?

While it may be possible to install a trampoline on a deck under certain situations, whether it is safe or not is another question entirely. 

For instance, if you ask me, I would always recommend you put the trampoline in the yard where you will have solid ground.

The reason why installing a trampoline on decking can be dangerous is that if the child miscalculates his bounce and falls on the floor, the injury will be much more severe. If the trampoline were in the yard, he would fall on grass much softer than the floor of a wooden deck.

Besides, if a lot of kids are jumping on the trampoline on the decking at once, the decking can break down. And I would not even want to imagine the damage if something like that happens. I believe putting a trampoline on grass is the only right way of using it.

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The Bottom Line

End of the day, it is your trampoline, and you are free to do whatever you wish. Installing it on your decking is not impossible. However, if safety is one of your primary concerns, then you might be better off steering clear of this idea.

I can understand the urge, and I agree that a trampoline on a deck looks quite cool. But looks alone cannot justify putting a trampoline on your deck, especially when you have little kids in the house. And even if only adults are using it, it is still a bad idea.

I hope my article on installing a trampoline on a deck could help you understand the gravity of such a project. Even if you have a strong and durable deck that can support the weight, I would not recommend putting your trampoline on it. The rest I leave in your hands. Cheers!