Play Bark Calculator
Find how many bulk bags of play bark (playground bark) you need under a swing, slide or climbing frame.
Measure your project
Your answer
That covers 12 m². We added 10% extra.
If you buy bulk bags
Rolawn, Hallstone and Playsafe Playgrounds all give 300 mm of play bark for falls up to 3 m. The makers quote tests to BS EN 1177:2018.
What it costs
500 litre bag: £166.99 with VAT, the middle of 3 prices from only 2 sellers (Oct 2026). Rolawn's 750 litre bag is £216.99.
Quick answers
- How deep?
- 300 mm for a fall height up to 3 m, say Rolawn, Hallstone and Playsafe Playgrounds. The makers quote tests to BS EN 1177:2018.
- Extra for settling
- Hallstone adds 10% to the depth, so lay about 330 mm to keep 300 mm.
- A 4 × 3 m play area
- About 3.96 m³ of play bark, with 10% extra. That is 8 bulk bags of 500 litres.
- One 500 litre bag covers
- About 1.67 m² at 300 mm. Hallstone says 1.76 m² for its bag.
How to work it out
- Measure the bark area in metres. Length × width gives m².
- Use 300 mm for a fall height up to 3 m. That is 0.3 m.
- Area × depth gives the play bark in m³.
- Add 10% for settling: multiply by 1.1.
- Multiply by 1,000 for litres. Divide by 500 for bulk bags, and round up.
4 × 3 × 0.3 = 3.6 m³
3.6 × 1.1 = 3.96 m³ = 3,960 litres
3,960 ÷ 500 = 7.92 → 8 bulk bags
How deep does play bark need to be?
Under play equipment, bark is there to soften a fall. So the depth depends on how far a child could fall: the fall height.
- 300 mm of play bark for a fall height up to 3 m. Rolawn (play bark), Hallstone (play wood chips) and Playsafe (an installer) all say this.
- Rolawn and Hallstone quote tests to BS EN 1177:2018, the test for playground surfaces. Playsafe also cites BS EN 1177.
- Add 10% for settling, says Hallstone. So lay about 330 mm.
We found no checked UK source for shallower depths at lower fall heights. So this calculator uses 300 mm. Ask your play equipment maker or installer if yours is different.
Play bark coverage for common play area sizes
All rows are 300 mm deep, with 10% extra for settling.
| Area | m³ | 500 litre bags | 750 litre bags | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 2 m | 1.32 | 3 | 2 | £501 |
| 3 × 3 m | 2.97 | 6 | 4 | £1,002 |
| 4 × 3 m | 3.96 | 8 | 6 | £1,336 |
| 5 × 4 m | 6.6 | 14 | 9 | £2,338 |
| 6 × 5 m | 9.9 | 20 | 14 | £3,340 |
Cost uses our middle price of £166.99 per 500 litre bag, with VAT. Delivery not added.
1 tonne of play bark: what it covers
Play bark is sold by the litre, not the tonne. Neither Rolawn nor Hallstone gives a weight.
The only UK bark weight we have is for garden bark: a Wickes bag weighs about 0.25 tonnes per m³. If play bark is about the same, 1 tonne is:
- about 4 m³, or 4,000 litres;
- about 8 bulk bags of 500 litres;
- enough for about 12 m² at 300 mm, with 10% extra.
Treat this as a rough guide. Order play bark by litres or bags, as sellers do.
Play bark bags and prices
| Seller | Bag | Price | Per m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wickes (Hallstone play grade) | 500 litres | £128 | £256 |
| Rolawn | 500 litres | £166.99 | £334 |
| Wickes (Rolawn play grade) | 500 litres | £179 | £358 |
| Rolawn | 750 litres | £216.99 | £289 |
Only 2 sellers, so treat these as rough guides. Rolawn had a half-price offer on a second bag when we checked.
Rolawn's play bark is 8–25 mm chips. Its bigger bag costs less per m³.
How to make a bark play area
- Measure the area the bark will cover, in metres.
- Check the fall height of your play equipment with its maker.
- For up to 3 m, plan 300 mm of play-grade bark. Add 10% for settling.
- Use the calculator to count the bulk bags.
- Rake it level to the full depth.
Playsafe says play sand 300 mm deep also works for falls up to 3 m. See our play sand calculator. For bark on flower beds, use the bark calculator.
Questions people ask
How much play bark do I need?
Area in m² × 0.3 gives m³ at 300 mm. Add 10% for settling. A 4 × 3 m area needs about 3.96 m³: 8 bulk bags of 500 litres.
How deep does play bark need to be?
300 mm for a fall height up to 3 m. Two makers, Rolawn and Hallstone, and an installer, Playsafe, all give this. The makers quote tests to BS EN 1177:2018.
How much does a bulk bag of play bark cover?
A 500 litre bag covers about 1.67 m² at 300 mm. Hallstone says its bag of play wood chips covers 1.76 m² at 300 mm, or 3.33 m² at 150 mm.
What does 1 tonne of play bark cover?
No maker gives a weight. Garden bark from Wickes weighs about 0.25 tonnes per m³. If play bark is the same, a tonne is about 4 m³. That covers about 12 m² at 300 mm, with 10% extra.
How much does play bark cost?
£128 to £179 for a 500 litre bag, with VAT, at Wickes and Rolawn. Rolawn's 750 litre bag is £216.99.
How do you make a bark play area?
Measure the area and check the fall height of the play kit. For up to 3 m, lay 300 mm of play-grade bark, plus 10% for settling.
Is play bark different from garden bark?
Play bark is sold as a play grade. Rolawn's is 8–25 mm chips, tested to BS EN 1177:2018. Garden bark goes on beds in a much thinner layer, 50–75 mm (RHS).
Where our numbers come from
- Rolawn play grade bark: depth, bags, price
- Hallstone: play surface recommended depths
- Playsafe Playgrounds: loose-fill play surfacing depths
- Bark bag prices: Wickes 100 L and 500 L bags
- Bark weight: Wickes 500 litre bark bag (about 125 kg)
- Mulch depth and membranes: RHS mulch guide
Made by BuildersCount. Last checked 4 Oct 2026.
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