Want to relocate your backyard trampoline or want to store it? And looking for some information with guidelines on how to disassemble a trampoline safely?

Then you just got in safe hands because I know how easy and at the same time how hard it is to disassemble a trampoline if you don’t have correct knowledge.

Today, in this blog post I will share some guidelines on how to take apart a trampoline safely which I learned from my own experiences.

Disassembling a trampoline is a process that is the opposite of installing the trampoline. Jumping or bouncing on a trampoline is a source of enjoyment that comes with good effects on the body too and acts as a cardio workout.

Yet the owner has to disassemble it at a longtime interval or short time interval. Even in some cases, one may not be disassembling the whole setup of a trampoline but just removing some part of it to improve the performance. 

Why is Trampoline Disassembly Required? 

There can be many reasons behind disassembling a trampoline. One may be disassembling a trampoline either to protect it or to relocate it.

Relocation of a trampoline:

Trampoline is sometimes needed to be disassembled just for the purpose of relocating it.

It is either one is planning to renovate the backyard where the trampoline is installed or the reason can be that the owner is shifting to some other place.

Another reason behind the relocation of a trampoline can be that the owner is selling the trampoline.

Disassembly of the trampoline is not also required to relocate it. Three or four people with strong muscles can do the relocation process. Each of them is supposed to stand at almost equal distance from one another, lift the trampoline up and then place it to the new desired position.

In case of unavailability of helpers, the trampoline can be relocated by attaching temporary wheels. The trampoline can also be slid over if the grass is slick enough.

However, you need strong muscles for sliding the trampoline. A round trampoline can be rolled for relocation purposes. The rolling process can be done by several strong helpers. Also, this process is the riskiest since it can damage the frame of the trampoline. 

Protection of a trampoline:

Disassembling can be the requirement to increase the lifespan of the trampoline. One does not need to disassemble a trampoline if he is living at a place where the weather does not touch the extreme levels.

However, protection of the trampoline is necessary for some weather conditions. Heavy rains or hurricanes can damage the trampoline frame and it is preferable to disassemble the trampoline and store it in a safe place.

Extreme weather conditions affect the trampoline in a negative way. Extreme cold weather can bring and develop rust in the trampoline frame. Low snowfall areas do not damage the trampoline.

On the other hand, an area of heavy snowfall can damage the trampoline mat. Intense sunlight can break down prematurely. Moist too can be a threat to the safety pad and to the trampoline sheet.

Getting prepared for the disassembly:

One is maybe planning to disassemble the trampoline by buying some other person’s help. However, money can be saved as disassembling a trampoline is less tricky as compared to installing the trampoline. Yet, to do the process easily, one needs to fully understand it as a DIY task.

It is preferred to find all these tools and align these in some crate near the trampoline before the start of the process of disassembling. If one does not align the tools near the trampoline then finding tools one by one can take much time and divert the attention from the main process. As a result, disassembling will be exhausting and will take more time.

The time taken for disassembly of the trampoline depends upon the size and height of the trampoline. Usually, it takes two to four hours for the whole process.

Disassembly of the trampoline with heights 5 ft, 8 ft, or 10 ft can be done by one person. But trampolines of more height like the trampolines with heights 12 ft, 14 ft, 15 ft, or so on, need at least two people to get disassembled. In case one person tries to disassemble the trampoline with high heights then the trampoline can get damaged during the process. 

Trampoline Disassembly Tools:

Tools that are required to disassemble a trampoline (also for the inverse process that is installation) usually come with the trampoline.

A tool kit is present once a trampoline is brought. All the tools present in the kit are easily available and can be bought by any store in case of being missed or getting damaged due to some reason.

A tool kit that comes with a trampoline are following:

1. Spring puller
2. Electric drill
3. Spanner having a radius of 10mm
4. Screwdriver
5. Goggles
6. Hand gloves
7. Rubber mallet
8. Caulk gun

Both caulking gun and rubber mallet are required to “install” the strong trampoline springs in the frame and are not required for the “disassembling” process of the trampoline.

Spring Puller:

The spring puller is one of the most essential tools for the process of disassembling the trampoline. It is also known as a trampoline hook. Spring Puller comes in the shape of a T and is hence called a “T-hook” as well.

The main function of this is to remove the springs (and sometimes anchors) of the trampoline.

It consists of two ends, spring pulling end and the handle. The handle of the spring puller is made up of plastic, rubber, or durable metal while the handle is made up of durable metal.

Both ends are attached with each other at an angle of 90 degrees which makes the tool easy to use to apply an effective amount of force on the spring during the process of attachment and detachment.

In case of unavailability of the spring puller, screwdrivers can be used as a good replacement for the disassembly of the trampoline. Furthermore, the tool can be made at home using wood and nails.

Electric drill:

An electric drill is one of the most important tools for the professionals who are doing installment or disassembly of the trampoline. It is used to loosen and remove the springs of the trampoline in less time.

This tool is not among the basic or the essential tools for the disassembly process. Removing the springs can take time and can be exhausting so it is recommended to use this tool which uses electric energy to lose the springs and hence saves a lot of time and energy.

One does not need to purchase it in case of unavailability, you can borrow it to make the process easier for you.

Spanner having a radius of 10 mm and Screwdriver:

A trampoline comes with a screwdriver and a scanner (usually having a radius of 10 mm). These tools are used to tighten up the screws and nuts of the frame and pole of the trampoline. It helps to secure the trampoline for the kids.

For disassembly purposes, a screwdriver and scanner are used side by side to loosen up the screws and nuts of the trampoline. These are also used to remove the bolts of the trampoline.

Goggles and hand gloves:

Goggles and hand gloves are required to be worn for the protection of the eye and the hands respectively. Hands can get dirty by the coil, rust, or any other dirt which can stick with them.

They can get injured too while dealing with the nuts, the spring of the frame, and the poles of the trampoline.

However, not any kind of hand gloves can provide efficient protection to the human hands in the disassembly process of the trampoline. A pair of double-coated hand gloves is recommended for it.

How to Disassemble a Trampoline Safely (Step by Step Method):

How to take a trampoline down? Well, the disassembly process should be started once all the required tools are gathered and placed near the trampoline. This saves a lot of time.

There are 7 steps for the disassembly of a trampoline

1. Cleaning trampoline
2. Removing accessories (ladder, sprinkles, and other)
3. Taking apart the net and poles
4. Detachment of spring cover
5. Disassembling the springs
6. Folding of jumping mat
7. Trampoline frame dismantling

Step 1: Cleaning trampoline:

A trampoline may get dirt if the kids are using it for jumping or bouncing. It can get dirty due to weather and even on a good sunny day, soil can get stuck to the trampoline pad and poles.

Since the trampoline is to be disassembled mostly to increase its life span and is maybe getting stored for a long time. So, it is required to be cleaned off properly. One can wash the dirt by initially using a broom and then by using a brush to keenly do the cleaning process. Even water can be used for proper cleaning of the trampoline.

In the case of rust present over the spring, the nuts, or the poles of the trampoline, any professional rust remover can be used for cleaning purposes.

However, soft rust can be removed by rubbing the lemon paste on it with the help of some cloth. Paste should be rubbed until the complete removal of the rust.

Step 2: Removing accessories (ladder, sprinkles, and other):

In case any accessory is placed on the trampoline for the kids, for example, a clubhouse should be taken down gently. Untie all the basketball hoops if attached with the trampoline.

If ladder, sprinklers, tent, or pegs are present then these too should be removed at the initial stage. A ladder or a tent can be removed when you untie the strings of it while sprinkles or a peg can be removed using a spring ruler. Put all these accessories in some safe place where they are protected by moisture and any insects which can damage them.

Step 3: Taking apart the net and poles:

The next step is to detach the poles from the trampoline. If poles are attached through screws then use screwdrivers to unscrew them.

Any kind of rust present on the poles should be removed by using lemon paste or any non-toxic remover purchased from the market. Poles should be wrapped by wrapping tape to increase their lifespan. The trampoline net should also get cleaned properly and recovered in case of any damage to it.

After cleaning it properly, fold the trampoline nets so that they can be stored. And do not forget to zip the zipper of the enclosure.

Step 4: Detachment of spring cover:

Spring pads are linked together under the trampoline. But most of the trampolines come with a single spring pad under the trampoline.

To take apart this spring pad, one simply needs to untie the strings of the spring pad. It is better to observe the spring pad and cover any tear with duct tape. Next, fold the spring pad and put it in the storage box.

Step 5: Disassembling the springs:

Disassembling the springs can be the difficult and tricky part of the disassembly process of a trampoline. One should first observe the spring as the rusted springs need to be removed by using different techniques than the normal ones. Similarly, a broken one needs to be removed by a different method.

Spring ruler is the basic tool that is used for this step of disassembling the trampoline.

Decide which spring you want to pull first. Start pulling the first spring in the direction of the internal mat and keep on pulling it until it loosens and comes out of the V-shaped ring (Or D-shaped ring) of the trampoline.

The same method can be used to detach all the other springs from the trampoline. You can also use a detached spring for the detachment of the other springs in case you make the process quick.

If you want to make the process fast, the use of an already detached spring is preferred. A trampoline spring has two ends, a close end, and an open end.

The end which is attached to the frame is the open-end while the end which is attached with the mat of V-ring (or D-ring) is the closed-end of the spring. Open-end of the spring is to be used for the removal of other springs.

Removal of springs from a rusted frame is more difficult than a normal frame of the trampoline. Hand gloves must be used to work with the rusted frame of the trampoline to avoid any kind of injury or dirt to your hands. The procedure to remove a rusty frame is as follows:

1. Remove any spring of the frame using the spring ruler or any replaceable tool
2. Next, detach the spring present at the exact opposite side of the one already detached
3. Now go to the perpendicular side (at an angle of 90 degrees of the detached spring) and remove the spring attached there with the rusty frame.
4. You need to disassemble the spring present at the opposite side of the frame now.
5. Repeat the process till you remove all the springs by using a detached spring or a spring rule.

Step 6: Folding of jumping mat:

The Jumping mat automatically gets disassembled from the trampoline frame. Folding the jumping mat, however, needs to be done carefully.

Put the jumping mat smoothly on the ground. Look it up for any tear or damage to the mat. Any tear on the jumping mat can be recovered using the repairing kit.

Once the damaged parts get recovered, fold the mat in half. Continue the folding step till the mat fits into the storage box and put it in the box.

Step 7: Trampoline frame dismantling:

For the dismantling of the trampoline frame, you only need to do the unscrew job. All the unscrewing processes can be done by using a screwdriver. This step can be done real fast if one uses an electric drill to unscrew.

After all the unscrewing is done, each leg of the trampoline is disassembled from the outer ring. Apply pressure in the upward direction to detach each leg.

Trampoline legs are heavy in weight hence take special care while doing this job to avoid any kind of accident that can bring serious injury to you. It is recommended to detach the legs from the ring while you are standing at the center of the ring.

After done with the detachment of the outer legs, detach the outer ring and T-joints. The outer ring is needed to be twisted to get detached by the T-joints.

Collect the parts detached in the step and put them in the storage box.

FAQs – How to Disassemble a Trampoline Safely:

Conclusion:

A trampoline needs to be disassembled due to different reasons especially to protect the trampoline from extreme weather conditions. One can do this by paying professionals for the process.

However, disassembling can be done by yourself if your trampoline is of size 5 ft, 8 ft, or 10 ft or you can ask your friends for some help if the size is 12 ft or 15 ft.

Disassembling the trampoline can also sometimes damage part of it so it is preferred to understand the whole disassembling process as a DIY task first.

I hope, you now know how to disassemble a trampoline safely.

Reference:

• https://www.wikihow.com/Set-up-a-Trampoline
• https://wd40.co.uk/tips-and-tricks/trampoline-maintenance/