INGROUND vs FLATGROUND vs ABOVE-GROUND TRAMPOLINES: COMPLETE IRISH GUIDE 2025/ 2026

✍️ Gary and the Trampolines Ireland Team — Ireland's leading trampoline experts!

One of the biggest decisions when buying a trampoline is the installation type: InGround, FlatGround, or Above-Ground. The right choice depends on your garden, your soil, your budget and how long you plan to stay put.

Here's the short version:

Above-Ground — sits on 100cm legs. Easiest to install, relocatable, lowest cost.
InGround — sits 10-20cm above the lawn in a bowl-shaped pit. Lower fall height, low profile, permanent.
FlatGround — completely flush at 0cm. Effectively invisible, deepest excavation, premium.

Video: InGround & FlatGround explained

Quick comparison

Feature	InGround	FlatGround	Above-Ground
Height above lawn	10-20cm	0cm (flush)	100-110cm
Fall height	10-20cm	0cm	100-110cm
Pit depth needed	60-70cm	90-100cm	None
Safety net options	Comfort, Deluxe, Deluxe XL	Sport Mode or Deluxe XL only	All options
Installation	Professional recommended	Professional essential	DIY in an afternoon
Drainage required	Yes	Yes, critical	No
Can it be moved?	No	No	Yes
Wind resistance	Excellent	Excellent	Anchor in exposed sites
Best for	Permanent home, young family	Level site, aesthetics first	Renting, budget, flexibility

The three installation types

InGround (also called sunken)

The frame sits around a bowl-shaped pit with short legs resting on the ground at the edge, so the mat ends up 10-20cm above your lawn — a small step up rather than a climb. The frame stays visible but sits low.

From a distance you see a low black frame and, if fitted, the net poles. Far less imposing than a traditional trampoline, and all three BERG net options are available.

Browse the InGround range →

FlatGround (also called flush sunken)

The frame is recessed entirely below ground so the mat is level with the lawn. You walk onto it from the grass with no step at all. The pit is deeper — a full metre — and the alignment has to be exact.

The trade-off is net choice. FlatGround comes with Sport Mode (no net) or the Deluxe XL net at 210cm. The entry-level Comfort net and the standard 180cm Deluxe aren't available. If you have children between 6 and 14 and want the standard Deluxe net, InGround is the model that offers it.

Browse the FlatGround range →

Above-Ground (regular)

The traditional design: 100-110cm legs standing on the lawn, no excavation, ladder for access, safety net included as standard. Two adults can assemble one in an afternoon and the kids can use it the same day.

Browse the Above-Ground range →

Which is safest?

Fall height is the obvious difference. A jumper leaving the mat on an above-ground model has a metre to fall. On InGround it's 10-20cm, and on FlatGround it's essentially nothing.

But fall height isn't the whole answer, because a net stops most exits happening at all. The safest combination is a low frame and a tall net:

InGround with a Deluxe XL net — low fall height plus a 210cm barrier, and every net option is open to you.
FlatGround with a Deluxe XL net — zero fall height, same tall net, fewer choices below it.
Above-Ground with a Deluxe XL net — good barrier, but a metre to the ground if someone gets past it.

Sport Mode — no net at all — is for confident users of 14 and over, whichever installation type it's fitted to. We don't recommend it for younger children regardless of how low the frame sits.

Whatever you choose, a net matters most where the trampoline is near a fence, patio or other hard surface.

A word on drainage

Sunken trampolines in Ireland fail because of water, not because of anything wrong with the trampoline. Much of the country sits on clay that doesn't drain freely, so a pit needs a gravel base at minimum, and on wet or clay-heavy sites a drainage pipe running to a soakaway. FlatGround needs more of both, because the pit is a third deeper. Skip this and the pit fills after heavy rain. We advise on it with every sunken order, and our installers handle it as part of the job.

Can I just sink a regular above-ground trampoline?

Technically yes. We'd advise against it, for five reasons.

It may void the warranty. An above-ground model is designed to stand on its legs. Using it another way can invalidate cover, and the manufacturer won't pick up problems caused by the modification.

It's more digging, not less. Purpose-built InGround models use an efficient bowl-shaped pit. An above-ground frame needs a flat-bottomed hole, which means considerably more soil out and a real risk of the sides collapsing without a retaining wall.

The bounce suffers. InGround frames are designed with airflow in mind, so displaced air escapes as you jump. Sink an above-ground model and the air has nowhere to go — you get a slapping noise and a duller bounce.

The frame will rust sooner. InGround and FlatGround frames have enhanced protection for ground contact. Standard above-ground galvanising doesn't, and the resulting corrosion isn't covered.

It looks improvised. The frame was drawn for tall legs. Sat in a hole it reads as a workaround rather than the clean finish you were after.

Once you've paid for the excavation either way, the gap between a sunk above-ground model and a purpose-built InGround one is small — and only one of them comes with a warranty that still applies.

Which should you choose?

Above-Ground if:

You're renting, or expect to move in the next several years
Budget is the main constraint
You want it set up this weekend without excavation
You'd rather try a trampoline before committing a permanent feature to the garden
You want to be able to shift it around the lawn

InGround if:

This is a long-term home
You have children and want the lower fall height
You want all three net options available to you
The garden's appearance matters but you don't want the deepest dig
Your site is exposed — coastal or on a hill — where a tall frame catches wind

FlatGround if:

You want it to disappear into the lawn completely
Your site is level and drains well
The users are mainly teenagers or adults, so the Sport Mode or XL net choice isn't a limitation
You're happy with professional groundworks

Common questions

Can I convert an above-ground trampoline to InGround later?

No. The frames are built differently and the pit requirements don't match. Choose the installation type at purchase.

Is professional installation worth it?

For above-ground, no — most families assemble their own without trouble. For InGround, the excavation and drainage are where it's worth paying, even if you assemble the frame yourself. For FlatGround, yes: the flush alignment leaves no margin, and correcting a mistake costs more than the installation would have.

Which handles Irish weather best?

All BERG trampolines are built for year-round outdoor use in northern European conditions. On wind specifically, flush beats low beats tall, so FlatGround and InGround have the edge on exposed sites. An above-ground model on an exposed site should be anchored.

How much maintenance does a sunken trampoline need?

A little more than above-ground, and it's mostly the pit rather than the trampoline. Clear leaves and debris out, keep the drainage running freely, and tidy the grass at the pit edge. With an above-ground model you can slide the whole thing aside and mow underneath.

Do I still need a safety net on an InGround trampoline?

We recommend one for any household with children. The lower fall height removes the worst outcome, but a net keeps jumpers on the mat in the first place — which matters most if the trampoline sits near a fence, wall or paving.

Shop by installation type

Above-Ground trampolines — traditional, DIY-friendly, relocatable.
InGround trampolines — low profile, reduced fall height, every net option.
FlatGround trampolines — completely flush with the lawn.

Everything is held in our own warehouse in Ireland, with free delivery on orders over €300 and 48-hour delivery on models in stock.

Still deciding?

Tell us your garden dimensions, your soil, and who'll be using it, and we'll tell you which of the three makes sense — including when the cheaper option is the better one.

Call 01 960 1641 (Republic of Ireland) or 028 3756 8930 (Northern Ireland), Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, or email info@trampolinesireland.com.

Trampolines Ireland — official BERG Premium Dealer since 2020, 8,000+ orders delivered across the Republic and Northern Ireland.