Whenever possible, we recommend removing and storing plastic pieces during freezing temperatures to prolong their life, especially if you live in a cold climate with weeks or months of freezing temperatures. Overall, the exact lifespan of wooden playsets can vary according to quality of materials, climate, and maintenance habits.
At KidKraft, we stand by our products with a five year warranty, and with proper care, we expect our quality cedar playsets to last two to three times longer depending on your climate.
Shop our full line of wooden outdoor playsets , and be sure to check out our Comprehensive Swing Set Care Checklist to make sure yours lasts for years and years and years to come! The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Apply a yearly water-repellent stain This simple maintenance step is the best way to extend the life of your playset.. Quality soil is essential to growing beautiful, healthy plants.
Soil contains the vital nutrients that allow all plants to thrive. So, if you are considering reusing soil from a dead plant, there During summer, it can be tempting to blast the air conditioner to beat the heat.
But that comes with a hefty electricity bill. Many people look for cheaper alternatives for cooling their homes. Skip to content. Related: Best Yard Locations for Swing Sets The Lifetime of a Swing Set Because swing sets can be a significant purchase for your backyard play space, it is important that you select one that will be worth the investment.
Materials of Swing Sets There are four primary materials that make up swing sets: wood, vinyl, metal, and plastic. Wood Swing Sets Wood swing sets will last the longest time when made of durable wood that is taken care of. There are multiple types of wood that are used in swing set construction: Cedar: This is the least durable and generally least expensive of the wood types for swing sets. It is growing in popularity and is naturally resistant to decay and bugs.
It is not a naturally preserved type of wood, meaning that it needs to be treated every once in a while to ensure that it will last many years. The poorer quality cedars come from China and are usually used to make cheaper sets that do not last as long. Most cedars are given 5 year warranties, but will last many more years with proper care. Look at reviews carefully for lifetime and the quality of the cedar sets. Redwood: The deep red color that you find on many swing sets is thanks to the use of redwood.
It is also decay resistant, preventing bugs and rot more easily than cedar. It is a softer wood, meaning that it needs to be maintained as well. Strong metal brackets are typically needed for optimal support.
Redwood typically requires the highest payment values for the material used and can last at least 20 years if well-maintained. Lots of these swing sets come with lifetime warranties. These often receive the highest consumer reviews for durability. Pine: Pressure-treated pine is being used to make the most durable swing sets available.
This treatment allows for the wood to last for a longer time, well over 20 years. Pine falls in the middle of cedar and redwood cost wise and should be sealed every couple of years to maintain its durability. It is more absorbent than the other two and can handle severe weather, making it easier to maintain than the others. Vinyl Swing Sets Vinyl swing sets are also another durable and safe option for both children and adults.
Metal Swing Sets An alternative to wooden swing sets is metal, which typically lasts around 15 years. Plastic Swing Sets The final swing set option is plastic, which has the shortest life of all swing sets. Brand of the Swing Set Matters Brand and the individual swing set you buy will have an impact on the life span of your swing set. These brands are available at many retail stores as well as online marketplaces: Backyard Discovery: Manufacturing primarily wooden swing sets, this brand offers a wide product range that vary in their elaborate designs and cedar construction.
Their warranty lasts for 5 years on wood rot, which we can expect means that the cedar is not of the highest quality and that they do not think consumers will maintain it. Most of these models include swings, a slide, and a climbing area. Online reviews give them high ratings compared to most consumer swing sets. Gorilla Playsets : Gorilla offers a year warranty on their wooden swing sets, suggesting a higher quality cedar used in their products than Backyard Discovery.
Price ranges vary based on features and size. These skew for slightly older kids, making them more durable for bigger humans.
Swings, a slide, and a tower area are common on larger models. Their reviews credit the quality of wood used and also point out their slightly higher pricing. Swing-N-Slide: Also offering wooden swing sets, this brand offers a 5-year warranty on their imported cedar products quality may suffer and is pointed out in reviews.
These swing sets also cater to children upwards of 10 years old for higher weight capacities. Swings, a slide, and climbing towers are common in this brand. Sportspower: Offering a range of metal swing sets, they are made with heavy duty steel that has a paint finish to protect from rust and weathering. Their products are recommended for kids under 8 years of age, proving that metal swing sets are not intended for older kids or adults. With metal swings, you are likely to have a simpler design with swings and oftentimes a slide.
Fairly consistent reviews point to their simplicity and inexpensive pricing. Lifetime: Their metal swing sets are made with slightly greater durability and weight limits than most metal swings.
The metal is low maintenance, unlike wood, and this brand, in particular, will last a longer time with all-weather material and construction. According to reviews, the swings are durable, and there are slide additions available.
Little Tikes: Little Tikes is a very popular brand for all plastic play toys for kids based on reviews and sales. These are designed for a toddler and are much smaller than metal or wooden sets. They will not handle significant weight and will weather with extended time outside.
A small slide is often added to it. They offer a one-year warranty on their products. They are fairly expensive for a plastic system with greater weight capacities and unique swing and slide features for optimal play time. Step2 offers a 3-year warranty, revealing their shorter lifespan than other materials. Consumer reviews note the elaborate designs and options for plastic swing set offerings. Some well-respected redwood brands include: Rainbow: Offers limited lifetime warranty on redwood products.
This shows that redwood is much more valuable and long lasting than other woods as well as alternative materials. Some reviews do suggest that lifetime warranty is not always honored, and you should be careful when selecting a set without clear warranty stipulations. Kidscreation: Offers lifetime warranty for all cedar and redwood to prevent structural failure. Consumer reviews appreciate how sturdy and high quality the product is.
Woodplay: Lifetime guarantee on the redwood playsets sold. According to reviews and product descriptions, they use high quality sealants for protection and have strong safety features.
Swing Set Pricing Swing sets have a wide range in pricing dependent on materials and the quality of those materials. Here is more specific data related to mid-range pricing from large retailers as well as what you could expect from custom builders: Material Type Mid-Range Price approx. Installation Costs of Swing Sets Wooden playset in a backyard For heavier swing sets, it is highly recommended that you hire a professional to install the swing set.
Chinese cedar is less expensive than other materials because the trees do not take as long to reach maturity. It requires the same maintenance as cedar. The quality of Chinese cedar over North America varieties of cedar is unknown as it is a relatively new material used in playsets. Many North American producers of cedar would steer you away from Chinese cedar, but there is no reason, as of yet, to think the Chinese cedar is unsuitable for playsets. Redwood has long been used to construct high-end playsets for its pleasant natural look and its strength.
It is decay and insect resistant, and it resists warping and cupping. Many playsets constructed of redwood have lifetime warranties on all wooden parts, which speaks to their durability. Pressure treated wood was once a favorite for playsets, but it has been discovered that the chemicals used to treat the wood are dangerous.
In recent years, pressure treated wood has been treated with less dangerous chemicals, but some people prefer to avoid it. Playsets constructed from pressure treated wood can last over 20 years with maintenance source. Playsets made of vinyl coated wood have a vinyl coating around a wooden core.
These playsets can sometimes be slightly less expensive has the wood used in the core can be cheaper because it is coated in the protective vinyl. The main disadvantage of this wood is that rot and decay can be difficult to spot as the vinyl may look just fine while the wood inside is rotting away.
Because the wood of these playsets is protected from decay and insects by the vinyl coating, they can last over 20 years with very little maintenance source. Generalizations about metal playsets cannot be made. High-quality metal playsets can last a lifetime, but there are plenty of low-quality ones on the market that are prone to rust and rapid deterioration. Plastic playsets are often made for toddlers and younger children. They are generally very durable.
Plastic will not fall prey to rot or damage from insects. If well cared for, you could save it for the grandchildren. The playset accessories like the swings, canopies, rope ladders, and tic tac toe spinners, all wear down more rapidly than the larger structure. These parts are often covered under year warranties. This is especially true if you live in an area with cold winters.
It is recommended that you take off any removable accessories before cold weather to protect them. Luckily, even if you are no longer covered under your warranty, replacing worn out accessories is nowhere near as expensive as replacing the structure.
Any canopies on the playset are especially prone to becoming damaged in storms. Choosing a high-quality playset will go a long way toward ensuring that it lasts a long time, but even the best quality playset will deteriorate if it is not cared for. With six kids two not pictured we KNOW all about playsets! We created this site to help share our knowledge of everything we've learned!
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