Buying a Play Set, Part II: What Are You Made Of?

Now that you've made the decision to fork over some cash and land to install a play set, the next logical question is, which one?

Another multi-step process, my dear reader. You see, you don't have just one choice--a metal swingset--that we had when we were kids. Now there are play sets in metal, plastic, various kinds of wood, and combinations of those. There's a huge range of price points for these materials, and durability is also a big issue.

Here's a quick primer to the main types of materials that you'll be finding on the market, as well as my own evaluation of their looks, durability, and environmental friendliness.

Metal
Durability: *** Maintenance: * Environmental Aspects: *
The entry level of many swing sets is the metal category. This also tends to be the least costly of your pre-fabricated choices,* and least versatile. Sets are available at Toys "R" Us for around $200. (*There are also inexpensive kits that require consumers to purchase their own lumber, but the kits supply all of the anchors and joinings to create the playset.)

The main complaint about metal swing sets is the rust factor: The rain and snow really do a number on them. Most home fix-it stores carry rust abatement products, and repainting your swing set on occasion will be necessary. Add these products into the mix and you reduce the environmental friendliness factor considerably. Another important consideration in a yard without much shade is the heat factor of the sun beating down on a metal slide or bars on the set. Many community playgrounds and manufactured playsets now offer plastic slides because they do not heat up as much as their metal counterparts. Manufacturers also offer galvanized metal swing sets, which are less prone to rusting and heating problems. These types of sets are more commonly found on commercial playgrounds. Residential galvanized metal sets are available, but shop carefully.

Plastic
Durability: ** Maintenance: *** Environmental Aspects: *
Plastic products, such as sets made by Little Tikes, are worthy competitors for a child's attention outdoors. Brightly beckoning to little kids with their tunnels, slides, and interchangeable components, plastic sets are an affordable and somewhat durable option for the backyard.

However, the most significant drawbacks of plastic sets are hard to ignore. They're generally sized for younger kids, so playtime will be limited after age 5 or 6. The sets don't weather well, so after a couple of years in the sun and snow, they will fade and possibly crack. If plastic playsets are not taken apart and reassembled, they maintain their integrity all right, but it is not a good idea to purchase a previously used plastic playset for your yard. And the environmental unfriendliness of the manufacturing process using a petroleum-based product is hard to ignore, especially in these times of higher oil costs.

Pine
Durability: *-**** Maintenance: *-*** Environmental Aspects: **

Pine is the workhouse of less expensive wood playsets. Most self-assemble sets, such as those found in the savings club-type venues, use pine. Pine is a soft wood that does not repel insects like cedar or redwood, but pressure-treated pine is also augmented with chemicals to preserve the wood from insect damage and overall decay. Pine's range of durability primarily hinges on the manufacturer's treatment of the wood and the width of the play set support pieces. Researching what the manufacturer does to the pine and customer satisfaction with their play sets are very important to understanding whether you are purchasing a quality pine set.

With pine, you get a lower-cost option that is attractive, but will require backyard maintenance. Weather extremes will expand and shrink the wood, so tightening the fasteners will be required. Wood should be inspected regularly, and structures may require a sealant treatment annually either as-needed or for the entire set. Cracks may appear in pine playsets, but some of these are expected. Relying on an experienced play set installer to walk you through the structure's inspections once or twice would be an excellent investment to preserve your playset and your children's safety.

Cedar/Redwood
Durability: **** Maintenance: **** Environmental Aspects: ***-****

In this case, the consumer's best choices for playset construction are also the most costly options of all. Cedar and redwood are durable, repel insects, and are the strongest materials that you can find on the market to handle the climbing, jumping, swinging, and other antics from your kids and their friends. Redwood is even a somewhat sustainable wood, due to the fast growth of those trees. However, manufacturers know this well and make consumers pay the price--sets in these wood typically cost $2,000 and up.

Cedar and redwood are excellent investments for the homeowner who doesn't want to dicker with a lot of maintenance, though annual inspections are still important. Many manufacturers who use these woods include generous warranties because of the overall durability. Cedar and redwood weather nicely too, and these sets can be relocated to another home without compromising the structure's sturdiness.

And finally, a note on what you'll put on the ground around the playset, so that your kids aren't playing in and around a pit of dirt and dead grass:

Mulch
There are generally two kinds of mulch for backyard playsets that you can purchase from local landscaping or mulch supply companies: wood chips and playground "carpet." Wood chips are, well, chipped wood pieces spread under the playset to a depth of 6-9", depending on the height of the playset. These can be found on many community playgrounds as well, and do the job just fine of absorbing impact. These can also be a good choice if very young children will be on the ground because it's harder to eat, though crawling will be more uncomfortable for them.

Playground "carpet" is hardwood mulch that is cleaned of dirt, and compacts more on the ground to absorb impact better. Naturally, because it works really well, it's more expensive than wood chips.

Whatever you choose, do NOT buy regular old hardwood mulch for your backyard, or you will have a HUGE mess to clean up every time the kids come back in the house.

Other Materials
Other shock-absorbing materials are available to put under your backyard playset, such as rubber mulch, pea gravel, and sand. However, the annoyance factor and/or expense of installing these groundcovers do not make them friendly options for most consumers.

Sources:
Creative Playgrounds for Small Spaces: http://www.mygreathome.com/outdoors/playgrounds.htm
How Safe is Your Home Playground Equipment? Part 2: http://www.backyardcity.com/articles/Playing-It-Safe-Part2.htm
Playground Services Inc. FAQ: http://www.qualityplaysets.com/FAQs.asp
Playset Buyers Guide: http://www.childrensplaysets.com/playset_buyers_guide
Swing Sets Blog: http://www.outdoorkidsadventures.com/2009/06/hello-world/
Swing Sets Depot: http://www.swingsetsdepot.com/swing-sets-backyard-safety.cfm