What to look for when choosing Wooden Playsets?

Are you gearing up to make the move and invest in high quality wooden playsets?  It can be a fantastic way to give your children an endless source of clean, healthy fun where you are always around to keep and eye on them, and it is a purchase that can quickly make your yard the center of the neighborhood.  These days, there are plenty of great online sources for solid structures, but if you want to make sure you get the highest quality available, you need to take a little more time than doing a simple point and click.


Let’s look at some the variables you want to consider:


What is the Warranty?

A warranty is extremely important when purchasing wooden playsets.  Even if they are made of high quality redwood, a structure with children constantly playing on and around it can quickly deteriorate if not designed properly.

Enquire with the dealer about length of warranty.  Typically, a minimum warranty lasts for one year and some dealers offer lifetime warranties.  At the very least, make sure the wood beams themselves are warrantied for a lifetime.

If the structure is put together using metal pieces, like brackets, the company may be less willing to warranty the entire structure—and for good reason.  These small metal pieces are susceptible to rusting, wreaking havoc on the overall integrity.  This is a great reason to consider getting structures that are made of 100% wood (except for plastic features, like roves, that can be easily replaced later on).


Is it stained?

You should absolutely be going with a redwood playset, as it is the most durable and most beautiful wood, but even redwood will do far better under the elements with a good coat of wood stain.  Be sure to enquire whether or not your playset is stained already because if it not you will need to take matters into your own hands to ensure ultimate protection.  For the busy modern parent, this can become a headache.


Can the Playset be Upgraded or Expanded?

There are several reasons you might opt for smaller wooden playsets—your children might still be quite small, you may have limited yard space, or the budget may simply be restricted.  Whatever the reason for making that decision, keep the future in mind.  

There will come a time where your children will get bigger and have different needs.  There will be a time when you may want to move into a larger house with more space.  And adding to your playset as time goes by—perhaps as a unique birthday present, for example—can be a great way to eventually purchase something that will last an entire childhood without ever getting old.

Some wooden playsets are built with future expansion in mind and others are not, so be sure you do not limit yourself by failing to consider this variable.


How Much Yard Space Do I Need?

Do not order playsets online without enquiring or noting the exact space specifications needed to fit it comfortably in your yard.  Many homeowners make the mistake of eyeballing their yard based on the given size of the play structure and making sure it reasonably fits, but for ultimate safety considerations, there should be a 6 foot perimeter around the structure, maintaining adequate distance on all sides.


What Are the Weight Requirements?

How much weight is the playset designed to withstand?  Keep in mind that your children are going to grow and their needs will vary over time—not to mention that misuse is typical.  Kids will generally be rough with the equipment and pile more of their peers on than is safely recommended.  The best rule of thumb is to get a structure that would support even your own adult weight.


Is the Playset Designed for Easy Assembly?

Wooden playsets should be designed with ease of setup in mind unless the dealer is going to include setup with the purchase.  If setup is included, double check to make sure there are no hidden charges that were not included in the retail cost.  


If setup is your responsibility, are you really up for the job? 

Most designers of high quality swing sets know to design them with setup efficiency in mind, knowing that many parents will not have specialized skills, but this is not always the case and some can take a full day of non-stop work to put together.  Keep this in mind before you cut back on costs by purchasing a cheap model—if it takes forever to put together, it may not be worth the savings.  You should also check to make sure you will have all the necessary tools before it gets to your house.

When it comes to purchasing quality wooden playsets, there are plenty of great options as far as design goes.  Modern fort-style structures come with swings, slides, rock-climbing walls, and much more—good time fun is what playsets are about, after all.  But to make sure you end up investing your money in high quality play equipment rather than being taken for a walk, these are some of the important things you should look for.