Playground equipment may be the most important thing in a playground that attracts children. However, having the right kind of equipment in place is one of the biggest responsibilities.
Looking for the best playground equipment may have so many things to look into, like the kind of equipment you must have or the material used in the making, etc. However, when it comes to choosing between the wooden swings and the metal swings there are a few things that you must know about these and they have been discussed here.
Wooden and Metal Swing Comparison (i)
The two most commonly considered materials used in the making of playground equipment may be either wood or metal and an insight into how they are and what are their features has been discussed below:
Life Span
Swings may be available in both the choices, wood as well as metal. However, when it comes to choosing wooden it is recommended to choose the highest quality wood for the frame of swings because weather conditions may have an impact on it. If you get your playground a good quality wooden swing set you can expect it to last for about more than twenty years. However, as far as metal is concerned you can expect it to last not more than fifteen years as it may react a lot to the weather conditions and hence has less durability.
Maintaining the Equipment
Although the durability of wooden sets may be high as compared to metal their maintenance is also very high. You need to keep them up to the mark, clean, tidy, and properly sprayed with the right pesticide because wood is prone to catch termites and hence it is very important to maintain it properly. This also increases the expense of the wooden playground equipment.
However as far as metal is concerned you can easily handle it with no extra maintenance required, it is just the rust that needs to be managed and it is pretty easy to get rid of. So, in this case, metal amounts to be a better choice because you don’t have to spend much on its maintenance.
Process of Installation
Installation may be challenging with the wooden swings, whereas when it comes to metal swings these are pretty easy. Lifting and fixing wooden frames take a lot of time and expertise. However, the metal frames are very simple to install and do not require much effort. So installation amounts to be a piece of cake with metal frames for the swing sets.
Cost of the Swing Set
No matter how amazing brands you choose, the prices of the metal swings are much less than the wooden ones. Despite being from the top-notch quality manufacturers, metal swings will always be easy on your pocket, but an average made wooden swing set would cost you more.
Looks and Appearance
As far as the looks are concerned, wooden swing sets always improve the area of the playground with its unique look and attraction wooden swings possess. However, metal swings offer the same old look that might not appeal to anyone in comparison to the wooden swings.
Choosing the Right Equipment (ii)
When it comes to choosing the equipment for the playground it is not just about the swing sets, there are several different types of equipment like climbers, slides, and other spring based swings that might be installed. However, selection of these amounts be made very carefully and hence the buyers must be capable of judging the right choices.
Material Selection
Selection of material is the first and foremost consideration that must be kept in mind when it comes to choosing a piece of playground equipment. Everyone has a budget and has some considerations, some people prefer metal equipment, some like wooden and some offer plastic choices. However, whatever you choose make sure to buy the best quality equipment that is safe for children.
Budget Analysis
You also need to set a budget beforehand for the purchase because depending upon your budget you can decide that what kind of equipment, what kind of material, and the quantity of playground equipment are you able to afford. This way you will be able to make a better decision, hence always decide your budget beforehand.
Area of the Playground
Space in your playground is also one of the most important things to consider when choosing playground equipment. This will help you determine the number of equipment you can invest into also you can decide that what would be the suitable options as per the space because the gaps between the equipment are also very important to have a look at.
Purchase Location
Many people think about where to buy playground equipment from, well it is suggested to never make online purchases when it comes to playground equipment and instead choose to make a physical visit and check the equipment thoroughly. This will help you a lot in making the best decisions regarding your playground equipment selection.
Age Group to Cater
Age group is also one of the common matters to look into, if you are targeting a particular age group you must install the equipment that is suitable for that particular age group. However, if you don’t have to target any particular age group and you need it for a general playground you must focus on a midway by installing equipment focusing on all age groups.
Safety of Equipment
There is no room for ignoring the safety of equipment because children will be using them and any risk may not be catered to at all. Hence always inspect the equipment, make sure the installation is done by experts, there are no loose screws and no sharp ends because the damages out of the negligence may be a lot.
Always choose the playground equipment with very deep research because you can have hands-on numerous different equipment as they are available all over but not every equipment may be beneficial and made from the best quality material. There are countless options to choose from and several stores to visit, move around, and do your research so that you can always make the wisest decisions for your playground.
- https://americanswing.com/2020/09/15/metal-vs-wood-swing-sets-pros-cons/
- https://playgroundexperts.com/blogs/news/how-to-select-the-right-playground-equipment