Swing set, perfect for the garden

Partager

0

Treated pine that must be kept safe from damp and insects, or metal that asks for no upkeep at all: a swing set is a long-term fixture in a garden. Leave around two metres of clear space all round and give it a soft landing surface, and it will keep children and adults busy for years.

They can come either in wood or in metal and there is a wide range of swing sets, slides or playgrounds for children.

A must-have for younger children, swing sets also have the advantage of keeping little ones and adults busy for years.

Here are the tips on how to choose a swing set for your garden.

• More guides for garden equipment

The size of the garden is important

You must take care that the swing set doesn’t eat up all the space in the yard!

• Measure the width and length of your swing set and the space you need around it.
• Provide enough space all around the set, to walk around it or mow.
• Avoid setting it too close to trees and shrubs, the swing might collide with them.
• Usually, 2 yards (2 meters) all around should be enough.

• Marking a planned building’s outline on the ground with string and stakes shows its footprint at actual size, which can reveal whether it fits the available space before you commit to buying.
• Look up as well as out: branches, washing lines and eaves must all sit clear of the swing’s arc.
• Expect the grass under the swings to wear down to bare earth, so keep the set off your best lawn.

Choosing the material, wood or metal

There are 2 major types of building materials used for swing sets these days, wood and metal. Treated pine wood is common, and the metal is usually designed for outdoor use.

Wooden swing set

• It must absolutely be treated against moisture and insects.
• Choose wood with a high rot resistance rating (“Ground contact”, rot and insects). Black locust is a local wood that has these properties naturally.
• Care is straightforward.

Metal swing set

• Although the cost is lower at the start, this comes with the disadvantage of being less appealing visually in the garden.
• No maintenance needed.
• It is usually lighter.

Wood or metal: comparing swing set materials

The frame decides how the set looks, how long it lasts and how much work it asks of you. Here is what the two main materials, plus one naturally durable wood, bring to a garden.

Wood blends into the garden but asks for protection; metal asks for nothing but shows more.

Age and number of children is essential

Take care to choose the swing set based on the age and number of children.

• It helps to have as many activities or swings as you have children in your family, this will avoid a certain number of fights…
• Different types of activities are also a source of motivation and teach different skills: slides, monkey bars, climbing rope, swing, see-saw…
• Adjust the height of these activities to the size of your children.
• Having a swing set isn’t recommended for children not yet 3 years old. It may even be dangerous.

Ideal ground cover for a swing set

Choosing the type of soil is important because a fall can quickly turn dangerous if it isn’t soft enough.

• Avoid at all costs hard surfaces such as cement, pavement, or even tiles or cobblestones.
• A lawn is fine, and a 4 inch (10 cm) layer of sand is ideal.
• If the ground is too hard, spread a 2 inch (5 cm) layer of maritime pine bark, it is beautiful and very soft.

• Rake the sand or bark back level regularly, as feet scuff out a hollow right under the seat.
• Spread the soft surfacing across the whole fall zone, in front of and behind the swing, rather than only under the seat.
• Clear away stones, stumps and old paving slabs before laying sand or bark, since buried hard objects create impact points that reduce the protection the loose surfacing is meant to provide.
• A border of boards or bricks helps hold most of the sand inside the play area, though some will still be tracked, splashed, or blown onto the surrounding lawn.