It can be hard to pick favorites.
Your favorite song might change with your mood. Your favorite movies? How can you compare comedies to drama? Your favorite food? Who can pick just one?
We’re the same way when it comes to backyard playsets. Which material makes for the best swing sets? Cedar? Redwood? How can we choose?
Well, we can’t. But we can devote this blog post to the benefits of redwood, and why it’s a standout swing set material. (Don’t worry cedar. We’ll get to you eventually.)
1. It’s durable
If you know nothing else about redwood, know this: things made of redwood are designed to last. That’s because redwood is an extremely durable wood.
It’s weather resistant and has a natural ability to fend off termites and other pests. And thanks to the unique grain of its wood, redwood is less prone to warping, and can resist rot and decay.
2. It’s environmentally friendly
Redwood is a protected timber species, and the trees designated for commercial use are grown according to some of the strictest forestry practices in the world. Redwood harvesting practices mean that there are more trees being grown than there are being cut down for lumber.
3. It’s attractive and easy to work with
There’s nothing quite like a redwood finish. And it’s an easily customizable wood, whether you want a simple swing set or more expansive redwood playgrounds decked out with bridges, forts, tree houses, slides and other accessories.
While redwood can make for some of the best swing sets, we should note that it does cost more than cedar. However, it’s a much stronger wood, so think of it as an investment.
And like any investment, you’ll need to protect it. Here are a few things you can do to extend the life of your new swing set.
Be careful when the weather gets cold. Some of the plastic elements on a swing set might not have been designed to survive freezing temperatures. Bring them inside if possible.- Inspect your redwood playground at the start of every season to make sure the nuts and bolts are tight. Check the chains for excessive wear and look for cracks in the plastic seat covering and replace as needed.
- Like we said above, redwood is durable, but you can extend its life by adding a sealer and covering the set during cold/rainy seasons when it’s not in use.
- You can add another level of protection by raising your swing set with our LevelDry system, which guards playsets against moisture, insects and damage from lawnmowers.
- The base around your swing set won’t last forever. Make sure it’s properly maintained. Mulch bases should be replaced once a year, while bases made of sand can be swapped out every few years. Run a rake through the base every few weeks to maintain a proper depth and uncover hidden debris.
Do you see a redwood swing set in your future? Turn to Swingset & Toy Warehouse, where we’re committed to providing families with only the best swing sets, whether they want cedar, vinyl or redwood playgrounds.
And if you’re worried about swing set maintenance, you can relax. We offer a maintenance package for our swing sets that includes spot sanding, hardware tightening, oiling and water protection.
We have one of the largest display areas in New Jersey. And we’re confident we’ll have a backyard playset that becomes your family’s favorite. Visit one of our 4 stores today.
