Often asked: How To Build Your Own Playset?

How much does it cost to build your own playset?

The national average is between $500 and $5,000 to build a backyard playground, with most homeowners spending around $2,500 to build wooden playground with swings, a slide, and a climbing area with shade and mulch for the ground.

Can you build your own swing set?

Swing sets are great projects for beginning DIY and mid-level DIYers. The place to start is with hardware kits that supply the fittings and fasteners, but not the lumber, or kits that supply finished lumber, fittings and fasteners. There are a few things you should know to build a safe set.

How do you build a backyard playground?

Instructions for your Home Playground:

1. Choose your site and the size of the DIY backyard playground.
2. Prep the future DIY backyard playground site.
3. Position the playset.
4. Lay out the ground contact landscape timbers.
5. Build up the walls.
6. Lay out the weed barrier.
7. Fill with playground covering.
8. Trim the weed barrier.

What type of wood is best for outdoor playsets?

Cedar and redwood are the most commonly selected wood for outdoor swing sets, and for good reason. These woods are known for being naturally resistant to disease, rot, and insect infestation. You will also find swing sets made of spruce, pine, or fir.

Are backyard swing sets worth it?

If you have little kids, under 3, then a swing set in the back yard would be worth it. They will get enough years of use out of it to justify the cost and work. For older kids the park works just fine. They also have a swing set but the kids do so much more on the dome.

What is the best material to put under a swing set?

Using Rubber Mulch Under Swing Sets

Widely considered the best material to use underneath a swing set, rubber mulch provides a consistent quality of shock absorption and safety. Rubber mulch does cost more initially than other materials, but because of its material, you won’t have to worry about any long term repairs.

How long do swing sets last?

In general, swing sets last about 15 to 20 years. However, the life expectancy of a swing set can vary depending on the quality of the material used and the degree of craftsmanship. For example, a poorly made metal swing set will not last as long as a high-quality wooden one.

How far apart should Swings be on a swing set?

All swings should be at least two feet apart from each other. The distance between the main support frame and the swings should measure at least 30 inches to prevent entanglement and collision. Two feet should be between the swing set and the ground.

Is pressure-treated lumber safe for kids?

Children should not be exposed to preserved or pressure–treated wood or its dust during construction. Adults should use special precautions in handling pressure–treated wood when constructing the playground or play structures.

What materials do you need to build a playground?

Playground Surfacing Materials: Choosing the Best Playground Base Material

• Solid rubber surfacing.
• Artificial grass.
• Wood chips.
• Rubber mulch.
• Engineered wood fiber.

How long does it take to build a playground?

Generally, a minimum of two weeks construction time is a good estimate of how long to plan for to ensure you have time to sort out the inevitable bumps you hit along the way.

How can I make my backyard fun?

Chris Lambton’s 10 Ways to Make Your Backyard More Fun

1. Organize an Outdoor Movie Night. There are a couple of ways you can go about this.
2. Day Bed Daze. This is a project best saved for the serious DIYer or a professional.
3. Backyard Beach.
4. Mini Golf Madness.
5. Treetop Escape.
6. Water Park.
7. Raise the Bar.
8. Put in the Perfect Pool.

Should I use cedar or pressure-treated wood for a playset?

Pressure–treated lumber is an excellent choice for any outdoor playset, regardless of how concerned you are about safety. Just be sure to use highly corrosion-resistant fasteners. The new copper preserving compounds are very corrosive – more corrosive than the arsenic of years ago.

Is cedar or pressure-treated better?

When it comes to comparing treated wood vs. cedar, pressure–treated wood is the sturdier and more weather-proof of the two. It’s highly resistant to insect attack and rot, and special versions rated for “ground contact” can be buried in soil and will continue to shrug off decay for decades.

What wood is safe for children’s toys?

I would suggest any type of hard wood such as oak or maple. Softer woods like Spruce pine or fir are more likely to splinter in my opinion and that would not be good for your little ones. Make sure you sand whatever you make thoroughly so that it is smooth to the touch.