Newport Gulls 2010
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publication date: May 21, 2010
Choosing A Swing Set And Playing It Safe Before selecting a swing set, survey and inspect your back yard to find the best possible place to put it. - You should place it where parents can supervise from a house window in order to ensure its being used safely. - If possible, plan on placing it in an area that remains shady most of the day. - Select the most level part of your yard as the site. If your backyard slants considerably, you may need to hire a landscaper to bring equipment in and prepare the site for you. - For extra safety, plan on bringing in shock absorbing fill material for the surface area underneath where the swing set will be. Some good choices include wood chips, pea gravel, mulch, and even shredded rubber: plan on making the fill at least 9 inches deep. If you have very small children only, it doesn't make sense to buy a huge swing set and fort combination that is way too big for them: start small so that you don't have to worry as much about their taking a spill. Choose a company that manufactures only the highest quality products that have safety in mind: for added safety, choose a wooden design instead of all-metal. When investing in a swing set, you want to ensure that it will last as long as possible. Sets made from cedar are a good choice because that type of wood is naturally resistant to rot and insect damage. Because of this feature, cedar does not need to be chemically treated like pine and other woods that are also used in making swing sets. All wood surfaces should be prepared by the manufacturer so that they come sanded, with edges and corners rounded for added safety. Nothing ruins a day of backyard fun for little children and parents like dealing with painful slivers and scrapes. All hardware should be recessed to avoid snagging on clothing or catching on hair bands. Look for swingers that have a through-bolted design: these are much stronger than any other kind of system, and parents don't have to worry as much about equipment falling apart with children on it! Swing coils should be plastic-coated to keep little fingers from being pinched, and steel ladder rungs should have a protective coating to decrease the chance of slippage. Now is a great time to make the most out of the back yard again by getting outside in the fresh air and sunshine and creating memories with a good old fashioned swing set. Just be sure to choose high quality equipment so that you and your children will have fun and safe summers for years to come.
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