It used to be that metal swing sets were the standard for kids’ play areas, both on the playground and in the backyard, but the wooden swing set seems almost to have taken over the field in recent years. It’s not that metal sets have become extinct; they’re still available too. But it’s the wooden versions of these activity centers that you now see most often, especially in playgrounds. One might wonder why this change occurred, and what the advantages might be that have prompted the change. The wooden swing set appears to have taken over the field in recent years, when it comes to home play equipment, and it’s rapidly gaining ground at playgrounds as well. The metal playground sets that inhabited public spaces for so many decades are still there, of course, but there are several reasons why these outdoor swing sets are now being pushed aside. Not surprisingly, many of the concerns revolve around making outdoor play equipment as safe as possible.

A wooden swing set is more attractive in many ways because it eliminates the hard, unyielding surfaces that can potentially bring injury in metal sets. It’s true that the versions of wood need to be produced and maintained in very specific ways, while a galvanized steel swing set won’t rust, and might last for decades. But with the concern about safety in both the backyard swing set and its playground counterpart, most manufacturers have now moved to wood as their primary material.

In colder climates, for example, there has always been the risk of a child’s skin becoming frozen to the metal on the older play sets. And during a hot summer, there’s the reverse problem of a child being burned by the over-heated metal. On the other hand, a swing set made of wood, while it also cools down and heats up, doesn’t hit nearly the temperature extremes as metal does. Yes, if not properly maintained, wood can be subject to rotting; however, if these sets are made of pressure treated lumber, then this decay is much less likely.

It may seem a bit shallow to prefer a wooden swing set simply for esthetic reasons, but the look of the set can also be a factor in what is chosen. Since this play structure will be a prominent feature of the back yard, it’s an advantage that the wood can be stained to match other elements of yard furniture, like a picnic or patio table and chairs, or even the fence. With the multitude of accessories and add-ons that are available, the owner can make their wood swing set into not just a play area for the kids, but a showpiece of creativity.

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