CedarWorks Blog
News, stories and tall tales from the design desks and workbenches of the CedarWorks staff.

Archive for the ‘handy hints’ Category

Swing Set Wood. Which Wood Would You Choose?

April 28th, 2010

If you are shopping for a new swing set, you have probably noticed that swing sets can come in a variety of materials. I want to talk about wood species commonly used for swing set manufacturing because not all swing set wood is created equal!  It’s important to know the characteristics and origin of available species of swing set wood so that you can make the best choice for your family’s swing set investment.  After some online research, this is what I’ve found.

China Fir, China Cedar, or Cunninghamia (sounds like a scary skin irritation!) is a tree species native to China, Taiwan, and northern Vietnam.  Although it is often seen used in the production of swing sets by American-based companies, and has only moderate rot resistance and is not a true Cedar species.

Pine is another wood associated with swing set manufacturing, but is not the best choice for longevity and low maintenance.  Pine is highly susceptible to rot and insects, and will deteriorate rapidly once exposed.  Pine also requires a good amount of maintenance, staining, and treatments to prevent rot and insect attack.

The swing set industry is moving away from traditional pressure treated lumber due to concerns related to the excessive chemicals used in the process, including arsenic which is highly toxic.  New pressure treatments are becoming available, but thorough research should be done on the process and chemicals used  prior to purchasing a swing set made of pressure treated lumber.  Nobody wants a toxic playground!

Redwood is a strong species.  Its naturally strong and rot resistant and weathers well.  The downfall to the Redwood species is that it can have excessive knotting which will weaken the wood, and eventually weaken the structure making it unsafe.   Red & Yellow Cedars are not as dense as Redwood, but are naturally rot and pest resistant.  Yellow Cedar is not as strong a species for swing set structures and can be hard to come by.

Finally, we come to the Northern White Cedar, which is CedarWorks’ swing set wood of choice.   With all of these other options available, why did we choose the Northern White species?  When it comes to quality, safety, and low-to-no maintenance, the others just don’t stack up to the mighty Northern White Cedar!  Since little hands and feet are climbing all over the swing set, the Northern White’s splinter-free characteristic is a huge plus.  Northern White Cedar is naturally insect and rot resistant and can last up to 20 years untreated.  It offers long life and needs no chemicals to keep it strong and safe.  For CedarWorks, it was the obvious choice for manufacturing the very best swing sets using the very best wood.  And, we take that extra step towards keeping the Northern White Cedar species alive and well with our ReCedaring program.  We are very pleased to pass this quality along to your family for years to come, and I hope this information helps you in your quest to find the perfect swing set this year.

To Mulch or Not to Mulch? That is the Question!

April 2nd, 2010

Ok, so you’ve ordered your fabulous new Swing Set! Now what?  Well, if’ you’ve done your homework and given careful consideration to your site preparation, you are likely contemplating whether or not to choose a ground cover for your swing set area.  In today’s market, there are several options available for ground surfacing under your swing set.  In this blog post, I will report some of my findings on the pro’s and con’s of available options.

Grass usually comes to mind first, because in many locations grass already exists in the new swing set area.  Grass is good, but it does “wear” in high traffic areas such as under the swings,  and may not provide the highest level of cushion for fall zones.  However, grass looks nice, it is normally readily available if not already existing.  If you do not have grass in your new swing set space, experts encourage some other type of ground covering not only for safety, but aesthetics and maintenance of your swing set.

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Planning for Spring and Your Family’s New Swing Set

March 23rd, 2010

As you begin to design and create your family’s new CedarWorks swing set, there are some things to consider in advance that will help ensure a smooth delivery and installation of your new swing set.   In our experience, there are five key points to consider as you begin to pick and choose the swing set of your dreams.  Time frame, budget, your motivation for purchasing a swing set,  your childrens ages and play needs, and the layout of the site that will house your new swing set.

When are you looking to purchase your swing set?  Many parts of the country can enjoy outdoor play year-round.  But for Northern climates, frozen ground and inclement weather will often play a role in the shipping and installation of your new CedarWorks swing set.   Being able to plan ahead will not only help you “beat the rush”, it will allow you maximum flexibility for available shipping dates and ensure that your swing set is up and ready for use in time for upcoming family gatherings and warm weather.

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4 Great Sites for Stylish Children’s Products

December 1st, 2009

I really enjoy keeping up with trends in children’s playroom and nursery design.  Being a new mom, I find myself referring daily to the interior design gurus who are just a finger-stroke away.  The look and feel of your child’s space is a BIG DEAL.  Trust me, I know.  I have spent countless hours trying to define “the Look”.  We want to achieve a pleasant balance of kid friendly and tasteful. In my “travels”, I have found several sites that provide great visual ideas and products for your children’s nurseries, bedrooms and playrooms.

Serena & Lily http://www.serenaandlily.com offers a pleasing collection of classic and stylish products and accessories for your nursery or playroom.  Home of Luxe linens, how can you go wrong!   If you’re not sure where to start, you can preview some of today’s hottest products and trends at Design Sponge http://www.designspongeonline.com. This top-rated design blog offers plenty of easy navigation, and a guest blog to further expand your exposure to the latest and coolest products for your kids.

If you’re a modern mommy or daddy living in an ultra-chic modern home, check out Design Public http://www.designpublic.com. This site features super-modern kid’s room elements that reassure today’s modern style parents that they can still have the ultra-swanky child-friendly space while maintaining the look and feel of their homes.

For a robust collection of hip products and design elements, visit Coochicoos http://www.coochicoos.com/. This site is chockablock full of children’s design elements that serve function, fun, and definitely style.

Please feel free to share some of your ideas and inspirations in the comments section below.

A Swing Set for any Season

February 12th, 2009

snow-set-2I love snow. My wife loves snow. Our kids, like all kids, love snow. Even our dog loves snow. Good thing, too – we live in Maine! And what we’ve found over the years is that a swing set in Winter is just as much fun as a swing set in Summer. In some ways, even more fun. Here’s how:

  • The swings still swing the same, but jumping in a pile of snow sure beats landing in a bunch of woodchips.
  • Cold plastic + snowsuit + a dusting of snow = a really, really, really fast slide. When you add a big pile of snow at the end, it makes the ride even more exciting.
  • You can’t have a snowball fight in the Summer. And, the forts, bridges, ladders, ramps and walls make for epic battles.
  • And, nothing beats a steaming cup of hot chocolate after a romp in the snow.

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Skating the Summer Away

February 9th, 2009

Skateboard SwingWe’re always looking for ways to extend the useful life of our swing sets. I’m not talking about stains or chemical treatments or new species of wood – we’re in love with the northern white cedar we use in our swing sets. I really mean finding ways to help a swing set evolve with the changing interests and abilities of kids over the years.

So, we asked ourselves, “what do kids like to do when they are 8, 9, 10-years-old or older?” And, like it or not as parents, we answered, “skateboard!” Heather, our lead product designer, quickly got on the phone and discovered that we have a manufacturer of wooden skateboard decks right here in Maine. We had a sample a few days later, and after adding some holes, ropes, hardware and a dowel or two, we had our first Skateboard Swing prototype.
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“Why doesn’t CedarWorks have a blog?”

February 1st, 2009

I used to deflect this question by mumbling something about “not enough time” or “gee, that’s a great idea” or “because most small company blogs are boring and out of date”. That was until a friend recently told me that he and his wife are just as interested in the “who” and the “how” of a company as they are the “what”.

I was a bit stumped at first. But as he explained that most companies give an overabundance of details about their products and services (the “what”), they often share precious little about the people, the projects, and all of the day to day happenings that really tell you what a company is all about.
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Good time for a tune-up

October 29th, 2008

CedarWorks Swing Set Care and Maintenance Checklist: Even if the weather in your back yard has been relatively calm the past few months, it’s a good idea to make sure everything related to your swing set is still the way it’s supposed to be. Please make sure all the structural parts and connecting hardware are tight and secure. (more…)