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.
I 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: