Your playset is an important part of your day to day life and a large investment. When you move, you might not want to leave it behind. If your playset is in good condition, there is no reason you shouldn’t take it with you.
But how do you move a playset? Moving a playset is not as difficult as it might at first seem. With careful planning, a few helping hands, and a moving truck, your playset can continue to be your children’s favorite place to play for years to come.
Dismantling, moving, and reassembling a playset can get complicated quickly if you don’t make a plan and take a few precautions. Continue reading to get all the information you need to save yourself some time and headache.
Related: Can You Put A Playset On A Slope?
Before You Begin Disassembling the Playset
There are a number of things you can do before you start dismantling the playset to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Are You Sure?
First of all, be certain that you actually want to take the time to move the playset. Inspect the playset to ensure that it can withstand being disassembled and moved. Check the boards to be sure they are not rotten or warped. A playset with warped boards is more difficult to reassemble.
If any piece of the playset is cemented to the ground, you may need to use a sledgehammer or jackhammer to uproot it. You will have to decide if it is worth the risk of causing damage to the playset to get it detached from the ground.
In addition, check with your real estate agent to be sure that you did not sell the playset with the house. Many buyers expect that a playset will stay with the home while others will expect or want it to go.
You can avoid this by putting clear language into the paperwork about whether the playset will stay or go when you move out.
Hire a
Mover?
Decide if you want to hire a mover instead of moving it yourself. If you’re in
the middle of a big move, you might not have the time or energy to take down
the playset.
If your playset is in good condition and you really don’t want to leave it behind, you could hire a mover to handle it for you.
Some playset dealers will dismantle and move your playset for a fee, and some moving companies specialize in playset relocation.
In most cases, it will be cheaper to hire a mover than it is to buy a new playset. The cost will vary based on the size of your playset and the distance it must travel.
Sell It?
If your playset is in good condition, but your move doesn’t allow for bringing the playset with you, you might consider selling it. Families in search of a high-quality playset are often happy to get a good deal for a used one. If you don’t have time for the work, you can stipulate that they must take it down and haul it away themselves.
Then you can use the money you made from selling it to purchase a new playset when you are ready to.
Make a Plan
If you decide to move the playset yourself, you will first need to make a plan. Creating a plan of action will ensure that the whole process will go smoothly. Here are some things you might want to think about before you begin disassembling the playset.
- What kind of truck or trailer will you use? The larger the truck or trailer, the less dismantling you will have to do.
- What size pieces do you need to break the set down into? You can measure the playset to be sure what size pieces will fit into the truck.
- Who will help you dismantle the playset? Someone will need to help stabilize the structure and hold up the swing beam while you dismantle it.
- Will you need help to move the larger pieces? If you decide not to completely dismantle the tower or clubhouse, you may need several people to help you move it to the moving truck.
- Would you like to pressure wash the pieces before you load them on the truck? During disassembly can be a great time to clean your playset and replace any damaged or worn out pieces. Keep any damaged pieces so that you can easily find a replacement.
- Is there enough space to move large pieces into a truck and to its new home? Be certain that all the pieces will fit through any spaces it must travel.
Take Photos
Once you have a general idea of how you’re going to get your playset from point A to point B, you should take pictures of the playset from every angle. You will be able to use these pictures to confirm that you are reassembling the playset correctly.
This is especially important if you no longer have the assembly instruction manual.
Supplies Necessary
Check to make sure you have all the supplies you will need to dismantle, pack up, and cart away the playset. Here is a list of most of the items you may need.
- Socket wrench, power drill, or whatever the playset requires to unbolt it
- Boxes for the accessories
- Plastic bags for hardware
- Marker, stickers, or masking tape to label pieces
- Straps to hold the playset in place during travel
- Moving truck or trailer
- Large piece of plywood (optional)
- Oversized moving dolly (optional)
Dismantle the Playset
You do not have to completely dismantle the playset to move it. Depending on the structure and the size of your moving truck, you can usually dismantle the playset into a handful of easy to move pieces.
Always dismantle a playset from the top down to avoid injuring yourself or damaging the playset.
Take down and pack up any easily removed accessories like the swings or a canopy. Wrap any pieces that seem fragile and pack them into boxes.
Remove any slides. Slides may not add a ton of weight to the structure, but they do make it awkward to carry and fit into a truck.
If you have a swing beam on your playset, you will need to detach it. Be sure to have help while doing this so the beam does not fall on you.
Mark any joints you disassemble with marker, tags or stickers so you know where to reconnect the pieces. This will make reassembly effortless.
Put the bolts back into the holes they came from to keep them from getting lost or place them into labeled plastic bags.
If your moving truck allows, and the tower/clubhouse section of the playset is not too large, you can lay it on its side on a piece of plywood and enlist the help of several people to help you carry it to the moving truck.
Alternatively, if you have access to an oversized moving dolly with large wheels that can handle moving over a lawn, then you could lay it on that.
If this is not feasible, then you must break it down into smaller pieces.
Before you load anything on to the truck decide if you’re going to clean the pieces first. Clean them if you chose to and allow them to dry before loading them into the truck.
If there are any pieces of wood or hardware that you would like to replace, set them to the side. You can take them with you to the hardware store to be certain that you get the right replacement.
Load the Truck
You will need the help of several people if you were able to keep the pieces on the larger side.
If you broke the pieces down into more manageable chunks, you may only require one person to help with anything that is too bulky or heavy to carry alone.
Lay down moving blankets and wrap the pieces in moving blankets to help keep the pieces safe.
Load the truck or trailer carefully. Be sure everything is strapped down or otherwise secured to prevent damage to the playset. Remember the pieces will move if you come to an abrupt stop or turn a corner.
Prepare the Ground
The location where you place your playset at your new home needs to be level, and if you want to add safety and visual appeal, you will need to add a mulch pit or other ground covering material.
If possible, you should level the ground before you bring the playset into the backyard. This is a project that can take a day or two on its own depending on how flat your yard is.
To prepare the ground you will need:
To prepare the ground, start by using stakes and twine to mark out the area where your playset will be. Check that the twine is level.
Remove at least the layer of grass from the ground and inspect it to see how much leveling needs to be done.
Measure the distance between the twine and the ground to get an idea of how
deep you will need to dig to create a level area. Use the carpenter’s level to
check the ground in the middle of the play area.
Dig and rake to create a level area for the playset. If your ground is already fairly level, this will not take too much work.
If you plan to create a mulch pit, this should be done after the playset is erected, but you may want to dig deeper into the ground depending on how deep you want the mulch to be and the landscaping look you are going for.
Before you assemble the playset, lay a weed barrier over the level ground. This will prevent unsightly weeds from popping up in your mulch. (Do not lay the mulch until after the playset is anchored.)
Reassembly
Reassemble the playset as soon after you have taken it down as possible so that how all the pieces go together will be fresh in your mind.
You will need at least one other person to help you with this, and several may be required to lift the clubhouse.
It is usually best to start by putting up the tower or clubhouse and securing it.
If your playset requires anchoring, do not forget to re-anchor it to the ground.
Before you let your children on the playset, inspect it carefully and be sure that everything is as it should be. Compare it to the pictures you took. Once you have determined that everything is safe and ready to go, sit back and enjoy the sight of your kids happily playing.