Picking out a material for my nephew’s playset was very easy and only took about 5 minutes to decide. The hardest part was deciding what type of wood should the playset be made out of? I began doing a little research to find the best type of wood for a playset.
What kind of wood to use for a playset? Redwood is the best type of wood to use for a playset. Redwood does not require to be chemically treated because it naturally contains weather resistance and insect repellency, and it is a much smoother and harder wood than Cedar and Pine.
Redwood contains many good attributes that make it an obvious choice for the use of an outdoor playset. Let’s compare and contrast redwood to cedar and pine woods.
The most important aspect of choosing redwood is an aspect that is not cosmetic. It is the fact that the wood is not treated with chemicals that could be potentially harmful to the children that play on the playset. Redwood naturally repels insects and is resistant to deterioration. Therefore, redwood does not need to be chemically treated.Cedar also naturally repels insects and has a strong natural protection against weather, but there are a couple of other reasons to choose redwood over cedar.
Redwood is a much harder wood than cedar, for example. The hardness of the wood means that it will last longer in an outdoor setting. Redwood trees have a decreased amount of knots on them than cedar trees do. Having fewer knots will mean the wood will be more smooth, straight and appealing to the eye.
Wood that is much more straight will be less likely to warp and change shape as time goes on. This also goes for the hardness of the wood. If the wood is harder the shape will be less likely to change. Pinewood is as durable as redwood, but pine requires to be treated whereas, redwood does not.
Pine can be treated with very natural and safe substances to humans and animals, but why choose a wood that needs to be treated at all when there are two other choices of woods that have their own natural treatment within them?
Related: How Long Does A Wooden Playset Last?
Redwood
That natural component in redwood is called tannin. Tannin is a natural substance that is found in several different plants and trees. Tannin provides a way to preserve wood in an organic way. This wonderful substance protects the redwood against a lot of different insects as well as fungi.
Redwood trees can be found in the United States in California. More specifically redwood is found along the Northern Coast of California as this type of tree prefers a warmer climate with a lot of precipitation and sunlight. Not only do tannins help this wonderful tree protect itself against many different naturally occurring disasters it also gives this tree strength.
The strength of a redwood tree is not more than a pressure treated pine however, it does not lack in the area of durability when it comes to outside furniture and kids playsets. Along with all of the other aspiring attributes of redwood its cosmetic appeal is one that tops the list. It holds a warm red tint to its wood naturally. With the right kind of care, this red tint can last for years without any kind of fading.
In a redwood forest, it is easy to see why this wood is so smooth and straight. A redwood tree stands at enormous heights. Some of the tallest redwood trees in the world have reached 350 feet with redwood trees only 20 years old being 50 feet in height. This height allows for much of the redwood that is harvested to belong, smooth and without many knots and blemishes.
This is very favorable for a kids playset that will sit in a yard taking up a decent amount of space. The price of redwoods is anywhere from $1000 to $2500 depending on the brand, quality, and size of the playset.
Cedar
Cedar also contains the natural component, tannin. Tannin provides the same resistance to insects and rot as redwood. Although, cedar doe not contain as much tannin as redwood. This could very well mean that redwood is more resistant to factors such as water, bugs, and deterioration.
Cedar trees are found in the vast majority in the Eastern United States yet they can be found all throughout the United States. As always when purchasing anything of value make sure that the product is genuine. In the case of cedar, playsets ensure that you are purchasing a true cedar playset and not another type of wood such as Chinese Fir.
Cedars durability ranks well with the other types of wood and materials for kids playsets. Even though it is a softwood tree it does not alter its ability to withstand significant strength. The physical appeal of cedar is probably the largest downfall and could be why the price is less than redwood and pine. Cedar, when first placed, has a beautiful color pigment to the wood.
Over time cedar turns a grayish color if not stained. If staining every year is not a problem then, cedar may be the right choice of wood for you. Choosing the correct, natural, chemical-free stain is a completely different matter in itself. Cedar also can contain several knots making the appearance less flat and smooth than redwood.
The Price of cedar comes down to $400 to $2,000 with more cedar playsets being priced under $1,000 than redwood playsets.
Pine
Pine also contains the organic substance tannin however, very low levels and lesser amounts than both redwood and cedar. This means that has to be treated and is not a completely natural occurring preservative.
Pinewood can be treated in “green” substances that are supposed to be safe for humans and animals. If staying away from chemicals or anything that is not natural on a playset is your main goal then pine is not the wood you would want to choose. Pine trees are throughout the world, much of North America and in much of the United States.
The durability of pine is probably it’s a strong point in comparison to cedar or redwood as it is a very strong, solid type of wood. The cosmetic and physical appearance of pine wood can be viewed in two different ways. It could be pleasing to the consumer to have the knots in the wood as it can add character to the playset or it could be viewed as a blemish and be completely undesirable.
The choice is solely up to the person purchasing the playset. As far as the color of pine, it is a lighter color than redwood or cedar. Most pine playsets cost in the area of $1,100 to $3,000 and higher. There are a few basic playsets in the $500 to $1,000 range that contain a few swings and a slide and several pine playsets that are very extensive in the realm of the play world.
Related Questions
Is pressure treated wood safe for a playset?
No, pressure treated wood may not contain arsenic anymore as it has become illegal. However, there are still companies that use harmful chemicals in the manufacturing process of pressure treated wood.
What kind of wood for a porch swing?
Cedar is the best wood to use for a porch swing. Cedar is a beautiful wood that can be most desirable in a porch swing. It also contains tannin, the natural substance that keeps the wood from rotting or being invaded by insects.