If you are considering the purchase of playground equipment for the local school, park, or even your own backyard, there are a number of things you should consider. This article provides insight into the various types of playground equipment available today, including materials, pricing, and of course safety.

There are two types of playground equipment available on the market today for you to choose from. The first type of playground equipment I will discuss is based on wood frame construction. These long lived and sturdy structures usually can be purchased in kits, assembled on site in a couple days depending on the complexity of the kit and will typically provide between 5 to 10 years of reliable service. While wood construction playground equipment is inexpensive, it should not be considered for any long term playground installations since it requires far more maintenance that playground equipment consisting of steel frame construction. Wood playground equipment is an excellent choice for backyards, and small private parks. A kit with excellent features can be found on the internet for between $300 and $500. This will typically include as covered raised platform, some form of climbing apparatus, a slide, and a swing. Be certain when considering wood frame construction that the equipment you select has a load rating adequate for it’s use.

The second type playground equipment I would like to discuss is based on steel frame constructions with durable plastic components. This type of playground equipment is designed for industrial installation using reinforced concrete to anchor the components to the ground. This type of playground equipment is designed for many decades of services. The steel frame components will typically require very little maintenance beyond occasional painting. The plastic components (such as tubes, slides and accessories) will need replacement on a 5 – 10 year schedule depending on usage. It is difficult to accurately provide since they vary quite a bit depending on features selected. In general you can expect to pay around $7,000 for a small basic system and as much as $35,000 for a system. Steel construction playground equipment has usually passed all safety certification, but you should check with the manufacture to be certain their certification is valid in your area. These units can be installed by a contractor in 1 – 2 weeks depending on the size of the structure.