OT -- outdoor playground equipment for your house?

[laurafaith]

we are getting ready to move....and i want to get a nice piece of playground equipment for my 2 boys....aged almost 7 and 2 1/2. something with swings, slides...etc...just wondering if u have one...where did u order from? there seems like there are sooo many sites out there...its is alittle overwhelming! thanks

 

[bellebud]

we have a Cedarworks set and love it. The difference between Cedarworks and other sets i've seen is Cedarworks is "white cedar", whereas most others are red cedar. white cedar never needs any type of maintenance, and it doesn't splinter. the wood is *soft*, so it bends rather than being stiff and going into the skin. We've had the set about 6 years (kids are now 9 and 8 and use it all the time) and we have never had 1 splinter (and the kids are always barefoot on it), and we've never done any maintenance on the wood. It's also super strong (good for adults too). It's not cheap (money-wise), but it's not cheap (quality-wise). You get what you pay for.

 

[tlh0726]

We put in a new play structure last year after our trampoline decided to go airborne and roll end over end through our yard and 2 neighbors properties during a major storm. It totally wiped out the old metal one that we had since oldest DS was little. Luckily the swing set and the trampoline safety net was the only casualties that day. The trampoline is now chained to cement footers that we put in.
Anyhow, After researching and finding out how little our $$ were actually going to get us, we decided to build one ourselves.
We sat down and made a listing of all the features that we wanted and came up with a design.
I then started searching for the swings, slides, climbers, etc on the internet. We actually ended up buying them locally from a custom swing set builder for about the same price as on the internet with S/H.
We found composite decking for a great price at a local building supply company. The style was being changed and a few of the pieces needed a good scrubbing.
We also compared price quotes with several places to get the best price possible on the wood components.

here are a few pictures of what we ended up with for just under $6500.00. (budget buster but still less than half the cost of a comparible unit in features and size) It measures 32 x 24. The decks are 7 foot off the ground. Adults can use it as well. The pictures were taken before the fireman's pole was installed in the middle of the walkway between decks. A board is covering the opening where the pole is.
It was a great family project. The kids take pride it telling their friends that they helped mommy and daddy build this.
So if you are the do it yourself type, this is an option over the ready to build sets.

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/tlh0726/20080804_0268.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/tlh0726/20080804_0267.jpg
http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/tlh0726/20080804_0269.jpg

 

[wishtdream]

we ordered from bjs.com

 

[QVCshopper]

Not that this will help you, but a neighbor across the street was moving and gave us the play system he built. My husband and he just carried it across the street. The next year, the same house turned over and we were again given one of those large plastic play houses. You never know what people will want to get rid of when moving.

 

[poohfriend77]

we have a Cedarworks set and love it. The difference between Cedarworks and other sets i've seen is Cedarworks is "white cedar", whereas most others are red cedar. white cedar never needs any type of maintenance, and it doesn't splinter. the wood is *soft*, so it bends rather than being stiff and going into the skin. We've had the set about 6 years (kids are now 9 and 8 and use it all the time) and we have never had 1 splinter (and the kids are always barefoot on it), and we've never done any maintenance on the wood. It's also super strong (good for adults too). It's not cheap (money-wise), but it's not cheap (quality-wise). You get what you pay for.

I second this! We got ours more than 4 years ago, and it is great! Adults love playing on it too.

 

[AQW]

I'm a total Cedarworks stalker - their playsets are amazing. If we had a real backyard, I wouldn't get anything but a Cedarworks set. www.cedarworks.com

 

[mickeymaker2003]

We built a Playstar system from Menards (you buy the parts and cut the wood yourself). Here is the basic idea http://www.playstarinc.com/ps/powerhouse-gfv.asp

We used AC2 treated lumber. We started with their design and then tweeked it to be what we wanted. We built the Powerhouse XP Gold, except we used a straight slide instead of the tube slide. We did not get the Bronco Rider (we may get it next year). Instead of the sandbox and picnic table in the bottom, we put decking at the bottom and built a railing with a gate, so it is a little fenced in patio. Then we put the small Little Tikes plastic picnic table on the deck (I didn't want a wood picnic table because you can't really wash it). We skipped the arched climber and put in the rock wall steps instead so smaller kids would have access. It has a steering wheel and telescope (and I added a periscope I found at a gargage sale for 50 cents). We also have the waterslide kit with the water cannon. The waterslide kit is REALLY fast--make sure it is at least half full of water before the kids go down it or they will fly right off the end if either they or the slide are wet (the kids love it dry too because they get a longer ride).

Since my DD2 thinks mom and dad should play too, we built it to hold adults too. We bought commercial swings and swing anchors for each spot. We also reinforced the slide with a frame under it halfway down the slide and reinforced the rock steps too (not in the directions for either piece, but it is much sturdier now and the slide seems faster too).

Email if you'd like pics (I have no idea how to post them here).

All told, I think we spent about $1400 and a couple weekends building it. The directions are very good. At my Menards, all Playstar stuff is 15% off, so if you are thinking of going this direction, you may want to buy the plastic stuff and kit and then buy the lumber whenever you are ready to build.

 

[mjkacmom]

We have had our Rainbow set for 6 years, and it's in perfect condition, and we haven't touched it. It has a fort with a table underneath, a ramp, a slide, and room for 3 swings. It cost $3000+, but the best money we ever spent. It still gets played on every single day - even my 11 year old still uses it. We initially got a $500 wooden set from toyrus, but it lasted about 3 year - by then, it was too wobbly, and not able to support older kids.

 

[FunkyDuck]

We put in a RAINBOW playset about 6 years ago and it is still awesome! My 17 yearold DD and I like to go out and swing on it and just talk...After we put ours in...a few neighbors came to look at it and bought the same setup. We have 3 swings, a disc rope...tire swing, rock wall, rope ladder, monkey bars, ball swing/trapeze bar and deck to the slide and then a penthouse on top of all that...about $6800. It was so worth the price. Now I have DD age 2...and she is just starting to discover the fun the awaits her one it!!!