Three things to consider when purchasing swings

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From Ancient Greece to modern-day, swings have developed and taken on many different forms throughout the centuries. No matter the shape or material, swings have become one of the most recognisable features of a playground. This firm favourite is designed to include all ages and abilities and holds many fond memories for parents and grandparents alike.

When purchasing swings for a play area, there any many options to consider. From timber to stainless steel frames, toddler to a modern parent and child seats choosing the right swings for your playground can take time. Here are three simple steps to help you pick the perfect swing for your playground and create lasting memories for generations to come.

Timber or Steel Swings?

Commercial playgrounds tend to feature two common materials, timber or steel. The material that you choose can depend on the setting of your play area. Rural, green spaces with natural elements tend to favour timber as it blends effortlessly and stays in keeping with the space around it. Playdales timber swing frames are manufactured from laminated timber and come with steel ground fixings as standard- giving you high strength, highly engineered timber poles with a 20-year guarantee. Find out more the benefits of steel ground fixings here.

However, urban areas that require a more contemporary design would benefit from a steel frame. In particular, stainless steel is renowned for being a robust and durable material that has a sleek unpainted finish. This feature is ideal for play areas in a coastal setting or with a high footfall. If your play area does have vandalism, the unique, high-quality design of Playdale Stainless Steel Swings allow graffiti to be easily removed with minimal maintenance to the swing frame.

 

Maintenance

Maintaining a play area is never a full-time job so researching how much maintenance is required can be beneficial.  Playground manufacturers who comply to BS EN 1176 will have a ‘checklist’ covering the basic elements of the equipment’s maintenance. These can be requested prior to purchasing to provide you with an outline and inspection routine as well as the maintenance that may be required.

When thinking about the materials and the maintenance of your swings it would also be advantageous to consider whether you require anti-wrap bearings. Anti-wrap bearings reduce the frequency of chains and seats becoming caught around the swing legs or top pole causing damage to the chains.

This is most commonly due to children throwing the seats over the bars. Anti-wrap bearings come as standard on all Playdale Stainless Steel Swings and are an optional extra on our Timber Swings.

Swing Seats

From the traditional toddler to the trendy team swing seats, your choice of seat depends on the age range, ability and number of users that you wish to cater for. To suit a variety of ages and abilities you may want to choose a range of seats to encourage social interaction.

Playdale has swings for your playground, which are suitable for a variety of ages and abilities, from Cradle through to the Mega Swing and the inclusive Team Swing. We are here to help you pick the perfect swing for your playground! Simply select a timber or stainless-steel swing frame then add your own preferred combination of swing seats. If you need any further advice or have any questions about swings why not contact us or meet with your local Area Manager. We would be happy to help!

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