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A question that we get asked a lot is ‘what’s the difference?’. When doing your research, you’ll come across an array of wooden climbing frames that, whilst they may look the same, vary hugely in cost. This comes down to three key answers:



1. Quality of Wood: Whilst most systems are made of pine, the quality & origin of that pine will vary significantly. Pine from one forest in Eastern Europe will be very different to, for example, Southern Yellow Pine from California (which we use). The quality of the wood will depend on growth rate and density. The denser the wood and the longer the growth rate, the better the quality of wood - and, ultimately, the longer a climbing frame will last (and is much less likely to splinter and crack over time)



2. Treatment: Again, treatment will vary depending on the cost of the system; less expensive systems are painted (or tanilised) which is as much for aesthetics as for (limited) protection against rot. More expensive systems are pressure treated. This is wood that has been infused with preservatives to protect the wood from rot and insects.



3. Finish: The more you invest, the better the components you’ll benefit from (commercial grade swing hangers, zinc coated bolts etc). Combined with the increased quality of the wood, this will ensure that you have a frame that provides brilliant, robust, splinter free play for a generation of children.

Whatever the dimensions are of the frame that you buy, bear in mind that you need a safety-zone around it. For home as opposed to commercial use in a play-ground or at a school, there are no hard and fast rules, but as guidance the following safety zones should be allowed for around pieces of play equipment:

When considering ‘size’ we are not necessarily considering the length and breadth, but the height, the height of the swings, the slide etc. One of the biggest mistakes that mum and dad make is to buy a climbing frame that has a low platform height and consequently a low roof height. Though there is a certain appeal to this as this will be cheaper and look less opposing in the garden, if the climbing frame is too low, the slide will be shallow and the climbing elements not over challenging.

90% of climbing frames sold in the UK are made of pine and though this sounds like it could be vastly inferior to a hardwood such as oak, remember that there are different types and grades of pine. A good quality pine such as Scandinavian Redwood, as used by Home Front Climbing Frames is nearly a hard-wood and should last just as long.

TP Toys and Houtland, both major manufacturers, used to make towers from round 4” timber. Though there is nothing particularly wrong with a round pole system, round timers are more prone to having splits and warping over time. These days most systems are made of planned and finished square timber which is inherently stronger and though it is subjective, better looking than a round timber.

This is a question that is often asked. The simple answer is that if your wooden climbing frame is situated on an average lawn and does not have a Critical Fall Height of over 2.0m, you do not need Safety Surfacing.

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