Swing Sets

[IHateMyJob2004]

Well, my wife started her day care business and it is inevitable that we get a swing set for my kid anyways.

So, any advice? Wal-Mart has one with Cedar supports for $300. Lowes sells swing sets (much more expensive but I think they are nicer) along with the individual pieces. And of course, I am a handyman so I could just build the thing. I can get swings and slides from Lowes and make the rest out of pressure treated lumber.

Any ways. I'm budgeting $300 - $800. My wife is willing to spend$300. I am more realistic and think $500-$600 is a better number. I figure I'll only buy one and it will be used or 10 years ..... so what is a few extra hundred?

Anyways, thoughts on what to do? What to avoid?

EDIT: Any brands to look at in particular?

 

[RKS]

Text

kills your budget but it includes shipping and seems pretty sturdy.

 

[vi edit]

If it's a day care business, I really don't think I'd be cheaping out for the $300 walmart set.

Between liability and longterm durability I think you should be looking at something a little more commercial strength in nature. Either build it yourself or look into a specialty shop ($$$$ I know). But at least you can look at the construction and get some ideas while you window shop.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: vi edit
If it's a day care business, I really don't think I'd be cheaping out for the $300 walmart set.

Between liability and longterm durability I think you should be looking at something a little more commercial strength in nature. Either build it yourself or look into a specialty shop ($$$$ I know). But at least you can look at the construction and get some ideas while you window shop.

i agree.

don't skip out on this. parents know how much playsets cost. you get a cheap one then they are going to worry. Also it will break in a year and possibly hurt a child.


we got ours free. the family down the street outgrew it. so they pulled it out and brought it over and installed it heh

 

[Baked]

Whatever happened to parks and balls.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Baked
Whatever happened to parks and balls.

kinda hard when you are running a daycare. not to mention the liability is outrageous.


around here (i think) you need like 2 workers for every 3 kids if you are walking on the road.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Baked
Whatever happened to parks and balls.

I'm married man. Don't ask me. Ask my wife.

For day care, she does take the kids to the park. Why we need a swing set is beyond me. We are moving soon and I would rather just wait till we have a better yard.

 

[Kelemvor]

We got one from Lowes last year. Playstar brand but I forget the model. It was a Hot Deal from a year ago. My daughter turns 3 this summer and might even be able to use the monkey bars.

 

[Queasy]

If you're doing a day care, definitely get a sturdy one from Lowes. The wood on Wal-Mart and Toy R Us swings is really cheap and flimsy and won't hold up to regular use and the elements.

If it is going to be used regularly, I'd almost say get a metal one that will hold up better.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I had fun with swingset stuff until I was in the 3rd grade....roughly.

Just build it to last at least that long. If you build it, you'll be able to go big enough and make sure it's safe. Safety would be my number 1 concern. When I was growing up, we bought one of the sets they used to always have in front of Kmart. It was great and all, but it only took one of us kids to cause the legs to come up out of the ground as me or my sister were swinging.


.....store bought swings aren't exactly made out of the best materials. Pressure treated lumber would be great...just make sure you anchor the thing to the ground somehow.