Three-step maintenance of outdoor playsets

A newly bought and assembled wooden playset is an absolute delight to behold. It is aesthetically very appealing and a lot of fun to play on. However, beauty doesn’t last forever even in playsets! It is therefore your responsibility to make your playset look as charming as it now is, even after your kids are done with their fun and games. Buying a wooden playset is quite an investment as the money spent on the original purchase reduces the amount you would spend on maintenance. If you properly care for your playset, it will not only retain value but also add to its resale value! Since all outdoor playsets are exposed to the whims and atrocities of extreme temperatures, it is important you maintain them bi-annually, here’s how!

Inspect and tighten
After the snow melts and the temperatures rise, it is important you thoroughly inspect your wooden playsets. Begin with examining bolts and make sure they are completely tightened. You must also check for rough spots on the swing sets and see if the sides and edges need sanding. You must also ensure that all the accessories are in good condition. Check for cracks on exposed metal edges or plastic accessory. For the sake of preventive maintenance, ensure you re-tighten and inspect your wooden playsets every 3 months to avoid potential accidents and lengthen your kids’ fun time!

Wash
Once you are done inspecting the playset, it is important you pressure wash the wood to remove any oxidized sealants and particulates. Washing not only helps clean the playset it enables deeper penetration of new sealant and minimizes the time to re-seal While hosing down your playset, you may use a solution of bleach and water solution to ensure a crystal clean wash of your accessories! To clean plastic surfaces, you could use a solution of soap and water to remove the built-up dirt during colder months. It is recommended that you clean swings, slides, toys and the like with the soapy solution.

Apply water seal
Make sure that you allow the wood to dry for at least two days before applying a fresh coat of sealant. It is recommended that you use an oil based custom color on your playsets to ensure greater protection of the wood. Such a coat is usually more durable than water based sealants. Once you are done applying the required coat, allow your playset a day to dry off.

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