The playground has been a favorite place for children for years. Many parents build their kids a homemade playground, usually with wooden elements. However, it needs to be properly secured.
A swing, a slide, a playhouse, a sandpit and maybe, for example, a small climbing wall – these are the elements that a modern playground should not lack, and they may be made of wood, which is an increasingly popular building material. The playground that we plan to create for our kids should be a safe place and the accessories themselves should not pose any threat to children’s health and life. Wood, especially if it is well processed, but impregnated and protected, is a much better solution than putting metal structures on a playground
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If we are going to build a mini playground for our kids on our own, we must make sure that it is built on a suitable surface. What does it mean? It would be best to cover a part of the yard (intended for a playground) with a special mat. But not everyone has such an opportunity, so usually as the substrate of a children’s playground is simply chosen grass. Although it doesn’t have too much shock absorbing properties (like special mats), it is also able to protect the toddler from potential injuries.
To make the playground serve our children for years, it should be properly secured and impregnated. Speaking of protection, it is, above all, about stable structures. A slide or an entrance to a lookout tower must be equipped with railings, so that in case of losing balance or tripping, a child could catch a hold of the railing. Each element must fit and be securely screwed together and fastened to the ground
Impregnation for wood is essential. The choice of appropriate preparation depends on the type of wood used to build the playground and whether it was glued in layers. If so, it is certainly more durable, for the reason that it is not prone to cracking, does not leak resin, the material itself is lightweight and does not require chemical protection. However, once in a while it is worthwhile to carry out a complete impregnation of wood, especially when the colder months come. So how to prepare the playground for weather fluctuations and changing weather factors?
First, the wood should be smoothed before impregnation. The purpose of smoothing this material is to remove dangerous splinters and prepare the wood for varnishing, which is protection in the form of impregnation. Smooth constructions with rounded corners are a guarantee of safety for children while playing in the playground. Any irregularities may be carefully sanded with sandpaper
After cleaning and smoothing the wood thoroughly, it is time to impregnate it, which is the basis of care, protecting it e.g. against rot, which may occur especially in winter, if the wood is not protected. Impregnation for wood will also protect the entire structure against any pests, woodworm or insect larvae. When the winter is severe, our kids are unlikely to use the playgrounds, so for this time, after prior impregnation, we can cover wooden structures, for example waterproof covers (you can get them in every major store of construction and renovation materials).
