

They will require additional maintenance if you want to protect your investment and have a swing set that lasts a long time.

While these woods are fine in some regards, they are generally used indoors without a coat of paint and (not stain or watersealer) and do not have the natural built-in resistance to nature’s fury. You will also find swing sets made of spruce, pine, or fir. These woods are known for being naturally resistant to disease, rot, and insect infestation. You want to find a wood that is capable of lasting a long time.Ĭedar and redwood are the most commonly selected wood for outdoor swing sets, and for good reason. Throw in insect activity and wood rot, and you have a full-scale battle on your hands against nature.

Your swing set will be sitting outdoors under the hot sun, pouring rain, and depending upon where you live, the cold, snow, and ice that arrives with winter. But wood swing sets need upkeep, don’t they? There is a durability to wood, a natural strength that you don’t find in a lightweight metal swing set. It’s easy to be distracted and infatuated by all of the accessories and amenities of a swing set, so much so that you forget about one of the most important considerations: will this swing set last?īackyard swing sets and play centers are most often made of wood, and for good reason.
