The 8 Best Wooden Playsets for Hours of Outdoor Fun (2024)

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Taking kids to the park is great, but there’s something to be said about being able to bring the park to you. That is to say, being able to set up a wooden playset in your own backyard is lovely and convenient for a slew of reasons. For one, it inspires kiddos to spend more time outside. For another, you won’t have to pack up the kids (and the snacks and the toys) and haul them to your local playground. And for the less sociable parents? It also means not having to make awkward small talk with the other parents. Wooden playsets are perfect for keeping kids entertained and active for hours. But how do you pick one out? To recommend the best wooden playsets, we consulted an expert and a number of parents, and thoroughly researched the market. Here’s what you need to know before delivery day.

Best Wooden Playsets

The Expert: Mike Powell is a structural engineer with over 20 years of experience and the owner of Red Flag Home Inspection in Tampa, Florida. He has inspected hundreds to thousands of homes, many of which have wooden playsets and swing sets that were part of the inspection, to determine the cause and origin of structural failure. Additionally, Powell has assembled a few swing set kits over the years and also used his expertise to construct his own playset from lumber and metal bracketry. Simply put, he knows plenty about what makes a wooden playset safe, stable, and secure for your kiddos.

Finding the Right Wooden Playset for You

You’ll want to consider things like how much space you have in your yard to dedicate to a playset and what kinds of activities your child or children enjoy when at their local playground. You’ll also want to consider the size of your family. Unless your child is frequently bringing friends over to play, a one-child household probably won’t require as large a set as a family with five children. You’ll also want to consider the materials. Cedar and redwood are among the most termite- and weather-resistant types of wood, making them the preferred lumber for wooden playsets.

How to Install and Maintain a Wooden Playset for Years of Fun, According to Expert Mike Powell

PM: What advice do you have for someone who is installing their own wooden playset?

M.P.: My greatest advice is to pre-plan the entire situation from start to finish. Start with your available space and terrain [to] determine what size kit you can accommodate. Then determine your ability to complete the build, and if need be, hire supplemental or primary labor to get it done safely. Once at this point, make sure you have all the components necessary prior to commencing construction and ensure you have an anchoring strategy to keep it all in-place regardless of the conditions thrown at it.

PM: How can someone ensure their playset is safely anchored into the ground?

M.P.: If you purchase a kit, be sure to rigidly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Most kits come with ground anchors similar to those used on mobile homes and other surface devices in high-wind areas like Florida. They are helical screws that are rotated into the ground to a given depth and bolted to the legs of your playset. This makes them easy to install and uninstall/move, and provides solid strength in normal soil conditions. This connection strategy is weaker than a concrete embedment option, and the eyebolts of the helical screws remain at the base of the posts, which can create a tripping hazard.

The concrete embedment option is where a bracket or the posts themselves are encased in concrete (and left to cure for at least 24 hours before use). Concrete embedment provides a solid connection, but take care to ensure that the concrete sits below grade, as it can become an impact hazard if left exposed. This option will require quite a bit of work to break [the playset] free of the concrete and is not advisable if you are renting the space or considering relocation, as it becomes more of a permanent installation.

PM: What’s the typical lifespan of a wooden playset, and when should it be repaired or replaced?

M.P.: Most sources I have identified state around a 15-year lifespan of playsets, which seems consistent with what I have seen. Playsets should be repaired or replaced once outward signs of failure are observed. If you see oxidation of the fasteners, distortion of the wooden members, or if components show signs of cracking/weathering, you should consider conducting localized repairs or replacements.

PM: How can readers extend the life of their wooden playset?

M.P.: By performing maintenance on the playset annually, in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. This process would include maintaining a water-resistant stain/seal over the wooden components and lubrication of the moving/metallic components. If the wood is sealed, I would do a small-scale water test. Apply a few drops of water to the wood surface. If the water beads up, the finish is still protected. If it absorbs, it means that the sealant has degraded and needs replacement. I would also look for splinters and/or fracturing of the wooden members. If you see any, they can be broken or sanded down to no longer pose a threat to the children playing on them.

Insects that consume wood materials are common around the U.S., so the annual inspection should include looking for small rounded “tubes” that are made of tiny pieces of sawdust or evidence of insect consumption. Warping should also be a maintenance consideration. This distortion could make some of the components rub or fail to function properly.

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How We Evaluated These Wooden Playsets

Following structural engineer Mike Powell’s advice, nearly all the wooden playsets we recommend are made from long-lasting cedar except for the Plum Discovery Woodland Treehouse, which is made with pine (another acceptable material for wooden playsets) and comes from a brand that’s been trusted for 30 years. We surveyed customer feedback on sites like Amazon and Wayfair, referenced other articles about wooden playsets, and asked parents what their preferred sets and brands were. Additionally, we considered size and cost as well as the array of features and made sure to include a variety that fit into different budgets, backyard sizes, and general needs. Some kids might prefer more swings, while others prefer climbing above all else, and still others are all about the slides. Our recommendations reflect this variety of interests.